Countries include Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Mongolia, and Tibet. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Thick fur also covers the cat's large paws, helping to grip slick surfaces and minimize heat loss. Also unlike other big cats, the snow leopard cannot roar. Because their natural prey are also in decline, snow leopards sometimes eat local livestock, which can result in the farmers killing them in retaliation. Corrections? Global warming increases the altitude of the tree line, diminishing the range of the cat and its prey. This is now one of the biggest threats to snow leopards in parts of their range. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Climate change is an emerging threat. The IUCN Red List now categorizes the snow leopard as a vulnerable species. Between 2,500 to 10,000 adult snow leopards remain in the wild, but the species continues to face daunting threats to its survival. Because of the presence of certain skeletal features, such as having a shorter skull and having more-rounded eye orbits than other big cats, the snow leopard has also been classified by some authorities as the sole member of the genus Uncia. But habitat deterioration, habitat loss, poaching and climate change are now threatening their survival. The snow leopard attains a length of about 2.1 metres (7 feet), including the 0.9-metre- (3-foot-) long tail. Its litters of two to four young are born after a gestation period of approximately 93 days. Sign up to be kept informed about our conservation work and how you can help such as fundraising, campaigning and events. Formerly classified as Leo uncia, the snow leopard has been placed—with the lion, tiger, and other big cats—in the genus Panthera. It’s been found that poaching and retaliatory killing (as a consequence of a snow leopard killing livestock) are sometimes linked, and the attitudes and support from local communities living in these remote mountain areas are critical to the success of snow leopard conservation. The snow leopard’s tail is about 80 – 100 cm in length as against its body length of 48 – 60 cm, making it nearly twice the length of its body length. View our Cookie Policy for more information, Sign up to get the latest WWF news delivered straight to your inbox. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels. Pupil shape (for animals in general) may be the result of height and place in the food chain. The other name for the snow leopard is the "ounce." Snow leopard cubs have black spots that turn into rosettes as the cats approach maturity. Their wild prey has decreased as herding and ranching activities have expanded throughout their geographic range. We’re working with communities in the high mountains of the Kangchenjunga conservation area in Nepal to help manage and reduce conflict between snow leopards and people. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Get exclusive access to content from our 1768 First Edition with your subscription. Snow leopards are solitary creatures, and skillful predators, able to kill prey up to three times their own weight in challenging terrain. The snow leopard's fur camouflages the cat against rocky terrain and protects it from cold temperatures. Help us protect the beautiful, rare, elusive snow leopard and its environment. Photo: Alexander Oehrle. Very little is known about them, but we know that they are threatened by habitat deterioration, poaching and conflict with people, with climate change adding additional pressure. Lions, leopards, jaguars, tigers, and snow leopards all have round pupils. So by protecting the snow leopard, we’re benefitting the whole natural environment in these areas and the people who rely on it. The cat has strong, short front limbs and longer hind limbs. The snow leopard has several physical characteristics that are adapted to its environment. While other big cats have golden eyes, the snow leopard's eyes are gray or green. Habitat loss and fragmentation Picture by Tambako the Jaguar / Getty Images, African Lion Facts: Habitat, Diet, Behavior, Fascinating Arctic Fox Facts (Vulpes lagopus), 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T22732A50664030.en, Fading footprints; the killing and trade of snow leopards, Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College. The snow leopard has a beautiful, spotted coat, thick enough to insulate them from the cold. Snow leopards are sparsely distributed across 12 countries in central Asia, from southern Russia down to the Tibetan plateau, including Mongolia, China, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Nepal. At that point, the young cats travel great distances to seek their new home. , Climate change This is likely to shift and shrink the snow leopard’s range. The average snow leopard weighs between 22 and 55 kg (49 to 121 lb). Usually they are solitary, but pairs have been known to hunt together. The snow leopard was on the endangered species list from 1972 until 2017. The same landscape also provides food and other important resources for the many people who live there – including medicine and wood for shelter, heat and fuel. They are often killed by herders and ranchers whose