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Snow Leopard
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name = Snow Leopard
| status = EN
| status_system = iucn3.1
| status_ref = The tail measures and is proportionately longer than in any other cat species of comparable size. It helps to maintain its balance on the rugged terrain and unstable surfaces of its habitat and is used to cover its nose and mouth in very cold conditions. The head of the snow leopard is relatively small, however the male's head is usually much squarer and wider than that of the female. The big furry feet act as snowshoes, like those of the lynxes. The snow leopard has gray-and-white thick fur with numerous rosettes on the flanks and spots on the head and neck.
EcologyIn summer, the snow leopard usually lives above the tree line on mountainous meadows and in rocky regions at an altitude of to . In winter, it comes down into the forests at an altitude of about . It leads largely a solitary life, although mothers can rear cubs for extended periods of time in cave dens in the mountains. It is an opportunistic feeder, eating whatever meat it can find and kills animals three times its size, including domestic livestock. Its diet consists mainly of ibexes, the Bharal, the Markhor, the Urial, deer, boars, as well as pikas, marmots and other small rodents. It ambushes prey from above when possible, as it can jump as far as . Its agility often proves helpful when ambushing prey and traversing through mountains.
An individual snow leopard lives within a well defined home range. However, it does not defend its range aggressively when encroached upon by other individuals. Home ranges can vary greatly in size. In Nepal, where prey is abundant, a home range can be as small as to and up to 5 to 10 animals are found here per ; whereas, in habitats with sparse prey, an area of supports only 5 of these cats.
RangeThe snow leopard's range in central and south Asia is rugged mountainous regions of approximately 1,230,000 square kilometers, which extends through 12 countries: Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
The geographic distribution streches from the Hindukush in eastern Afghanistan and the Syr Darya through the mountains of Pamir Tien Shan, Karakorum, Kashmir, Kunlun, and the Himalaya to southern Siberia, where the range covers the russian Altai, Sajan, Tannu-Ola Mountains and the mountains to the west of Lake Baikal. In Mongolia it is found in the Mongolian and Gobi Altai and the Khangai Mountains. In Tibet it is found up to the Altyn-Tagh in the North.
Population and conservation
The total wild population of the snow leopard is estimated at between 4,000 and 7,500 individuals (see table below). In 1972 the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, (IUCN) placed the snow leopard on its Red List of Threatened Species as "Endangered," the same classification given the panda and the tiger.
There are also 600-700 snow leopards in zoos around the world.
| Range Country | Habitat Area
(sq. km.) | Estimated
Population |
|---|
| Afghanistan | 50,000 | 100-200 | | Bhutan | 15,000 | 100-200 | | China | 1,100,000 | 2,000-5,000 | | India | 75,000 | 200-600 | | Kazakhstan | 50,000 | 180-200 | | Kyrgyz Republic | 105,000 | 150-500 | | Mongolia | 101,000 | 500-1000 | | Nepal | 30,000 | 300-500 | | Pakistan | 80,000 | 200-420 | | Tajikistan | 100,000 | 180-220 | | Uzbekistan | 10,000 | 20-50 |
Protected Areas:
- Chitral Gol National Park, in the NWFP, Pakistan.
- Hemis National Park, in east Ladakh, India.
- Khunjerab National Park, Northern Areas, Pakistan.
- Nanda Devi National Park, in state of Uttarakhand, India, a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site.
- Qomolangma National Nature Preserve, Tibet, China.
- Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal, a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site.
- Tumor Feng Nature Reserve, western Tianshan Mountains, Xinjiang, China.
- Valley of Flowers National Park, Uttaranchal, India, a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site.
- Shey-Phoksundo National Park, Dolpa, Nepal.
- Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve,Baglung, Nepal.
- Annapurna Conservation Area, Western Nepal.
- Jigme Dorji National Park, Bhutan
- Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park, Mongolia
- Ubsunur Hollow, on the territorial border of Mongolia and the Republic of Tuva
Much progress has been made in securing the survival of the snow leopard, with snow leopards being successfully bred in captivity. The animals usually give birth to 2 to 3 cubs in a litter, but can give birth to up to 7 in some cases.
Conservation effortsThere are numerous agencies working to conserve the snow leopard and its threatened mountain ecosystems. These include the Snow Leopard Trust, the Snow Leopard Conservancy and the Snow Leopard Network. These groups and numerous snow leopard range country governments, non-profits and donors from around the world recently worked together at the 10th International Snow Leopard Conference in Beijing. Their focus on research, community programs in snow leopard regions and education programs are aimed at understanding the cat's needs as well as the needs of the villagers and herder communities impacting snow leopards' lives and habitat.
Snow leopard in heraldryThe snow leopard (almost invariably known in heraldry as the ounce) is a national symbol for Tatars and Kazakhs: a snow leopard is found on the official seal of the city of Almaty, and a winged snow leopard is found on Tatarstan's coat of arms. A similar leopard is featured at the coat of arms of North Ossetia-Alania. The snow leopard award was given to Soviet mountaineers who scaled all five of the Soviet Union's 7000m peaks. In addition, the snow leopard is the symbol of the Girl Scout Association of Kyrgyzstan.
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