Asian snow predator. The most beautiful and graceful predators are big cats (40 photos). Snow leopard and man

The fauna of Asia includes all animals living on its territory and the adjacent seas and islands. Since there is no natural biogeographical boundary in the west between Europe and Asia, the term "fauna of Asia" is a somewhat arbitrary concept. Asia is located in the eastern part of the Palaearctic, and its southeastern part belongs to the Indomalayan zone.

This part of the world is renowned for its diversity of habitats, with significant variations in rainfall, elevation, temperature and geological history, which directly affects the richness of animal life and...
This article provides a list of some species of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish that are typical of the Asian fauna.

Subfamily big cats:

• tiger;
• clouded leopard;
• leopard;
• Snow Leopard.

Subfamily of small cats:

• caracal;
• cheetah;
• common lynx;
• marble cat;
• representatives of the genera: catopums (Catopuma), cats (Felis)(with the exception of black-footed cat), oriental cats (Prionailurus).

Red Wolf

Rhinoceroses are characterized large sizes, a plant diet, thick protective skin, 1.5-5 cm thick, a relatively small brain (400-600 g) for a mammal of this size, and a large horn. They typically eat leaves, although they are adapted to digest more fibrous vegetation.

The genus of orangutans includes two species: which live respectively on the island of Kalimantan or Borneo, and the island of Sumatra. Orangutans, whose name means "people of the forest," live in tropical and wetland forests. These shaggy red monkeys are the largest arboreal mammals in the Asian region.

Long, curly, reddish hair covers much of the gray skin of orangutans. They have a stocky body, flexible pelvis, thick neck and bent legs. The orangutan's arms are longer than its legs, almost reaching ankle level when the animal is standing. Orangutans spend most of their lives in trees, moving confidently from branch to branch, but are a bit clumsy on the ground. Adult male orangutans are larger than females.

Saiga

Saiga belongs to the subfamily of true antelopes. Geographical range includes: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Russia and western Mongolia. They live in steppes, semi-deserts, and feed on various types of vegetation.

Saiga weighs from 26 to 69 kg, has a body length of 100-140 cm and a height at the withers of 61-81 cm. A characteristic feature of these antelopes is a pair of closely spaced, flared nostrils directed downwards. They have long ears (7-12 cm). During summer migrations, their nose helps filter the dust that the herd kicks up and also cools the animal's blood. IN winter time, the nose warms the cold air before it enters the lungs.

Chamois

This representative of the goat subfamily lives in Asia Minor. Chamois occurs moderately high altitudes and are adapted to life in rocky areas. They can be found at altitudes of at least 3600 m. In winter, they descend to lower places (about 800 m) and live in forests, preferring pine trees.

Adults reach a height at the withers of 70-80 cm and a body length of 107-137 cm. Sexual dimorphism is pronounced, with males weighing 30-60 kg more than females, who weigh 25-45 kg. Both sexes have short horns, slightly curled back at the tips, with males having thicker horns. In summer the fur is rich Brown color, which turns light gray in winter. There are light contrasting stripes on the head, and black stripes under the eyes.

black-backed tapir

Black-backed tapir is the most close-up view tapirs and the only representative of the genus in Asia. Prefers thick rainforests and nocturnal lifestyle.

This animal is easily identified by its characteristic color: the back, sides and belly, as well as the tips of the ears, are light in color, and the rest of the body is black. black-backed tapirs grow from 1.8 to 2.5 m in length, not counting the short tail, 5-10 cm long. Height at the withers is 90-110 cm, and weight is 250-320 kg, although some adults can weigh up to 540 kg . Females are usually larger than males. Like other tapir species, they have short and flexible proboscis.

Birds

Great Indian kalao

The great Indian hornbill is one of the largest members of the hornbill family. The species is distributed in the Indian subcontinent and South- East Asia. In captivity, it can live almost 50 years. It is predominantly a frugivorous bird, preying on small mammals, reptiles and birds.