livestock they have taken, and their bones and hides are sought after by hunters and poachers for the illegal animal trade. The snow leopard attains a length of about 2.1 metres (7 feet), including the 0.9-metre- (3-foot-) long tail. Snow leopards do not hunt adult yaks or humans. The snow leopard is hunted for its fur and body parts and killed to protect livestock. You can unsubscribe at any time. Nepal. It hunts at night and preys on various animals, such as marmots, wild sheep, ibex (Capra), and domestic livestock. While the snow leopard is close in size to a lynx, it is more closely related to the jaguar, leopard, and tiger. Adopt a snow leopard now. Omissions? The dense fur is white on the snow leopard's belly, gray on its head, and dotted with black rosettes. Essentially, snow leopards will eat any animal that's two to four times their own weight or less. Cloudeds are most closely related to snow leopards and are now in the same taxonomic subfamily, Pantherinae, as tigers, lions, jaguars, and true leopard species. Snow leopards are between 86 – 125 cm (34 – 50 inches) long – and that’s not including the tail. While snow leopards are protected over part of their range, hunting and poaching pose a major threat to their survival. They help launch the … They’re usually at home in high, rugged mountain landscapes at heights of over 3,000 metres – and climate change may shrink their available habitat. They also eat grass, twigs, and other vegetation. It hunts at night and preys on various animals, such as marmots, wild sheep, ibex (Capra), and domestic livestock. A snow leopard brandishing its large, bushy tail (Shutterstock) Snow leopards are perfectly adapted to their harsh… In the summer, the snow leopards live above the tree line from 2,700 to 6,000 m (8,900 to 19,700 ft), but in the winter they descend to forests between 1,200 and 2,000 m (3,900 to 6,600 ft). The female finds a rocky den, which she lines with fur from her belly. As an apex predator, adult snow leopards are not hunted by other animals. ThoughtCo uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. The snow leopard has short legs, a stocky body, and an extremely long, bushy tail, which it can curl over its face to stay warm. On average, a snow leopard's length is between 75 and 150 cm (30 to 59 in), plus a tail that's 80 to 105 cm (31 to 41 in) long. Snow leopards live at high elevations in mountainous regions of Central Asia. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. On average, a snow leopard's length is between 75 and 150 cm (30 to 59 in), plus a tail that's 80 to 105 cm (31 to 41 in) long. Snow leopards have pretty long tails—which is probably one of many useful adaptations for surviving in cold habitats. Updates? "Snow leopards are graceful, but tough, as they live in such harsh and remote environments, high in the mountains of the Himalayas and in central Asia. We use cookies to analyse how visitors use our website and to help us provide the best possible experience for users. I am fascinated by snow leopards and the amazing places they are found in – I’ve had the great privilege to visit one of these areas in Nepal, see a snow leopard, and meet our dedicated colleagues and inspiring communities working to monitor and protect the snow leopard.". An assessment in 2016 estimated a population between 2,710 to 3,386 mature individuals remaining in the wild, with a decreasing population trend. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/animal/snow-leopard, National Geographic - Animals - Snow Leopard, San Diego Zoo Animals and Plants - Snow Leopard, International Union for Conservation of Nature. By protecting the rare snow leopard we’re also helping to protect its whole environment. Its patterned coat helps it blend in with the steep rocky slopes above the tree line in the Asian mountains. By using ThoughtCo, you accept our, Laurascudder, GNU Free Documentation License. Ounce and the species name uncia derive from the old French word once, which means "lynx." , Human wildlife conflict Without the snow leopard, the ecological balance would be disrupted. Commercial and residential development reduces the available habitat. Between 1986 and 2017 the snow leopard was listed as an endangered species on the Red List of Threatened Species from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The change reflected an improved grasp of the reclusive cat's true population, rather than an increase in numbers. The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is a rare big cat adapted to life in a cold, harsh environment. Humans also hunt the snow leopard's prey, forcing the animal to encroach on human settlements to find food. Supporting people to support snow leopards. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The snow leopard inhabits the mountains of central Asia and the Indian subcontinent, ranging from an elevation of about 1,800 metres (about 6,000 feet) in the winter to about 5,500 metres (18,000 feet) in the summer. Thinly spread across 12 countries in central Asia, it’s at home in high, rugged mountain landscapes. Several factors have contributed to their decline.
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