Snow Leopard
By E. H.
Description
- Snow leopards weigh about 27 kg to 55 kg.
- The average full grown male Snow Leopard is 75 kg and the average full grown female Snow Leopard is about 25 kg .
- The tail is about 75-130 cm. (Wikipedia Snow Leo. Para. 3)
- Snow Leopards have long thick fur with the color of smoky gray to yellowish tan, with whitish underparts fur.
- They have dark grey to black open rosettes on their bodies,with small spots of the same color on there head.
- Their eyes are pale green or grey in color. ( Wikipedia Snow Leo. Para. 4)
- Snow Leopards have a short muzzle and a domed forehead,containing unusually large nasal cavities that help the animal breathe the thin,cold air of there mountainous environment.
- Snow Leopards cannot roar despite possessing partial ossification of the hyoid bone.
- The partial ossification was previously thought to be essential for allowing the big cats to roar, but new studies show the ability to roar is due to morphological features,especially of the larynx,which are absent in the snow leopard. snow leopard vocalization include hisses,chuffins,meows,growls,and wailing. ( Wikipedia Snow Leo. Para. 6)
Food Chain & Habitat
- Snow Leopards are carnivores.
- Like many cats,they are also opportunistic feeders, eating whatever meat they can find,including carrion and livestock.
- They can kill animals 3-4 times their weight such as the Bharal,Himalayan Tahr,markhor,and argali.
- They also eat hares,birds,deer,wild boars,marmots,woolly hares,pikas,and various rodents. (Wiki Snow Leo. Hunting & Diet)
- Snow leopards live in Afghanistan,Bhutan,China,India,Nepal,Mongolia, and many other various areas. (Wiki Snow Leo. Population&Protected Areas)
Adaptations
- Snow Leopards are well adapted to their high altitude homes.
- Snow Leopards have well adopted chests that helps them breathe in oxygen from thin air of the high mountains.
- Snow Leopards also have short forelimbs with sizable paws,long hind limbs , and a thick tail nearly a meter long.
- They have a nasal cavity that allows them to warm the cold air.
- Snow leopards fur allows them to blend in their surroundings.
- Their wide feet are like snow shoes. (SnowLeopardCons.LeopardAdapt)
Reasons for Endangerment & Critical Information
- The skin , bones , and organs of large cats are valuable in traditional Asian medicine .
- Tigers are preferably hunted but tigers are quite rare among the Asian region so hunters decided to hunt Snow Leopards as a substitute.
- Humans are another reason that Snow Leopards are endangered.
- Humans cause Snow Leopards to lose there habitats and humans kill most of their prey.
- Farmers also kill Snow Leopards if they see one of their goats/sheep dead.