Snow leopard description of the animal. Snow leopard, snow leopard: graceful cat of the wild. What do snow leopards eat and who do they hunt?

The irbis or snow leopard is an endangered large-sized predator that belongs to the mammal class and the cat family. This animal is also called the snow leopard because of its external resemblance with these representatives. Snow leopards are very beautiful and graceful. Prefer a solitary lifestyle and rarely live in groups, choosing inaccessible mountain gorges as their home.

Snow leopards are endangered and very rare view animals. They are listed in the Red Book. Due to their great popularity among poachers, their numbers have decreased significantly and the animals are on the verge of extinction. On everything globe there are no more than eight thousand representatives.

Hunting for snow leopards is strictly prohibited and punishable by the legislation of the Russian Federation.

1. Where do the snow leopard or snow leopard live?
2. The history of the snow leopard.
3. Body constitution and external features animal snow leopard.
4. What do they eat and how do they hunt?
5. Peculiarities of snow leopard reproduction and care of offspring.
6. Keeping in captivity.
7. Interesting to know: 10 interesting facts about the snow leopard.

Snow leopards prefer mountainous terrain and snow-capped mountain ranges. Live in central parts Asia. Representatives of the cat family can be found in the Himalayas, Tibet, Pamirs, Mongolia, etc.

Leopards prefer highlands (up to six kilometers).

On the territory of Russian vast expanses of snow leopards can be found in Siberia, the Altai mountain ranges, certain areas of Lake Baikal and rocky gorges Caucasus mountains. The percentage of representatives is negligible - from 2 to 3 of the total.

China has the most a large number of snow leopards - up to 5 thousand individuals.

The history of the snow leopard

Irbis is translated from Turkic as a cat that lives in the snow.

Georges Buffon (an outstanding French scientist) first depicted this beast of prey in 1761. The scientist believed that the animal's birthplace is Persia.

The remains of the animal were found in Altai and western Mongolian territory. Later finds were discovered in the territory of modern Pakistan. This ancient predator, which was common more than one million years ago.

Uncia is the genus to which snow leopards belong. They are the first and last representatives of this genus. This is an intermediate species between the genus Panthers and small representatives of the cat family.

Body constitution and external features of the animal snow leopard

Appearance: Snow leopard has a number of similarities with a leopard. Average weight- 40 kg, body length - from one to one and a half meters. The tail of snow leopards is very long and fluffy. The animal is characterized by a light gray color and spotting.

The animal has luxurious thick fur, thanks to which the snow leopard is not afraid of even the most severe frosts. It is very long and soft. It is precisely because of the high value of its fur that the animal is on the verge of extinction. People hunted leopards for profit.

Snow leopard body constitution:

• The head is small in size, proportional to the body, and has a round shape.
• The eyes are very expressive, round, and large in size.
• The teeth are sharp and strong. Snow leopards have 30 teeth.
• The tail is long and fluffy.
• The body is powerful with well-developed muscles and a wide chest.
• The coat is very thick and soft.

Snow leopards They do not know how to growl like their relatives, but only slightly “purr”.

What do they eat and how do they hunt?

Snow leopard nutrition

It is a predator by nature, so it feeds on the meat of other animals. Likes to hunt at night or at dusk, as well as at dawn. Objects of their hunt:

Snow leopards love to diversify their diet with plant foods, especially in summer. Green plants- a desirable delicacy for predatory animals. A snow leopard can eat 2 kg of meat in one sitting.

Features of hunting

Snow leopards are excellent hunters, having no competition. They can cope with animals that are five times larger and more massive than the snow leopard. Solitary hunting at night is typical for them. They love to hunt for fun, and not just for food, so they are ready to hunt down the right prey for hours. When the snow leopard is ready to attack, it makes a high jump from above onto the object of the hunt.

The snow leopard strangles cattle by attacking from behind and breaking their backbones to immobilize the victim. The snow leopard does not guard or hide leftover food, as it prefers only fresh meat and enjoys the process of tracking its prey.

The snow leopard has its own inviolable territory, into which it does not allow anyone, regularly making the rounds of its vast possessions.

Snow leopards They do not move well in deep snow, so they trample down paths and constantly move along them.

