KEY SNOW LEOPARD FACTS

Known for its beautiful fur and elusive Snow Leopards are: behavior, the endangered snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is found in the rugged • Solo traveler: the snow leopard is mountains of Central and South Asia. The usually solitary and highly elusive snow leopard’s habitat extends through twelve countries: Afghanistan, Bhutan, • Crepuscular: dawn and dusk are China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the cat’s most active times Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. • Living large: some snow leopards have home ranges of up to 1,000 Snow leopards are perfectly adapted square kilometers – larger than to the cold, barren landscape of their most protected areas in their range high-altitude home, but human threats, including poaching, retaliation killing and • Cold and dry: the snow leopard the loss of habitat and prey have created primarily lives in arid, barren an uncertain future for the cats. Despite mountain areas a potential range of over 2 million km2, experts estimate that there may only be • Carnivorous: the cat’s main prey between 3,920 and 6,390 snow leopards are ibex, blue sheep, markhor, left in the wild. This number too, is at argali and other mountain best a guesstimate since just about 2% herbivores. of the snow leopard range has ever been sampled systematically to estimate their populations. Physical Features: • Snow leopards regularly patrol home ranges that can cover hundreds of • Height: 55-65 cm (22 – 26 inches) square kilometers. • Length (minus the tail): 90 – 115 cm (36 – 44 inches) • Sometimes a male and female might • Tail: ca. 100 cm (40 inches) be seen together during mating season, or we might see a mother Interesting facts: with her young cubs.

• Its extra-large paws keep the cat • Once the cubs are about 2 years old, from sinking into the snow- like a they begin to disperse from their pair of natural snow shoes. mother and set out on their own.

• Its round, short ears reduce heat • In order to communicate snow loss, and the wide, short nasal leopards leave markings at specific cavity warms the air before it sites characterized by overhanging reaches the cat’s lungs. rocks, narrow canyons, or saddles on ridgelines that other cats can find. • Its extra-long tail helps the cat keep its balance and provides • Snow leopards make sounds similar extra warmth when it’s wrapped to those made by other large cats, around the body. including a purr, mew, hiss, growl, moan, and yowl. However, snow • The snow leopard has soft, dense leopards cannot roar due to the fur that grows extra-thick during physiology of their throat. Instead, the winter to keep the cat’s body they yowl. warm. • Snow leopards are not aggressive towards humans. There has never Behavior been a verified snow leopard attack on a human being. . • Snow leopards are shy, elusive cats known for their solitary nature.