The body length is 95-130 cm, the wingspan is 152 cm, and the weight varies from 2.15 to 4 kg. It is the heaviest, but not the longest, Asian hornbill. Females are smaller than males and have bluish-white eyes instead of red. Most characteristic feature This species has a bright yellow bill with black spots, on top of which is a U-shaped casque.

Siamese Lofura

Siamese Lofura - relatively major representative of the pheasant family, with a body length of approximately 80 cm. This bird is common in the lowland evergreen forests of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. The Siamese Lofura has the status national bird Thailand.

Males are characterized by gray plumage, crimson legs, a head crest of black feathers, red skin around the eyes and long, curved dark tails. The female's feathers are brown, with blackish wings and tail.

Argus Pheasant

Argus pheasant is one of the most big birds of the pheasant family, living in the jungles of Southeast Asia. Males are larger than females and have a more impressive appearance. The body length is 160-200 cm, the tail is 105-143 cm, and the weight is 2.04-2.72 kg. The feathers on the tails are very long. The most impressive features of the males are the huge, broad and highly elongated middle wing feathers, adorned with large ocelli. Females are smaller and duller than males, with shorter tails and smaller eyes. Their body length is 72-76 cm, tail 30-36 cm, and weight - 1.59-1.70 kg.

Helmeted Hornbill

The helmeted hornbill lives on the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo. This species has a casque, which is located at the base of the beak. The head, including the helmet, weighs about 11% of the 3 kg body weight. Unlike other hornbills, this bird has a fairly hard casque, and it is used in fights between males.

The helmeted hornbill has blackish plumage except for the white underbelly and legs. The tail is white with a black stripe near the tip. Body length is 110-120 cm, excluding the length of the tail feathers, which are about 50 cm. Males weigh on average 3.1 kg, and females - 2.7 kg. This species has a bare, wrinkled neck, pale blue to greenish in females and red in males. The helmet and beak are colored yellow, however, due to the secretions of the coccygeal gland, there is a reddish tint.

Red-crowned crane

The Japanese crane is a rare species of large bird from the crane family, native to East Asia. In some parts of its range, this crane is a symbol of good luck, longevity and fidelity. Adults have red, bare skin on the crown of the head, which becomes brighter during the mating season. In general, they white with black flight feathers on the wings that may appear as a black tail when the wings are folded. Males are black on the cheeks, throat and neck, while females are pearly gray. The beak is olive-greenish in color, the legs are grayish-black, and the irises of the eyes are dark brown.

This species is one of the largest cranes, with a height of 150-158 cm and a body length of 101.2-150 cm (from beak to tip of tail). The wingspan is 220-250 cm, and body weight ranges from 4.8 to 10.5 kg, with males being slightly larger and heavier than females.

Amphibians

Far Eastern toad

Far Eastern toad- a representative of the class of amphibians from the toad family. It is common in East Asia. This species avoids dense forests, but is found in most other habitats, including grasslands, open forests, and cultivated areas. The Far Eastern toad prefers damp areas and is rarely found above 800 meters. The diet consists of insects.

Body length varies from 56 to 102 mm. There are skin growths and spines all over the body. The back color includes dark gray and olive brown, and the belly is yellow or gray.

Zagros newt

The Zagros newt is a very colorful species of amphibian from the salamander family. It is distributed in the southern Zagros Mountains of Iran. It can be found in mountain rivers, as well as in ponds and swimming pools. With no water in its habitat for much of the year, the newt migrates into the surrounding forests. As is known, this species spends the summer in hibernation.

Semirechensky frogtooth

The salamander is common in Central Asia, in the Dzungarian Alatau mountains, on the border of China and Kazakhstan. His natural places habitats include temperate forests, tundra, temperate grasslands, rivers, freshwater swamps and freshwater springs. The species is threatened due to habitat loss. Its diet consists of aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates.

The body length including the tail is 21.3 cm. The head is flattened, the body is strong and the tail is strong. The color is yellow or olive, sometimes with fine spotting.

