A rare snow leopard was spotted in the remote Lot Koh Valley of Chitral on Thursday, surprising villagers who saw the elusive predator from close range.
Munoor village council chairman Shah Abdur Rahim said residents Buzurg Shah and Bahader Shah encountered the snow leopard in a field while returning from a mosque, while a woman saw it from her home lawn.
The animal later attacked a livestock corral, killing a goat before disappearing into the nearby highlands.
Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Wildlife Farooq Nabi, who reached the village with field staff, said the team is monitoring the leopard’s movement to ensure the safety of both the community and the protected species.
He said the sighting is significant because the iconic wildcat has long been absent from its traditional habitat in the Hindukush region. Earlier this year, a snow leopard was captured on camera traps in the Gahiret-Golen conservancy.