078 / / JANUARY 2017
This Ladakh woman farms pashmina goats for their fine wool, which she sells to make scarves and clothing.
She leads her goats, which are excellent climbers, through the rocky, mist-hung Himalayas surrounding the
mountain village of Amdi. But snow leopards roam here, too. The predators thrive at altitudes above 4,500m
and hunt wild animals, which means that livestock is far from immune from their hunger. The shepherdess
carries a slingshot to protect her herd and her livelihood.S H E P H E R D E S S W I T H A S L I N G S H O T