Reptiles

Saltwater crocodile

The saltwater crocodile is considered the largest modern reptile of the family Crocodylidae. Males can grow up to 7 m in length, but individuals are usually found around 6 m and weigh 1-1.2 tons. Sexual dimorphism is pronounced, the body length of females often does not exceed 3 m. This species is adapted to life in sea ​​water, however, it is more common in salty mangrove swamps, estuaries, deltas and lagoons. It is distributed from east coast India to most of Southeast Asia.

This crocodile is the most dangerous reptile to humans, due to its wide distribution, aggressiveness and large size.

Other species of the order of crocodiles common in Asia are:

• Philippine crocodiles;
• New Guinea crocodiles;
• Swamp crocodiles;
• Siamese crocodiles;
• Gangetic gharials;
• Gharial crocodiles.

Indian roofing turtle

Indian roofing turtle- a species of reptile from the Asian family freshwater turtles. Distributed in large rivers South Asia. It feeds on aquatic and terrestrial vegetation, as well as small aquatic animals.

The length of the shell is 23 cm. The turtle has an oval, streamlined shape and a greenish-brown color. Small head. A distinctive feature of the species is the serrated top part shell.

Chinese alligator

The Chinese alligator is a very rare species of alligator (in wildlife lives no more than 200 individuals), endemic to Eastern China.

An adult alligator reaches a body length of 1.5 m and a weight of 36 kg. Common habitat for this species includes low altitudes and the presence of springs fresh water: swamps, lakes, rivers, ponds. Wetlands are extremely important for Chinese alligators due to biodiversity.

King Cobra

King Cobra found mainly in the forests of India and Southeast Asia. This type is the longest poisonous snake in the world (from 5.6 to 5.7 m). Despite the word "Cobra" in common name, this snake is not a member of the genus Naja(true cobras), which includes most species of cobras, and stands out in separate genus Ophiophagus. The king cobra primarily preys on other snakes, and some small vertebrates such as lizards and rodents. This snake got fame dangerous reptile, although whenever possible he avoids collisions with people.

Striped holoeye

The striped holoeye is a small lizard, the body length of which does not exceed 5-6 cm (excluding the 7-8 cm tail). It is distributed in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, northwestern Iran and Turkey. Prefers to live at altitudes from 2300 to 3300 m.

Body color is olive brown or brown-brown, with stripes. There are wide brown stripes on each side. In males, during the breeding season, the belly becomes pinkish or golden-orange.

Horned dragon

The horned agama belongs to the agamidae family. The species is endemic to the island of Sri Lanka and is distributed in mountain forests. Its diet consists of arthropods.

The head of this lizard has an oval shape. Above the upper lip there is a small process, light in color, similar to a horn. The back is brownish-green or yellowish-brown in color. There are 10-16 dark brown stripes on the tail. The belly is light or brownish-gray in color.

Fish

Amur pike

The Amur pike is native to the Amur River in East Asia. It reaches a body length of 115 cm and a weight of 12.5 kg. The color is silver with small black spots. Her body is elongated, covered with scales. This species has a large mouth, with the lower jaw protruding slightly forward. Amur pike is typical predator, which switches to a carnivorous diet, reaching a body length of 5 cm. Its diet consists of crucian carp in lakes, and minnows with minnows in rivers.

Ganges shark

The Ganges shark is a critically endangered species found in the Indian rivers Ganges and Brahmaputra. It is often confused with the more common gray bull shark, which is also found in the Ganges River. Unlike bull sharks, which must migrate to salt water In order to reproduce, the Ganges shark is a true river dweller. It grows up to 2 m in length. This is a typical shark in its own way appearance, with a stocky body and two spineless fins: dorsal and anal.

Giant catfish

The giant catfish is a large, critically endangered catfish species native to the Mekong River basin in Southeast Asia.

With a gray to white coloration and no stripes, barbels or teeth, the giant catfish is distinct from other large catfish found in the Mekong River. This is one of the largest freshwater species fish in the world, with a maximum body length of about 3 m, and a weight of more than 250 kg.

The IUCN Red List currently classifies the giant catfish as an endangered species; The number of individuals living in the wild is unknown, but data indicates that the population of these fish has declined by 80% over the past 14 years.

