You need to hear every detail of the experience this wildlife photographer shared after he found the most powerful cat, rarely ever seen in Pakistan: the Himalayan Lynx. He spotted the most elusive and powerful cat in Chitral Valley while on his expedition to film Markhors – the endangered animal of Pakistan.
How did he locate the Himalayan Lynx
He goes on to give details of his experience, “In February, a month into my new job. I was on a mission to Chitral Valley to film a short documentary on Pakistan’s endangered national animal – the Kashmir Markhor. My second morning in the field, perched on a mountainside in the rain some 30km outside of Chitral. We had woken up before dawn to make it in time to film the markhor coming down to the river to drink and graze. An hour in, I was filming a group of larger markhor coming down the steep rocky mountainside. When suddenly my eye caught something crouching behind a rock, just above the wild goats.”
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Where did he first locate the rare cat?
“The most powerful moment I have ever witnessed in the wild – a Himalayan Lynx. One of the most elusive and powerful cats living in the world’s highest mountains, on a successful hunt for markhor. These are the first intimate images of the Himalayan Lynx ever captured in Pakistan,” he said and then shared these beautiful images.
The first sighting
Then he goes further in the details, pointing out the moments of the first time he located it, “the first thing I saw was a pair of shoulders, pulled back into the animal’s body. My heart started racing, but I still couldn’t see what it was. Then, through the high powered lens. I saw those unmissable ears – a Himalayan Lynx.”
How does lynx live in mountains?
“Usually a nocturnal hunter, and incredibly elusive in its environment, the lynx is almost never seen by humans. I couldn’t believe what was in my frame,” he explains.
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How did it behave around Markhor?
“The cat allowed the big group of markhor to pass, knowing its chances were poor. Then began a long, fast, silent descent down the mountainside. To where a smaller group of females and young were grazing by the river. Before I knew it, the lynx had its jaws around the throat of a baby markhor. And within seconds, life left its body,” he narrated like a true wildlife photographer.
What is Nyal Mueenuddin up to?
This wildlife photographer is busy shooting all the rare locations of Pakistan. He says, “Over the past couple days we’ve released the documentary I put together about this moment. And the response has been unbelievable. It goes to show that Pakistanis are indeed incredibly passionate about the natural wonders of our country. And they are eager to take part in their protection.”
He promotes the art of filmmaking and expresses his passion for it
“I continue to believe that films and images have the power to change people’s perceptions of the world. And their role in it. I’m totally committed to continuing to bring secret stories of the wild into the limelight.”
His passion is boundless
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This talented wildlife photographer is on his way to explore more of Pakistan. His passion clearly shows from the way he narrates his experience of finding the Himalayan lynx and markhor.
Many before him have taken upon themselves to save the endangered animals like Markhors. And some have tried to keep the animal alive through advertisements and photography. Nyal Mueenuddin, however, is just not about photographing Pakistan but also about showing to the world the beauty of Pakistan. We wish him the best of luck for the future!
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