Snow Leopard

Uncia uncial or Panthera uncial

The snow leopard, known and prized for its beautiful, thick fur, has a white, yellowish or soft gray coat with ringed spots of black on brown. The markings help camouflage it from prey. With their thick coats, heavy fur-lined tails and paws covered with fur, snow leopards are perfectly adapted to the cold and dry habitats in which they live.

Height About 2 feet (shoulder height)
Length 6-7.5 feet (includes 40-inch tail length)
Weight 77-121 pounds; females about 30% smaller than males

Lifespan Their reclusive nature makes it hard to determine snow leopard lifespan in the wild. They have, however, been known to live for as long as 21 years in captivity.

Diet

Staples, wild sheep and goats
Also known to eat Smaller animals like rodents, hares and game birds.

Population

Very rare in most of their range, an estimated 3,500 to 7,000 snow leopards are left in the wild, with 600-700 in zoos around the world. Exact numbers in the wild have not been determined due to the snow leopard’s shy nature.

Range

Snow leopards are found at altitudes between 9800 and 17,000 feet in the high, rugged mountains of Central Asia. Their range spans from Afghanistan to Kazakstan and Russia in the north to India and China in the east. China contains about 60% of snow leopard habitat. They have already disappeared from certain parts of Mongolia, which is part of their historic range.

Behavior

Snow leopards prefer to inhabit steep cliff areas, rocky outcrops and ravines. Such habitats provide them with the camouflage they need to ambush unsuspecting prey. They stalk their prey and usually spring from a distance of 20-50 feet. Their long and powerful hind limbs help the snow leopard leap up to 30 feet, which is 6 times its body length. Mostly active at dawn and dusk, snow leopards are rarely seen in the wild. Unlike other big cats, snow leopards are unable to roar. Solitary in nature, they pair only during the breeding season.

Reproduction
Mating Season Between January and mid-March
Gestation period 3-3 ½ months
Litter size 2-3 cubs 
Females give birth in rocky dens lined with their fur. The young follow their mother on hunts at three months and remain with her through their first winter.