Far Eastern catfish

The Far Eastern or Amur catfish is one of the species of fish of the catfish family. This large freshwater fish lives in East Asia and Japan. Prefers slow-moving rivers, lakes and irrigation canals. Adult fish have only two pairs of antennae. This species grows up to 130 cm in total length and weighs up to 8 kg.

Snakehead

Snakehead is a species of freshwater fish native to China, Russia, Northern and South Korea, found from the Amur River to Hainan. It has also been introduced into other regions where it is considered invasive.

The body length of the snakehead ranges from 85-100 cm, but sometimes specimens up to 150 cm are found. The largest recorded international association The Game Fish snakehead weighed 8.05 kg, although an 8.36 kg specimen caught in 2016 broke this record.

Any cat deserves love, affection and decent treatment, just like any other animal on the planet. And it doesn’t matter if it’s a cute little pussy or a big and scary cat. Each of these 26 wild breeds is on the verge of extinction.

1. Asiatic cheetah

Once upon a time, this beautiful breed lived in the territories of Kazakhstan, the Middle East and Central Asia, as well as in some regions of India.

Today, due to total destruction environment, countless poachers and hunters, there are only about 100 Asiatic cheetahs left in the world. Just look at this number! All these hundred found refuge in Iran.

2.Snow leopard

Found in the rugged mountains of Central Asia, snow leopards are well adapted to the cold, desert highlands.

Unfortunately, they have become the subject of widespread hunting for their fur. Now there are about 4000 - 6500 left in the wild.

3. Cat fisherman

Unlike my cat, who hates wet feet, the fishing cat is a skilled swimmer who lives along rivers, streams in mangrove swamps.

In 2008, the fishing cat was listed as critically endangered because they live primarily in wetlands, which are now rapidly declining.

4. Borneo Bay Cat

A mysterious and slightly wild cat that lives only on the island of Borneo. Tree cutting has become a threat to the habitat of these cats; they are now listed in the Red Book. This is one of the few high quality photographs of this cat.

5.Flat-headed cat

With a slender body and uniquely shaped head, this cat loves to eat fish and walk on its own. Listed in the Red Book since 2008 due to habitat destruction. On this moment fewer than 2,500 individuals remain.

6.Cat of the Andes Mountains

This cat is one of two hundred individuals that have been found on earth

7. Iberian (Spanish) lynx

The Iberian lynx is considered the most endangered species wild cats in the world, and is one of the rarest mammals on the planet.

Myxomatosis wiped out rabbits in Spain (the main source of food for lynxes) in the 1950s. There are now about 100 lynx left in the wild.

8. Cat Manula

These adorable ones love to spend their time in caves, crevices, or marmot holes, and emerge at the end of the day to start hunting. Due to habitat degradation and the decline of the food supply, the cat has been under threat since 2002.

9.Margi

Margi is ideal for life in trees. It is the only cat that can rotate its hind legs 180°, allowing it to work head down in trees like a squirrel. He can also hang from a branch with one back leg! More than 14,000 Margich are killed annually for their skins. Margs only breed once every 2 years, and the kitten mortality rate is 50%.

10.Serval

This cat loves to roam the African savannah and has the longest legs of any cat (relative to body size). Unfortunately, they have become the target of hunting for their skins, which are sold to tourists as "cheetah" or "leopard".

11.Caracal

Also known as the "desert lynx", this cat can produce a barking sound that may be used as a warning.

11.African golden cat

Only recently has it become possible to get a photo of this secretive nocturnal resident

This is a small wild cat, about twice the size of a domestic cat. Although their lifespan is unknown in the wild, they can live up to 12 years in captivity.

13.Asian golden cat

This cat loves to hang out in tropical and subtropical wet, evergreen and dry deciduous forests. Deforestation and hunting for its skin and bones are the reasons why this cat is endangered.

14.Sand cat

This unique cat has a broad head and fur growing between its toes to protect it from hot surfaces. It is endangered, so hunting it is prohibited in many countries.

