At 5,250 metres; higher than most mountains in Europe; a Eurasian lynx was caught on camera. Not a fluke. Not a misidentification. First confirmed record in Sikkim. Second ever in the Eastern Himalayas. What’s wild? This isn’t just about one cat. It’s proof that places we’ve written off as ‘barren cold deserts’ are actually buzzing with life; snow leopards, Tibetan wolves, kiangs, gazelles, Pallas’s cats; all sharing space in what scientists call an ‘ecotone’; a biological bridge between two worlds. The lynx? It’s a clue. A sign that species from Tibet and the Himalayas are moving, mixing, surviving; even where we thought nothing could. But here’s the gap: we don’t know if it’s a resident. A wanderer. Or part of a hidden population. That’s the scary part; we’re protecting habitats without knowing who’s actually living there. Researchers are now pushing for genetic testing, better monitoring, and urgent action against free-ranging dogs; which aren’t just nuisances. They hunt wildlife, spread disease, and compete with native predators. Tourism, border infrastructure, waste; all adding pressure. So while we’re busy climbing peaks and clicking pics, nature’s quietly running a full-scale ecosystem; and we’re just starting to read the manual.