A female skier was seriously injured Friday after being mauled by a snow leopard when she reportedly approached the animal too closely in an attempt to take a photograph, according to video footage and multiple reports.

The attack occurred around 7 p.m. in Fuyun County, located along China’s northern border with Mongolia, according to Jam Press.

Footage from the scene shows the woman lying motionless in the snow after the encounter, her face heavily bloodied, as the snow leopard lingered nearby.

Skier mauled by snow leopard after getting too close for a picture pic.twitter.com/A4J4eQDyiW

— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) January 26, 2026

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Other individuals are then seen helping guide her away from the animal as blood poured from her face.

According to reports, the skier had stepped within roughly 10 feet of the predator before the attack. Witness accounts indicate the woman first noticed the snow leopard while returning to her hotel.

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When she was unable to get a clear photo, she allegedly continued moving closer until the animal suddenly pounced and mauled her face.

The leopard was eventually driven away by a ski instructor who waved his ski poles to scare it off, allowing others to assist the injured woman.

She was transported to a local hospital for treatment and was reported to be in stable condition.

Authorities had issued warnings in the area prior to the attack after multiple people reported sightings of snow leopards near a hotel the day before, according to Jam Press.

Officials believed the animal had been lingering in the area due to a lack of food, increasing the risk of close encounters with humans.

In the days leading up to the incident, visitors were specifically warned about snow leopard activity in nearby regions.

“Recently, snow leopard activity has been detected in Gem Valley, Keketuohai,” one warning stated, according to Jam Press.

“Snow leopards are large predators with strong aggressive tendencies. When passing through this area, please move quickly and do not linger. Do not get out of your vehicle or approach to take photos, and never walk alone in the surrounding area.”

Despite their reputation for being shy and elusive, officials emphasized that snow leopards remain powerful predators capable of sudden attacks when threatened or approached.

Attacks on humans are historically rare, but authorities reiterated that proximity, particularly for photos, significantly increases the risk.

🐆 A snow leopard attacks a skier in North China. These sorts of attacks are extremely rare since Snow Leopards tend to avoid people. Reasons for the attack are unknown pic.twitter.com/Zvl5x94255

— The Hakan_OTTOMAN..🇹🇷 (@Fener34King) January 26, 2026

Tourists staying at a nearby guesthouse confirmed they had also seen a snow leopard in the area before the attack.

“We saw it last night, a few kilometers from where the attack took place, but we can’t confirm if it’s the same snow leopard,” one witness said.

China is home to the largest population of wild snow leopards in the world, according to the Snow Leopard Trust, with the country hosting the majority of the species’ global population.

Local authorities have launched an investigation into the incident and are continuing to monitor the area for wildlife activity as tourist traffic remains high during ski season.