15. Amur leopard

Due to extensive habitat loss and conflicts with humans, Amur leopards are endangered, there are about 30 of them left in Russia and China.

16. Sumatran tiger

This tiger is the last of Indonesia's tigers to survive in the wild.

Despite the intensification of the policy law enforcement and the fight against poaching, nevertheless this type is dying out. Fewer than 400 individuals remain in the wild.

17. Clouded leopard

The clouded leopard is considered an evolutionary link between big cats and small ones. They are threatened by habitat loss due to large-scale deforestation and commercial poaching for the wildlife trade. Fewer than 10,000 adults remain.

18.Marble cat

Often mistaken for a clouded leopard, this cat is much smaller and has a distinctive bushy tail. The main threat to this cat is believed to be the destruction of its forest habitat throughout Southeast Asia.

19.Leopard cat

This is the first wild cat to be successfully used in a hybrid breeding program, resulting in a beautiful and friendly Bengal breed.

20. Maltese tiger

Also known as the "blue tiger", this is a very rare tiger, one might even say mystical. It is currently unknown whether there are any living specimens left in the wild.

21.Golden Tiger Tabby

The tiger's name does not refer to its species, but is the result of captive breeding of the tiger in the early 1900s.

22.White lion

Not albinos, they are a genetic rarity that originated in the Kruger Canyon in South Africa.

23.Anatolian leopard

For over 30 years, this Turkish leopard was considered extinct. In 2013, a shepherd in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir shot and killed a large cat that was threatening his livestock. Biologists later confirmed that it was an Anatolian leopard. Although it ended sadly, it gives hope that this species may still exist.

24. Red spotted cat, rusty cat

At 20-30 inches in length, including the tail, and weighing between 2 and 3.5 kg, it is the smallest wild cat in the world! We know almost nothing about this secretive cat. Unfortunately, this cat is listed as a "vulnerable" species because humans have converted much of its natural habitat into agricultural land.

25.Scottish wild cat

26.Black-footed cat

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Latin name: Uncia uncia, Panthera uncia

English name: snow leopard

Order: carnivores

Family: felines

Genus: Uncia (snow leopards), has 1 species

The snow leopard is a member of the cat family that lives in the harsh climate of the mountains of Central Asia. Among all the big cats, the snow leopard is the only permanent resident of the highlands. The predator belongs to a genus that occupies an intermediate position between the group of small cats and big cats genus Panthera(tigers, jaguars, lions).

Appearance and anatomical features of the snow leopard's body structure

By appearance The snow leopard resembles a leopard. Indeed, posture and overall dimensions predators are similar. The length of the flexible body of the snow leopard reaches 1 meter, and these cats weigh 25-40 kilograms. Male predators are slightly larger than females. Characteristic distinguishing feature snow leopard - a very long thick tail (length about 100 centimeters), as well as rather short limbs with wide paws (the length of the hind feet reaches 22-25 centimeters). The paw prints are large and round, with no discernible claw marks. Snow leopards' vision, hearing and sense of smell are well developed.

Interesting fact

Wide, fluffy paws with flat, large pads act as natural snowshoes and help large cats distribute their weight evenly so as not to fall through when walking on loose snow.

The coat color of snow leopards is light gray, with rare dark ring-shaped spots clearly visible. There are also small solid spots distributed throughout the body. The fur on the belly is white. The top end of the tail is black. In young individuals, the color of the spots is more intense than in adult leopards. Geographical variability of fur color is not expressed. In general, the fur of snow leopards is very warm, thick and long (on the back the length reaches 5.5 centimeters). Soft fur grows even between the toes; it reliably protects large paws from the cold. All these signs indicate that snow leopards live in cold climates with harsh winters and are excellent jumpers.

In animals, on a relatively small, rounded head, large eyes of a yellowish-green hue with a round pupil are located quite high. Leopards' ears are short and rounded, and in winter they are almost invisible among the fur.

