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Snow Leopard
The snow leopard is solitary, high altitude hunter, but because of the relative scarcity of food in its rocky Himalayan terrain, it often migrates with its prey. The snow leopard lives high in the Himalayas and ha been long hunted by humans for its beautiful coat. Now protected by laws banning the sale of its fur, it is still illegally hunted and sold for high prices.
Habitats The snow leopard lives in caves or rock crevices in the high rhododendron forests of the Himalayas and in rocky wasteland above the vegetation line. Its light colored coat protects it from summer heat and freezing winters. Thick cushions of hair around its paw pads act like snow shoes, enabling the leopard to move quickly over snow without sinking. In summer the hair cushions protect the animals feet from jagged rocks and from rocks heated by the sun..
Breeding The snow leopard breeds at the end of winter when the female comes into season for a week. If she does not mate, shoe comes into season again for up to 70 days. After mating, the male makes a nest among the rocks. She gives birth to two to five cubs 14 weeks later. Much darker than their mother, the cubs are blind for the first week, but they start to crawl within 10 days. At two months old they can run and eat solid food as well as suckle milk. By mid summer they follow their mother to hunt, staying with her until they are a year old
Food & Hunting: The snow leopard hunts alone because the rocky terrain and amount of food available n any one area cannot support large packs. It preys on blue sheep, ibexes, wild goats, hares, and even birds and mice. In milder lower altitude weather the snow leopard hunts deer, gazelle, and wild boar. Its stalks its prey, then springs and fastens onto it. It can leap up to 50 feet to reach high rocky crags where its rests or watches for prey. Like most meat eaters, it devours it prey beginning with the stomach. Ripping open the belly and eating the entrails before moving to the rump. Unlike other leopards, the snow leopard does not roar.
Snow Leopard & Man: Hunted for its fur, the snow leopard is extremely rare. It has been protected in India since 1952, and is protected in the Solvate Union. International pressure has resulted in some protection for the snow leopard; it is now ILLEGAL to posses or steal its fur. Still, the animal continues to be hunted and poached. Unlike lions and tigers, the snow leopard breeds uncessessfully in captivity. The snow leopard needs protection in the wild to survive.
Key Facts: Sizes, Weight, breeding, lifestyle,
related Species
Length: 4 - 5 ft.
Tail: 3 ft. ft
Weight: 55 to 165 lbs
Breeding:
Breeding Season: Towards the end of winter.
Female comes into season twice.
Gestation: 98 to 103 days
No of Young: Each litter contains 2 -
5 cubs.
Lifestyle: Habit: Solitary due to scarcity of
food and harsh terrain. Each snow leopard remains within its own
very large territory.
Diet: Wild sheep, goats, deer, wild boar, small
mammals, some birds.
Life span: 20 years in captivity
Related Species: The snow leopard is related
to the big cats of the Pantera species, but its does not roar.
Distribution: The snow leopard inhabits
northern India, the countries bordering the Himalayas, and the Solvate
Union.
Conservation: The snow leopard is internationally
recognized as an endangered species. Hunting for fur trade is banned,
but because of the high prices paid for its fur, the snow leopard continues
to be a prime target for poachers.
Features of the Snow Leopard:
Winter Coat: Spots are arranged in distinct rows. They are round and charcoal gray, set against a light gray to yellow background, which grows paler in winter.
Face: High eye placement allows the animal to stay low behind cover when stalking prey.
Paws: Thick cushions of hair protect the large paws from heat and cold.
Hind Legs: Extremely strong back legs leaps
of up to 50 feet. Useful for surprising prey..
Did you know:
The snow leopard is slightly smaller tan the leopard, but its dense fur makes it look larger.
Compared to the other cats, the snow leopard in proportion to the actual size of its body.
Hunting kills most snow leopards, but avalanches account for many fatalities.
Snow leopard cubs depend on their mother for at least a year after birth.