✅ Snow Leopard - Characteristics, Diet and Habitat

Within the felines, more precisely in the subfamily Pantherines, is the snow leopard (Panthera uncia), sometimes called the snow leopard. Previously it was classified in the genus Uncia, but genetic studies have shown its relationship to Panthera, family in which it was included, since it is, in fact, closely related to the tiger (Panthera tigris). Based on some morphological traits, two subspecies have been proposed, but genetic studies have not proven this difference, so so far we are dealing with a monotypic species, that is, ie not subdivided.We invite you to continue reading this PlanetAnimal fact sheet to learn more about the snow leopard!

Origin

Asia
Afghanistan
Bhutan
China
India
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Mongolia
Nepal
Uzbekistan
Pakistan
Russia
Tajikistan

Snow Leopard Features

As you read in the introduction, the snow leopard has no subdivisions, so it is a monotypic species. Therefore, the characteristics of the snow leopard are:

It has an average height: between 50 and 60 cm approximately.
The average body length varies: from head to tail, it is 1 to 1.3 meters, but it can reach 1.5 meters.
It has a very long tail: it is a characteristic of this feline, which is almost the same length as the body, with an equivalent of 75% to 90% of the body.
Body mass varies from 25 to 75 kg.
Males and females are very similar: only the first can be slightly larger than the second, so it is not a species with marked sexual dimorphism.
The head is small: despite everything, it is wide and the nostrils are rather large.
He has small, rounded ears: an adaptation that reduces heat loss.
The legs are big: in fact, they even have the longest legs of all felines.
The legs have a different thickness: for example, the front legs are slightly thicker than the hind legs. Their long tail and large legs are adaptations that make it easier to navigate the snowy and steep areas they inhabit.
The tail is also used for thermoregulation.
The coat is long and thick: it moults twice a year, so it has longer hair towards the winter season.
The coloration is variable: it ranges from light gray, smoke gray to creamy yellow, and is generally whitish towards the lower part of the body.
It has rosettes and spots: on the coat of the body and tail, we can see well-defined black ringed rosettes, which usually contain smaller spots. While on the head, neck and legs there are only solid spots.
In juveniles there are black stripes, which then change the shape of the pattern.

Now that you know the snow leopard's height and weight, among other characteristics, let's see where it lives.

Snow Leopard Habitat

It is difficult to define where the snow leopard lives because, although it is native to Asia, it has developed in several regions, including the Himalayas, Bhutan, Nepal, the part Siberian Russia, Mongolia and China.It is in the latter country that we find the most.

It has a wide distribution in terms of elevation and can be seen from 500 meters up to 3,000 meters of elevation. It has a preference for steep and mostly rocky areas, which are close to areas with vegetation cover. Thus, it moves along cliffs, alpine and subalpine ecosystems, coniferous forests, scrub, grasslands and arid habitats. It generally avoids areas of dense vegetation and crop fields.

Don't miss this other article from PlanèteAnimal to finally know exactly where leopards live!

Habits of the snow leopard

The main activity of this felid takes place at dawn and dusk. It is a fairly active animal that tends to move. It is common for him to use different spaces to sleep on a daily basis.

It's a fairly territorial animal, especially the males who mark with their urine, excrement and claws what they consider to be their territory.It is only during the breeding season that the territories of males and females often overlap. Thanks to its long and well-developed hind legs, the snow leopard is very agile. It therefore generally seeks high places to rest. It is very elusive and is rarely seen in areas near human populations.

Communication by sound in this species differs from other felines, because one of the curiosities of the snow leopard is that it does not roar, but emits a kind of high-pitched howl, used mainly by females during the rutting period. They can also emit certain grunts during their encounter if the contact is friendly, but if, on the contrary, it is confrontational, they show their canines by opening their mouths.

Snow Leopard Feeding

The snow leopard is a carnivorous animal, which usually stalks and hunts its prey by leaping from a high place from which it hides.Its diet is varied and it can eat both small and large animals. Among its favorite prey are:

Sheep
Mountain goats
Deer
Boar
Tibetan Antelopes
Gazelles
Wild Asses
Wild Yaks
Marmots
Hares
Pikas
Mouse
Birds

Finally find out what leopards eat!

Reproduction of the snow leopard

Males and females only mate during the breeding season and are polygamous animals. Females only breed every two years or so, as they spend a lot of time caring for their young.

Breeding intensifies between January and March, coinciding with the end of winter.When a female is in heat, she lets the male know by the sounds she makes. In addition, when they meet, a sort of courtship takes place during which the female walks close to the male with her tail raised.

The gestation period lasts between 90 and 105 days, so the young are born between April and June. They generally give birth to between 2 and 3 leopards. The female spots a rocky space, which she prepares with remnants of her fur to accommodate the baby leopards.

At birth, the young weigh between 300 and 600 grams and are totally dependent on the care of the mother, whom they nurse until the age of five months. However, from two months they begin to eat solid foods shared by their mother. The little ones will continue to depend on their mother until they are around one year old.

Snow leopard conservation status

How many snow leopards are there left in the world? In 2021, there were about 953 left. In fact, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed the snow leopard as a vulnerable species. Among the main threats are:

Decreased areas where they can live.
Hunting.
Illegal trafficking of his skin for making mats, bones and other body parts.

Key conservation measures include expanding protected areas and controlling regional hunting. Several programs are being developed for the protection of the species, including support for domestic animal breeders to protect breeding sites, programs with rangers to assist in law enforcement, among others.