Snow Leapord
The most cutest animal in the world, but it is endangered
Description
- The snow leopard is a mammal and a carnivore. It has fur, and it could be spotted as well.(SL)
- They also have sharp teeth used to tear flesh off their prey and have hind legs which help contribute the hunting its prey.(KEWA)
- Snow leopards have hind legs, which can help them stalk prey from 20 to 50 feet away.
- Their fur helps them camouflage perfectly with their terrain.(SLO)
- Snow leopards can live 15 to 18 years, although they can live up to 20 years in captivity.(SLATB)
Habitat
- Snow leopards can be found in the high rugged mountains of Central Asia ( Afghanistan, Pakistan, China, Mongolia, India, Bhutan , Uzbekistan etc.) .
- They prefer to reside in rocky outcrops, ravines , broken terrain and cliffs.(KEWA)
Food Chain
- Snow leopards eat whatever meat they can find, such as carrion.
- They can also hunt animals three to four times their size. These animals include the bharal, Himalayan tahr, markhor and argali, which are types of sheep and goats.
- Snow leopards are also known to eat birds and hares.(WIKI)
Adaptations
- Snow leopards, unlike most cats, hunt by themselves.
- They can use their speed (up to 30 miles per hour) and their stalking abitlites to hunt their prey with ease.(SLO)
- Snow leopards have hind legs, which can help them stalk prey from 20 to 50 feet away.
- Their fur helps them camouflage perfectly with their terrain.(SLO)
Reason for Endangerment
- Snow leopards mate anywhere from January to mid-March.
- It takes 3 to 3.5 months to produce cubs during pregnancy.(SLF)
- They are endangered because people are moving into their range and cutting down their habitat.
- Hence there are only about 600-700 leopards in zoos and anywhere between 3500-7000 of them in the wild.
Poachers, or people who illegaly hunt animals, frequently shoot them down for their fur, so zoos are trying to save them by protecting them.(SLO)