Snow Leopard

Snow Leopard

Snow Leopard

The snow leopard is a large cat native to the mountain ranges of Central Asia. The classification of this species has been subject to change. However, with more recent genetic studies, the snow leopard is now generally considered as Panthera. two subspecies have been attributed, but genetic differences between the two have not been settled. The snow leopard is listed on the Red List of Threatened Species as globally Endangered.

Snow Leopard

Snow leopards occupy alpine and subalpine areas above sea level in Central Asia. the total estimated population is 4,000–7,000.

Snow leopards are slightly smaller than the other big cats but, like them, exhibit a range of sizes, generally weighing between 25 and 55 kg, with an occasional large male reaching 75 kg  and small female of under 25 kg. They have a relatively short body, measuring in length from the head to the base of the tail 75 to 125 cm. However, the tail is quite long, at 75 to 100 cm .

Snow Leopard

Snow leopards have long, thick fur, and their base colour varies from smoky gray to yellowish tan, with whitish underparts. They have dark grey to black open rosettes on their bodies, with small spots of the same color on their heads and larger spots on their legs and tails. Unusually among cats, their eyes are pale green or grey in colour.

Snow Leopard

Snow leopards show several adaptations for living in a cold, mountainous environment. Their bodies are stocky, their fur is thick, and their ears are small and rounded, all of which help to minimize heat loss. Their paws are wide, which distributes their weight better for walking on snow, and have fur on their undersides to increase their grip on steep and unstable surfaces; it also helps to minimize heat loss. Snow leopards' tails are long and flexible, helping them to maintain their balance, which is very important in the rocky terrain they inhabit. Their tails are also very thick due to storage of fat and are very thickly covered with fur which allows them to be used like a blanket to protect their faces when asleep.

Snow Leopard

The total wild population of the snow leopard was estimated at 4,500 to 7,500 individuals.

In 1972, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) placed the snow leopard on its Red List of Threatened Species as globally "Endangered"

There are also approximately 500 snow leopards in zoos around the world.

Snow Leopard

The snow leopard leads a largely solitary life, although mothers may rear cubs in dens in the mountains for extended periods.

An individual snow leopard lives within a well-defined home range, but does not defend its territory aggressively when encroached upon by other snow leopards.

Snow Leopard

Snow leopards are crepuscular, being most active at dawn and dusk. They are known for being extremely secretive and well camouflaged.

Snow leopards are carnivores and actively hunt their prey. Like many cats, they are also opportunistic feeders, eating whatever meat they can find, including carrion and domestic livestock. They can kill animals more than three to four times their own weight, but will readily take much smaller prey, such as hares and birds. They are capable of killing most animals in their range with the probable exception . Unusually among cats, snow leopards also eat a significant amount of vegetation, including grass and twigs.

The diet of the snow leopard varies across its range and with the time of year, and depends on prey availability.

Snow Leopard

Considerable predation of domestic livestock occurs, which brings it into direct conflict with humans. However, where wild prey have been reduced and interactions with humans are common, domestic stock comprise less than 20% of the diet of species, with wild prey being taken whenever possible. Herders will kill snow leopards to prevent them from taking their animals. The loss of prey animals due to overgrazing by domestic livestock, poaching, and defense of livestock are the major drivers for the decreasing population of the snow leopard. The snow leopard has not been reported to attack humans, and appears to be the least aggressive to humans of all big cats. As a result, they are easily driven away from livestock; they readily abandon their kills when threatened, and may not even defend themselves when attacked.

Snow Leopard

snow leopard using the momentum of their initial leap to chase animals for up to 300 m. They kill with a bite to the neck, and may drag the prey to a safe location before feeding. They consume all edible parts of the carcass, and can survive on a single prey for two weeks before hunting again.

Snow leopards have a gestation period of 90–100 days.

Snow Leopard

The cubs are blind and helpless at birth, although already with a thick coat of fur, and weigh from 325 to 575 g. Their eyes open at around seven days, and the cubs can walk at five weeks and are fully weaned by 10 weeks.

the cubs remain with their mother until they become independent after around 18–22 months. Once independent, they may disperse over considerable distances, even crossing wide expanses of flat terrain to seek out new hunting grounds. and normally live for 15–18 years, although in captivity they can live for up to 21 years.

Snow Leopard