Description
The Snow Leopard is a medium-sized cat, known for its soft grey fur, ringed spots and large bushy tail. While they can live up to 20 years in captivity, Snow Leopards have a typical lifespan of 15-18 years in the wild. They weigh between 35 and 55 kilograms (or 77 -121 pounds). The male’s head is squarer and wider than the female’s. The leopards also lack the ability to roar, despite having a cartilaginous hyoid apparatus. They do make various chirps and loud “moans” or growls.
The Snow Leopard’s fur turns white in the winter, from the light grayish coat with ringed spots and black/brown rosettes in the summer. The bottoms of its paws are covered in fur to protect from the cold. Their paws are large in surface area to allow easy walking across deep snow. The Snow Leopard’s tails can reach up to 90cm. The tails is used for balance on the rough mountain terrain as well as warmth.
Food
The Snow Leopard feeds on whatever meat it can find. It is not above scavenging, and often kills animals up to three times its size. Because of its ability to leap up to 46 feet, it often ambushes prey from above. Its diet consists of the ibex, Bharal, Markhor, Urial, boar, as well as other small rodents.
Habitat, Population and Range
The Snow Leopard is native to the mountain regions of southern and central Asia.
| Country | Population | Area (square km) |
| China | 2000-5000 | 1, 100, 000 |
| Mongolia | 500-1000 | 100, 000 |
| India | 200-600 | 75,000 |
| Nepal | 300-500 | 30, 000 |
Other countries include: Afghanistan, Bhutan, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The Snow Leopard’s total population is estimated between 3500 and 7000 cats, with another 600-700 in zoos.
The Snow Leopard has a well defined ‘home range’ in which it lives, hunts and travels. Unlike other animals, particularly large cats, it does not defend its territory aggressively. In areas with abundant prey such as Nepal, territory can be as small as 30 square kilometers. In Mongolia, where prey is sparse, territories can range over 1000 square kilometers. In the summer the leopard usually lives above the tree line (up to 6000m) and in the winter moves down to the forested areas (2000m).
Status
The Snow Leopard has been classified an endangered species. In the 1960s, the total population dipped to around 1000 animals due to high demand for it’s fur.
