Facts
Physical Features
The snow leopard has many features. Main features are fur, limbs, paws, tail, and teeth. The fur is very important to keep the leopard warm in harsh weather. Its fur is white and smoky gray and patterned dark gray to black spots. The limbs are also important their hind legs can be used to jump from rock to rock in the mountains. The snow leopard has large paws for walking on snow and not sinking in. Their paws can also be used for walking on sharp stones and cliffs. The snow leopard also needs large sharp teeth to capture and eat prey. The tail of the snow leopard can be used fo balance in the mountains. It can also be used to cover their faces while they rest to keep the warmth in and protect them from harsh wind. The snow leopard is known to be one of the only large cats that doesn't roar.
Habitat
The snow leopard lives in mountains of Central Asia. The environment in the mountains is a harsh. The terrain includes steep cliffs and sharp rocks. The elevation at which the snow leopard lives is around 900-5400 meters. The weather at this elevation can be very bad with huge snow storms. The snow leopard likes this habitat. It prefers the wooded mountain sides and steep cliffs over and open or flat area of land.
Population
The population of the snow leopard is not very large and they are considered an endangered species. There are around 3500-7000 snow leopards found now in the wild, and about 600-700 in zoos.
Prey
The snow leopards is known to hunt alone and its diet can contains of many things. They have been know during mating season to eat plants for nutrition. The snow leopard also eats small animals like rodents and birds. Some rodents include the maramot, the pika, and haves. Some times they also find their way into human inhabited areas and can kill live stock like goats. The larger part of the snow leopards are large mammals like goats and sheep. They can kill a pray up to three times their size and body weight, and can also jump on pray 45ft away. They don't waist food, the snow leopard will watch large prey until they have consumed it all. They also wont let any other animal or vulture eat it. But they only kill large animals about twice a month on an average.
Breeding Behavior
The main mating time or the snow leopard is between January and mid March. The Female leopard can be in heat for 2-12 days. After the mother snow leopard is impregnated she will give birth to an average of two or three babies in 90-103 days. Rarely a liter size can reach up to 7. After 18-22 months the children will become independent of their mother. In about two or three years of age a snow leopard will become sexually mature.
Information Gathered From...
More Information
Creature World
Snow Leopard (uncia uncia)
International Snow Leopard Trust
