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Ladakh's Snow Leopards and Ranthambore's Tigers

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Ladakh's Snow Leopards and Ranthambore's Tigers Ladakh’s Snow Leopards and Ranthambore’s Tigers Naturetrek Tour Report 24th February – 12th March 2020 Snow Leopard Tour report & images by Anand Sinha Naturetrek Mingledown Barn Wolf's Lane Chawton Alton Hampshire GU34 3HJ UK T: +44 (0)1962 733051 E: [email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk Tour Report Colombia - The Magdalena Valley and Eastern Andes Tour participants: Anand Sinha (leader) with nine Naturetrek clients Day 1 Monday 24th February The group were in flight to New Dehli. Day 2 Tuesday 25th February Our flight from London Heathrow to New Delhi arrived on time. We had a few hours’ wait at the airport before our flight to Leh. We were met by our tour leader Anand at the departure gate of the Delhi airport. After the introductions and briefing, we boarded our flight and landed in Leh on schedule. This is simply one of the most scenic mountain flights anywhere in the world. Just 30 minutes after the takeoff, the scenery changes from lush green plains to the rugged snow-clad mountains. At the Leh airport we were welcomed by the local team led by our guide Morup. The temperature was around -10°C. Our hotel, Mahey Retreat, was only 15 minutes drive and upon arrival we checked into our warm and cosy rooms. The hotel is centrally-heated and it makes a huge difference. For the rest of the day we took it easy in order to acclimatise properly. In the evening we were briefed about the coming few days’ plans. Day 3 Wednesday 26th February The day began with breakfast at the hotel and then we left for local sightseeing trip around Leh. We visited Shey Palace, Thiksey Monastery, Hemis Monastery and Shanti stupa. It was great learning about the way of life, history and culture from our very informative cultural guide. The views from some of the old buildings were gorgeous. We spotted some of our first birds in Ladakh like the Mallard, Golden Eagle, Chukar Partridge, Eurasian Magpies, Red-billed Choughs, Güldenstädt's (also known as White-winged) Redstart and Red-fronted (also known as Fire-fronted) Serins. None of the mammals were spotted today. We also visited the Snow Leopard Conservancy in the town. A couple of guests from the group were members of the same and they enjoyed meeting all the volunteers upfront. All of us learned a lot about the grey ghost we were going to look for and its jaw-dropping habitat. Back at the hotel, most of us rested as we were still acclimatising. Some of the guests took a stroll down the Leh bazaar. © Naturetrek September 20 1 Ladakh’s Snow Leopards and Ranthambore’s Tigers Tour Report Day 4 Thursday 27th February After our breakfast at the hotel, we left for what was going to be the first search for the denizens of the high mountains. The areas we were headed to were Gya and Meru. In the past, many people have successfully seen Snow Leopards in the area. We first stopped at a stream which is known for its Ibisbill sightings. We saw several Ibisbill and even got some pictures. Hen Harrier, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Greenshank, Redshank, Northern Pintail, Eurasian Teal and Robin Accentors were also recorded at the same spot. As we crossed the Meru village we saw our first mammals, the Blue Sheep on a mountain slope. The herd comprised of a big ram, several females and young ones. They were quite bold, and the group got some great shots. Several Golden Eagles and Lammergeier were also seen on the mountain tops. A big flock of Horned Larks were also seen. Our guides and spotters scanned a huge area for the leopards, but no luck today. Back at the lodge we learnt that a couple had been lucky with Snow Leopards on a day trip in the direction of Ulley. This was exciting as were heading in the same direction tomorrow! Day 5 Friday 28th February The day began with breakfast and we left for Ulley. On the way we crossed several picturesque villages and valleys. Our guide Morup spotted the first Urials on the way. The first herd was distant, but the second ones were nearby. In fact, they were alarmed by something. Finishing with the Urials, we reached the spot where the Snow Leopard family had been seen the day before. We saw the tracks from last night. It was exciting as they were really close to the road. But even after scanning for about an hour they were nowhere to be found. We still had a long drive left to Ulley, so we decided to leave the spot. The spotters stopped at several places to look for any signs of the leopards. At one such point we saw our first Ibex. They were distant but the view through the spotting scope was great. We saw a couple of big males. We arrived at the lodge on time and were warmly welcomed by the staff. The lodge itself was a pleasant surprise for the group. It is right in the middle of the valley with 360-degree unobstructed views and regular movement of the Snow Leopards. In the late afternoon we scanned the mountains around. From the rooftop of the lodge, the spotters found a couple of Ibex in the valley behind us. We trekked through the snow to get a closer look and discovered that the herd actually had 27 individuals. It was stunning seeing them operate as a herd, moving towards the higher mountains. Day 6 Saturday 29th February The day began with the first light as we scanned the area again from the lodge premises. A few Golden Eagles were seen catching the rays of the sun on top of the high peaks. There was no mammal activity in the area and hence, after breakfast, we left for a new area called Hemis Sukpachen. It is known for its Tibetan Wolf sightings. Some of the spotters from the region showed us a spot where they had made a kill a few days back. But the 2 © Naturetrek September 20 Ladakh’s Snow Leopards and Ranthambore’s Tigers Tour Report carcass was finished by now and except for some tracks, we didn’t see anything else. We did see a couple of Golden Eagles and Himalayan Vultures circling near a cliff. As we drove out of the Hemis area several Ladakh Urials were spotted. A few impressive males were photographed in beautiful landscape. On the way back towards the lodge, the spotters stopped at several places to scan but luck was still not favouring us! Day 7 Sunday 1st March As usual, with the first daylight we started scanning the valley near the lodge. Again, just Golden Eagles were seen on the cliff tops. Although a potential hotspot for wildlife, the valley seemed really empty. A pair of Himalayan Snowcocks were seen mating. It is a rare sight indeed. We had our breakfast and decided to check some new areas out. As we were climbing down, a fresh set of footprints caught our attention. A little below a different team of spotters were already on the trail. These were left by the wolves! But again, they had moved around really early and disappeared. We continued our search in the new areas but again only got the Ibex and Urials. After the complete descent from the Ulley area, we found Snow Leopard tracks which were about a day old. After a rigorous search, the team returned back to the Ulley valley hoping to get the wolves. But they remained elusive. Back at the lodge after finishing our checklist and dinner as we went to bed, a few of us heard several dogs barking nearby. As it died down in a few minutes, we didn’t go out to inspect! Day 8 Monday 2nd March The day began with a cracking news from the chief tracker Morup. A male Snow Leopard had walked 50 metres away from the lodge and gone down in the valley. So this is exactly what the dogs were alarmed about! We went to check and found the fresh tracks. He had also marked his territory on a big rock. The news swept through the valley and several trackers scanned every inch of what was visible. Hours went by and no signs of the grey ghost. So close yet so far! It was just not happening for us. A bit later in the day we discovered that the leopard had killed a young cow in front of the lodge itself. Although it was close to the road and right in the open. Hence there was little chance of him coming to feed again. We did see a Red Fox sleeping not so far from where the kill was. As it grew darker, the fox came down to the carcass and started feeding. There was still no news on the leopard. Some of the guests saw a Large-eared Pika today. © Naturetrek September 20 3 Ladakh’s Snow Leopards and Ranthambore’s Tigers Tour Report Day 9 Tuesday 3rd March With still no news from anywhere in the valley, we needed a new game plan. Morup decided than we would not waste time in or around Ulley today but head to a completely new area called Mongbyu on the other side of the River Indus. On the way we continued scanning the hotspots but only got the usual Urials. As we crossed the Indus and entered a new valley, it appeared to be a very promising area.
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