Like most other representatives of the cat family, adult snow leopards have 30 strong and sharp teeth in their mouths. The whiskers of leopards are white and black, up to 10.5 centimeters long. A movable long tongue allows spotted cats to easily separate meat from the skeleton of the victim. The skull of these predators is relatively powerful and massive, distinguished by highly developed zygomatic arches.

Distribution area of ​​the snow leopard

When hunting, snow leopards can jump up to 10 meters in length.

Reproduction snow leopard

The period of active breeding of snow leopards falls on last month winter and early spring. In hard-to-reach places, females specially create a comfortable, warm shelter for the birth of offspring. Pregnancy lasts approximately 90-110 days. A female snow leopard gives birth only once every two years. Depending on the geographical area of ​​their habitat, kittens are born in April-May or May-June.

Interesting fact

Snow leopards mate in Tibet and the Himalayas all year round. The mating song of the snow leopard resembles a rough, but at the same time gentle meow.

In one litter, 2-3 small snow leopards are born (less often 3-4). Babies are born blind and regain their sight in 5-8 days. Newborn snow leopards weigh approximately 500 grams, their body length is no more than 30 centimeters. The body of the cubs is covered with brown fur with pronounced dark spots. In appearance and size, newborns resemble domestic cats.

For the first 1.5-2 months, the brood feeds only on mother's milk. Then the female begins to feed the kittens meat food. At 3 months old, young snow leopards first try to follow their mother on a walk, and at five to six months of age they are already hunting with her. The whole family lies in wait for the prey, but the female always makes the decisive jump. The cubs accompany their mother until they are almost 1 year old, learning from her the difficult art of hunting in the highlands.

Young animals reach sexual maturity at the age of 3-4 years. The male meets the female only for the mating period and does not take part in raising the offspring. In the wild, snow leopards live 12-15 years, in zoos - up to 20 years.

Population status and conservation of snow leopards

The snow leopard is an endangered rare species and is listed in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). According to World Wildlife Fund data for 2003, the total number of snow leopards within their distribution range does not exceed 7,500 individuals. However, due to the secretive lifestyle of these spotted predators and the inaccessibility of habitats, the population size estimate is approximate and based on expert opinions of zoologists.

The independent wildlife trade monitoring program TRAFFIC monitors the number of snow leopards in the wild. According to a 2015 report, there are only about 4,000 snow leopards left in the wild. Poachers kill spotted cats because they attack livestock. The report also notes that only 20% of snow leopards are destroyed for their beautiful warm fur, for the sale of skins, bones, claws and teeth. Illegal trade is growing every year. More than 90% of poaching cases occur in 5 countries - Mongolia, China, India, Pakistan and Tajikistan.

Interesting fact

Along with poaching, the defensive behavior of snow leopards negatively affects the population status. Predators use protective coloring of their fur and, in case of danger, often hide, which often leads to their death, since in open areas people kill animals from firearms. In addition, with an insufficient food supply, spotted cats can feed on the victims of other predators and die by eating poisoned baits, which poachers illegally use to fight wolves.

Snow leopard and man

In the wild, snow leopards have no enemies among animals. The population size of these predators is affected by a reduction in the food supply. The number of snow leopards is decreasing due to harsh conditions life in the highlands.

The only enemy of the snow leopard is man. Even though snow leopards are quite rare animals, they have always been a desirable trophy for hunters. Animal fur is highly valued. On the black market, the skin of one snow leopard costs tens of thousands of dollars.

Nowadays, hunting snow leopards is prohibited in many countries. However, poaching continues to threaten these big cats.

Interesting fact

Since the number of snow leopards in nature is small, and they live in sparsely populated regions, predators harm livestock and hunting industry quite insignificant.

All over the world, menageries contain several thousand representatives of the species Uncia uncia. Today, the population of snow leopards in captivity numbers about 2,000 individuals, of which most of is located in China. Of this number, only 15% of snow leopards were caught in the wild, the rest were born in zoos and centers for the reproduction of rare animal species. Snow leopards reproduce successfully in captivity. In such conditions, animals do not show aggression, but still remain wild cats and are not tamed.

