Anand Nambiar's Image

Anand Nambiar (India) captures an unusual perspective of a snow leopard charging a herd of Himalayan ibex towards a steep edge.

From a vantage point across the ravine, Anand watched the snow leopard manoeuvre uphill from the herd of ibex. Unlike Anand, who'd had to follow a fitness regime to prepare for the high altitude and cold temperatures, the snow leopard was perfectly suited to the environment.

The snow leopard followed the gullies along the cliff face until it was in position to chase its prey downhill towards the precipitous edge, which might cause them to slip and tumble into the gorge far below.

Managing to catch all the fleeing ibex in one frame, Anand finally captured the picture he had long dreamt of. The big cat, however, was less fortunate - forced to abandon its hunt after the ibex secured a foothold on the steep ledges beyond its reach.

Snow leopards live in some of the most extreme habitats in the world. They are now classed as vulnerable and are threatened by climate change, mining and hunting, which targets both them and their prey.

Roz Kidman Cox, chair of the judging panel, writer and editor said, 'The power of this extraordinary picture is in the energy of desperation of all involved in this life-or-death race'.