Shocking moment tourist is seriously injured by snow leopard while taking selfie with it

A skier who was seemingly in search of the ultimate selfie was seriously injured after getting too close to a snow leopard.

The young woman was hitting the slopes in Fuyun County, northern China, when the big cat pounced on her, leaving copious amounts of blood gushing from her face.

Footage of the horror attack, which took place in the Keketuohai Unesco Global Geopark on Friday (23 January), has been circulating on social media.

The shocking video appears to show the skier lying face down in the snow while the leopard menacingly sits on top of her head.

It has been claimed that she approached the wild animal in the hopes of taking a picture with it, according to The Telegraph - and she reportedly got within 10ft of it in a bid to get the best angle.

The snow leopard is believed to have mauled the woman's face before eventually fleeing after a ski instructor waved his poles at it.

Footage of the terrifying incident then cuts to show the skier drenched in blood as several people help her to safety.

Onlookers told how the snow leopard had been lurking in the area for about ten minutes before it attacked the woman, knocking her to the ground in the process.

Her helmet is said to have saved her from sustaining more serious injuries, although she has been left with severe wounds in wake of the incident.

The woman was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment and is in a stable condition.

Days earlier, authorities in the area had issued a warning about a spike in snow leopard activity - and it reminded people not to try and 'approach' them to take pictures.

It stated: "Recently, snow leopard activity has been detected in Gem Valley, Keketuohai.

"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."

Fuyun County officials said safety patrols had been ramped up in wake of Friday's attack.

According to the Snow Leopard Trust, China is home to around 60 percent of the world's snow leopard population.

The organisation describes the animals as 'shy, elusive cats known for their solitary nature', while explaining that they are not considered to be 'aggressive towards humans'.

It explains: "There has never been a verified snow leopard attack on a human being. Even if disturbed while feeding, a snow leopard is more likely to run away than try to defend the site."