The snow leopard, or snow leopard, (Uncia uncia Shreber, 1775) is listed on the IUCN Red List (2000) as “endangered” (highest conservation category EN C2A). Few people had a chance to see this mysterious and peculiar mountain dweller. Getting to it is not so easy: you need to walk for a long time along steep slopes and deep snow high up - not everyone can do it. Yes, most likely, he will notice the person first and, like a ghost, will disappear behind the mountain range. And when descending, a jump of 15 meters is in order for him. Scientists are over the moon if they get the chance to see a snow leopard, or snow leopard, in its native habitat.

This typical representative of the cat family was previously called a leopard, but this is incorrect. He is not exactly a close relative of the leopard, although he is similar to him, especially with the same ring-shaped and small solid black spots on his smoky-gray skin. On the sides of the animal the general background color is lighter than on the back, and on the belly and the inside of the legs it is white. Black and white leopards are occasionally seen.

The fur of the snow leopard is longer than that of the leopard: soft, fluffy and extremely thick. On the stomach it reaches 12 centimeters. Snow leopards do not emit a loud calling roar, characteristic of large cats, but purr like small ones.

From head to tail, the snow leopard measures 140 cm, the tail itself is 90-100 cm long. If we compare the length of the tail and body, then of all the cats the snow leopard has the longest tail, it makes up more than three-quarters of the body length. The weight of an adult snow leopard can reach 100 kg. The length of the jump during hunting is up to 14 meters. The snow leopard's habitat includes parts of the territories of 13 countries: Afghanistan, Burma, Bhutan, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

Among large cats, the snow leopard is the only permanent inhabitant of the highlands; it personifies the majestic, mysterious and harsh world of the mountains of Central Asia. Occupying the upper trophic level in ecosystems, it can serve as a kind of flagship species for the conservation of the entire animal world of the Central Asian highlands.

The snow leopard is the national symbol of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Also, the image of a leopard is used in the coat of arms of the city of Almaty. A stylized winged snow leopard is depicted on the coats of arms of Khakassia (Khak. Paris) and Tatarstan (Tat. Ak Bars - white leopard), which is also the name of the Kazan hockey team. The snow leopard can also be seen on the coat of arms of the city of Bishkek, the capital of the Kyrgyz Republic. Shushensky district Krasnoyarsk Territory has an image of a snow leopard on its coat of arms. Writer Nikolai Anov, an employee of the newspaper “Dzhetysuyskaya Iskra”, cites a curious case of how a snow leopard descended from the Alatau Mountains and caused a commotion in New Year's Eve 1927: “...A spotted leopard climbed into the house of an ordinary man. There was a riding horse on a leash at the gate. The owner turned it over to the owner for a few minutes, and when he left the house, there was no trace of the horse. The leopard, clutching the horse’s mane, raced on the animal, distraught with horror, through the deserted streets.”

Predators, the hunting of which previously had an independent, mainly sporting interest, is now in most Asian countries either under protection due to their rarity, or they are hunted in order to regulate their numbers. The exception is the wolf: its numbers are large in some places, the damage caused to agriculture and hunting, as well as to public health, is significant, so a fight is being waged against it. In the Asian part of Russia, for example, there are at least 40 thousand wolves. In the 1979 season, 18,462 predators were destroyed, including 11,395 in Kazakhstan and 5,590 in the RSFSR.

There are many wolves in Mongolia, where 4-4.5 thousand predators are shot annually, in the northern regions of China, in the countries of Central Asia, etc.

The number of jackals has thinned out almost everywhere due to the destruction of tugai forests, cutting down of bushes, and drainage of reed beds. In the USSR, the production of this predator decreased from 36.1 thousand in 1949 to 15,266 in 1979. The main jackal populations are located in Turkmenistan, where its production exceeds 4 thousand individuals per year.

