The Small Ghost of the Mountain

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The Pallas's cat is locally called 'the small ghost of the mountain'. This name suits the cat because it is hard to spot and seems to appear like a shadow among the rocks.

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The Pallas's cat is difficult to spot because it has strong camouflage. Its white coat helps it blend with snow-covered rocks and the mountain surroundings, so it often looks like part of the landscap…

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The Pallas's cat was first described by the German naturalist Peter Simon Pallas. The cat is named after him.

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The Pallas's cat can be seen up to a height of 12,000 feet. It lives high in the mountains, where the rocky ground and snow help it stay hidden.

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Camouflage means blending in with the surroundings so well that an animal is hard to notice. The Pallas's cat uses its white coat and mountain habitat to hide from predators and to catch prey.

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Ahammed travelled to Mongolia in winter, March 2017. He first spent four days in Hustai National Park and then eleven days in the Altai Mountains.

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Ahammed had six sightings of the cat during his fifteen-day stay in Mongolia. He spent six hours daily searching for it, often trekking or riding on horseback.

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They started trekking by dawn because the cat was active during the day and evening. Starting early increased the chance of finding it before the weather and light conditions became difficult.