![]() ![]() ![]() Exceedingly shy and secretive animals, they prefer to move along ridge lines, edges of bluffs and bases of cliffs which provide an excellent view of the surrounding area. Their long tail, up to two metres, acts as an effective counterbalance. The agile Snow Leopards are renowned for their leaping ability, executing jumps from six to 15 metres through the air. It is very difficult to assess population numbers of these rare leopards, and estimates from camera trapping studies vary from 0.15 cats per 100 square kilometre in Kyrgyzstan to 4.5 cats per 100 square kilometres in a prey rich habitat. In contrast to previous studies, they also found very little overlap in home ranges of adult cats of the same sex, suggesting that Snow Leopards are highly territorial. Researchers from The Snow Leopard Trust have found that up to 40% of all protected areas across the Snow Leopard’s range are too small to support even a single breeding pair, let alone a viable population. Daily movements may be as much as 28 km or more. One radio-collared female in Mongolia was estimated to hold a territory of at least 1,590 square kilometres while male ranges were 181 – 1,628 square kilometres. Radio telemetry studies have found that due to the scarcity of prey, Snow Leopards possess vast territories, which they defend by scent marking, scrapes, and fecal deposits. In winter, they follow the game to lower levels, down to 500-1,500 m in the Gobi Desert. They inhabit steep rugged terrain, alpine meadows, rocky areas, snow fields and glaciers up to 5,500 metres. ![]() Historically found over much of high altitude Asia, including Mongolia, China through Russia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Nepal, they have probably never been common, due to the harsh environment. These beautiful leopards are found in 12 countries in Central Asia, and their habitat includes some of the world’s highest mountain ranges. This cushion also protects their pads from the intense cold. Their broad foot pads are covered with a cushion of hair which increases the surface area and distributes their weight more evenly over snow. Short, rounded ears are an adaptation for stalking prey in areas of little cover, an adaptation shared by other mountain and desert dwelling species. The backs of their short, rounded ears are black at the tips and the base, with grey bars. ![]() Irises are pale yellowish to greenish grey, and the pupils are round. Their skull is large, shortened and broadened with a short muzzle, high forehead and vertical chin. Like the small cats, Snow Leopards purr but cannot roar, and they feed in a crouched position. The Snow Leopard is intermediate between big and small cats. Several rosettes form black rings on the upper side of the tail, with less distinct spotting on the underside. Their long, rounded tail is used as a wrap for warmth when sleeping, and the fur on the tail can be up to five cm long. Being an animal of high altitude, their woolly fur is exceedingly long, up to 2.5 cm on the back and six cm on the belly. The chin, chest and belly are almost pure white. The head is dotted with smaller, round black spots. Unlike most spotted cats, the Snow Leopard has paler, less distinct spotting on the body and flanks. Their long, dense fur is smoky grey to yellowish, and a pattern of large, dark rosettes and spots allows them to blend completely into their snow covered rockyy terrain. In spite of legal restrictions, their wild population plummeted. First brought to the attention of Europeans in 1761, their thick, plush fur became popular worldwide. Unique among wild cats, the beautiful smoky grey fur of the Snow Leopard Panthera uncia has been the cause of their near extinction at the hands of man. ![]()
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