A photo of a snow leopard has gone viral on social media because almost no one can spot it.
These large cats, native to the mountainous regions of Central and South Asia, are renowned for their dense fur and elusive nature. Despite their size, snow leopards are masters of camouflage, which allows them to blend seamlessly into their rocky surroundings.
Listed as ‘Vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List, only an estimated 2,710 to 3,386 mature snow leopards remain in the wild, making them a rare sight. Sadly, they face significant threats from poaching and habitat destruction.
Capturing such a rare animal on camera is a remarkable feat—though, in this case, spotting it in the photo is proving to be just as challenging.
Expressing their frustrations on social media, one user writes: “I’m losing my mind over this.”
Another jokingly adds: “They’re trying to put me in a straightjacket because I’ve completely lost it searching for this snow leopard!”
“I’ve been staring at this incredible photo for four minutes, and I still don’t see the leopard,” admits a third person.
Someone else comments: “I swear it wasn’t there until someone pointed it out. It absolutely wasn’t there. Lol.”
A fifth person shares: “[The] first time I looked, I didn’t see it, but then I found it.”
Meanwhile, a few (smug) commentators claim it’s actually easy to spot, with one saying: “It was literally the first thing I saw.”
Another agrees: “Once you see it, you can’t unsee it.”
“What do you mean? He’s literally looking right at us,” points out a third.
A fourth chimes in: “Found it in two seconds.”
“I found it. So cleverly camouflaged,” adds another.
The photo was taken by Saurabh Desai, a nature, wildlife, and travel photographer with over 160,000 followers on Instagram. Desai shared the snow leopard image along with others, captioning it: “These snow leopard images are reaching miles, and I’m glad people are having fun finding the snow leopard in this image…”
Some people suggest that the difficulty in spotting the snow leopard may stem from the misconception that snow leopards are pure white.
According to WWF, snow leopards have a ‘thick white-gray coat spotted with large black rosettes,’ which helps them blend in seamlessly with Asia’s steep and rocky, high mountains. This natural camouflage has earned them the nickname ‘ghost of the mountains.’
So, where is the elusive snow leopard in Desai’s photo?
Well, you need to look just off the center of the image and beneath the patch of snow – the striking creature is looking right at the camera.
Can you see it now?
For those who have found the snow leopard – don’t be overconfident. Many spot the creature and lose it once again.
