Snow Leopard
Panthera uncia
Classification
Domain Eukarya: This Domain contains multicellular or unicellular organisms that are eukaryotic. They lack a cell wall. Organisms in this domain aren't capable of making their own food.
Kingdom Animalia: All members of the Kingdom Animalia are also called a Metazoa. This Kingdom does not contain prokaryotes which means all organisms are multicellular. Also all these organisms are heterotrophs. Most ingest and digest food in an internal cavity.
Phylum Chordata: Members have bilateral symmetry and a hollow nerve chord. All members in this Phylum have a bony or cartilaginous endoskeleton. At some stage in development they have a tail projecting out from their body.
Subphylum Vertebrata: All animals in this subphylum have a backbone and extrinsic eye muscles. All of their muscles are attached to their endoskeleton which helps them stand up and supports their legs to run.
Class Mammalia: All mammals in this Class have hair grow some point when growing up. They all have four-chambered hearts and many sensory organs. Every mammal has an internal secondary palate which separates the food and air in the mouth when digesting.
Order Carnivora: All members of the Order Carnivora have a fourth upper premolar and a first lower molar. In this order males usually tend to be larger than females. These animals have large and smart brain encased in a heavy skull to protect them from severe injuries.
Family Felidae: The Family Felidae is the biological family of cats. All these cats have sensitive whiskers and retractable claws (except for the cheetah). They have external ears for amazing hearing powers and short snouts. All cats in this family have nocturnal eyes and flexible bodies with muscular limbs.
Genus Panthera: This genus only includes the Snow Leopard.
Species: Panthera Uncia
Blind Snow Leopard
Meowing Snow Leopards
Geographic Range
General Description
Height: About 70 centimeters shoulder to ground
Length: An average adult snow leopard is 0.9 to 1.15 meters long.
Weight: The weight of a full grown snow leopard ranges from 35 to 55 kilograms.
Color: The base fur color ranges from a light grey to a creamy-white. The entire body is covered with greyish black spots and rosettes. Juvenile snow leopards have long black stripes from the middle of their body extending to their tail. As they grow these stripes break up into spots and rosettes.
Natural Range: The snow leopard is native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia. It likes to stay on the peaks of mountains where it tend to be more chilly. Snow leopards can be found anywhere from the Himalayas to Western Mongolia. China actually contains 60% of the Snow Leopard's population.
Diet: Snow leopards eat terrestrial vertebrates and other small mammals and birds, like mice and hares. Their primary prey is the blue sheep.
Habitat Description: Steep, rocky, and broken terrains are the preferred bedding areas for Snow Leopards. Cliffs and other major ridgelines are used for daytime resting. In the winter Snow Leopards may migrate to lower elevation for warmth and prey. They usually avoid dense forest cover and other bushy fields to stay overnight.
Predators: The snow leopard is a top predator, it has no natural enemies. The only other species that preys upon it are humans. Whereas cubs have one main family of predators. Most animals in the cat family have Snow Leopards as their number one prey. For example even leopards in general may hunt for Snow Leopards.
Physical Adaptations
Behavioral Adaptaions
References
References
Burton, Maurice. "Snow Leopard." In International Wildlife Encyclopedia. 3rd ed. Vol. 17. New York, NY: Marshall Cavendish, 2002.
Montsion, L. 2014. "Uncia uncia" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed March 11, 2015 at http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Uncia_uncia/
National Geographic. Last modified 1996-2015. Accessed March 23, 2015. http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/snow-leopard/.
3 News. Last modified 2014. Accessed March 26, 2015. http://www.3news.co.nz/environmentsci/abandoned-snow-leopard-cubs-a-roaring-success-2011071416.