Snow Leopard – incredibly strong, able to pull a prey 3 times larger up a mountain. Can’t roar! Instead, chuff, growl, hiss, mew. Weigh 60-120 pounds, 2 feet tall, 4-5 feet long. Smallest of big cat species.
Stocky with short legs, short rounded ears to prevent loss of body heat. Wide nasal cavities to heat air for lungs. Fur is 5 inches to insulate. Covers large paws like snow-shoes, easier to walk. White-grey coat with black rosettes provides ideal camouflage.
Tail is long (2-3 feet). Use tail to cover sensitive areas for warmth. Works as fat storage when food is difficult to find. Live in harsh climate on steep, rocky mountains of Central Asia, Himalayas. Inhabit arid, barren slopes without trees, sparse vegetation.
In summer migrate upward 10-20,000 feet. In winter, move down 4-5,000 feet. Found in 12 countries – Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan. Over 50% reside in China.
Opportunistic hunters, adapt to prey, large herbivores (sheep, ibexes, goats, rabbits, birds). Prefer to stalk prey, chase down slopes. Powerful legs to leap 50 feet long, 20 feet high. Highly skilled, efficient hunters. In the wild live 10-15 years.
Habitat fragmentation, hunting, climate change is a serious problem for Snow Leopards. Only 4-5,000 exist. Hope we can save incredibly beautiful, shy, elusive ‘ghost of the mountains.’