Several snow leopards and blue sheep were caught on infrared cameras in a wild animal and plant management station in Subei Mongolian Autonomous County, Gansu Province in northwest China.

Both animals are under state protection in China, but leopards are also considered endangered animals, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) list. Living in mountains at an altitude of 2,500 to 5,000 meters, the co-existence of both species reflects the improvement of environmental protection in the region.

Despite being extraordinary cliff climbers and fit runners, the sheep cannot escape their fate if they are being hunted by natural predators like the leopards. But, these big cats can also get caught in the thrill of the chase. Previous reports showed a snow leopard chasing a blue sheep and jumping off a cliff barely surviving. 

Among several hundred pieces of footage recorded, the most recent one captures a rare and breathtaking moment where hunter and prey miss each other on the same spot. In a place where the law of the jungle reigns, it was a slightly disappointing day for the leopard and a lucky one for the sheep.

(Cover image via VCG.)

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