Number brown bears in the Asian part of Russia, as we have already noted, is significant, and they are hunted quite intensively for sport, but since the hunters keep the skins for themselves, it is impossible to establish the actual volume of production of these predators. In Japan, bears are shot throughout the year as animals dangerous to the forest. Their average annual production for 1953-1974. amounted to 19,814 heads, including 5,267 brown and 14,546 black. During the hunting season, 755 predators are hunted, the rest are destroyed during extermination measures. The maximum number of bears is shot in the prefectures of Hokkaido (5267 per year), Gifu (2388), Nagano (1686), Fukui (1135). In Mongolia, 100-200 brown bears are hunted per year.

Many rare species and subspecies of Asian bears are protected: white-clawed in the Tien Shan, black in Primorye, panda in southern Asia, etc.

The situation is unfavorable with most representatives of the cat family, especially with such large and attractive predators as the lion, tiger, leopard, snow leopard, and cheetah. They have been greatly exterminated and are almost everywhere taken under protection. For example, until relatively recently, 9 species of cats lived in Iran; To date, two of them, the largest - the Persian lion and the Turanian tiger - have disappeared, and the cheetah has been under threat of destruction for a long time. A similar picture is typical for most Asian countries.

The lion survived only in India, in the Gir forest reserve, where the introduction of these predators was carried out. Their number in the reserve increased from 177 to 200 in just three years. Two more lion reserves were created in the vicinity of Hotdarabad and not far from Bombay.

In the last decade, according to scientists, the number of tigers worldwide was 4 thousand individuals, compared to 100 thousand at the beginning of this century. The smallest subspecies of the tiger, the Balinese tiger, which inhabited the island of Bali, has been completely exterminated. Perhaps there are no more Caspian (Turanian) tigers left in nature, which once inhabited the expanses of Asia from Afghanistan to Eastern Turkey, living on modern territory Central Asian republics and Kazakhstan. Several hundred heads of the Sumatran tiger have been preserved, a few of the Chinese, and about 250 individuals of the Siberian (Amur). Indonesian (2 thousand specimens) and Indian, or Bengal (about the same number) tigers are relatively numerous.

Many countries are taking measures to protect and restore the number of tigers. True, this task is very difficult, since in Lately not hunting - main enemy large predators, but the destruction of their habitats, the reduction in the number of wild ungulates, the main “food base” of predatory animals. In the Soviet Union, thanks to many years of efforts, it was possible to increase the number of Amur tigers from several dozen to 200-250 animals.

In India, since 1973, the government, with the support of the international community, has been implementing a tiger conservation project in the country. It includes measures to create nature reserves, preserve tiger habitats and increase the number of wild ungulates. As a result, tiger populations have increased over the past 5 years, with population densities being highest in protected areas. In 1977, there were 2,278 tigers, of which 628 were in reserves. The number of wild ungulates in the main habitats of the predator also increased: sambar from 803 to 1,107 heads, axis from 8,477 to 14,800, wild boar - from 1,171 to 2,703 heads.

The problem of protecting and restoring the numbers of other large predators - leopard, snow leopard, cheetah - is being solved in a similar way. Working with the first two species, and especially with the snow leopard, is complicated by the fact that in the high-mountain, hard-to-reach habitats of these predators, it is very difficult to ensure compliance with hunting bans. Moreover, the snow leopard is most often shot by shepherds whose herds it allegedly attacks (the actual damage to domestic animals from the snow leopard is insignificant); Leopards were hunted in significant quantities in China as early as 1973. Only one of the southern provinces received 3 thousand leopard skins. Hundreds of skins of this predator, exported from China, were seen in 1974 in Hong Kong. The cheetah is placed in an almost hopeless situation by the sharp reduction in the number of lowland ungulates - goitered gazelles, gazelles, since it feeds mainly by hunting them.

In the latest report “Facts about Furs” mentioned above, it is stated that in 1977-1978. 4,391,625 skins of wild fur-bearing animals were exported from Asian countries, and the species of only 390 thousand skins was indicated, the rest were described as “other”. Analyzing these data, it can be established that approximately 93 thousand wild cat skins and 75 thousand ermine skins are not included in them. According to known statistics, more than 9,120 thousand fur pelts are harvested in Asia. Of course, these are minimum figures that reflect only part of the actual volume of production of fur-bearing animals in Asia.