The only real threat to snow leopards is humans, since it is precisely because of poachers that the numbers of these animals are very small and they are on the verge of extinction. Leopards cannot attack people and behave quite friendly towards humans. This is actively used by people who kill snow leopards because of their valuable and rare fur.

Peculiarities of snow leopard reproduction and care of offspring

Snow leopard is ready to breed at the age of 3-4 years and it is at this age that it reaches sexual maturity. The mating season begins in February and ends in mid-spring. Attracts an individual of the opposite sex with the help of purring sounds. After the fertilization process, the male leaves his beloved.

The female approaches the process of giving birth to cubs very thoroughly: she meticulously chooses a secluded and comfortable place where she will produce her offspring; is engaged in insulating the place for birth, tearing out its wool and laying it for future cubs. The gestation period lasts no more than 3.5 months from the date of fertilization by the male.

The young mother herself raises her cubs and puts them on their feet, obtaining food and protecting her offspring. Educational process is completely entrusted to the mother's shoulders, so females have a hard time. The cub is born small (height no more than 30 cm and weight up to 500 grams) and defenseless, so it is quite difficult for him to survive. He is born blind, his eyes open only a week after birth.

The female feeds her offspring with milk for only a few months. And then the process of learning to hunt begins. The female attacks the victim, and small leopards carefully monitor her movements and listen to every gesture. Small snow leopards are very playful and prone to fights between each other. By the age of two, the young leopard becomes independent and independent, therefore most often he leaves his family at this age and switches to a solitary lifestyle.

The lifespan of the average leopard varies from 10 to 14 years. In captivity, snow leopards can live much longer - up to 21 years.

These measures are used to preserve and reproduce the animal, as well as to increase their lifespan. Snow leopards are tamed with great difficulty, because they are very freedom-loving by nature. However, representatives who were born in captivity are more amenable to the training process and have a sincere sympathy for humans.

In zoos in the Russian Federation There are only 27 representatives of these animals, and in the world’s zoos there are no more than 2 thousand.

The snow leopard requires free and well-lit space, so the height of the enclosure containing the snow leopard can reach 6 meters. It is necessary to create the most natural conditions possible to ensure a comfortable existence for these predators.

Leopards are fed once a day. The diet consists of meat products and live animals of small breeds (rats, mice, rabbits, chickens). They also enrich the diet with the help of vitamin and mineral complex supplements.

Interesting to know: 10 interesting facts about the snow leopard

Conservation of snow leopard (irbis) and Altai populations mountain sheep(argali) in the Altai-Sayan ecoregion are the most important tasks for WWF. Both species are listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation as endangered. The population status of these species reflects the overall “health” of the ecosystem, so they can be called indicator species.

The snow leopard is a mysterious predator of Asia. Threats and solutions.

The snow leopard (irbis), a mysterious and enigmatic animal, still remains one of the most poorly studied cat species in the whole world. Very little is known about the biology and ecology of this rare predator, and its number within the current range is determined very tentatively. For many Asian peoples, this animal is a symbol of strength, nobility and power; Asian folklore is full of stories and legends about this elusive predator. Few people manage to see a snow leopard in the wild; much more often you can find traces of its vital activity - scratches, predator scratches in the trees, fur, excrement, urinary tracts on stones.

The snow leopard is listed in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and has the status of a rare or endangered species in all 12 countries where it lives: Russia, Mongolia, China, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Bhutan.

According to WWF experts, in the Russian part of the Altai-Sayan ecoregion there are about 70-90 snow leopards, while there are no more than 4,000 individuals of the rare predator on the planet.

© Flickr.com / Linda Stanley

Camera traps in Tuva captured a charismatic predator © Alexander Kuksin

Journalists are rarely taken to these places. Even trained people find it difficult to walk on the “land of the snow leopard” © M. Paltsyn

Snow leopard track in the Argut River valley, Altai Mountains, March 2012 © Sergey Spitsyn

Festival “Land of the Snow Leopard” in Tuva © T. Ivanitskaya

What is WWF doing to save the snow leopard?

Back in 2002, WWF Russia experts prepared a document approved by the Ministry natural resources Russian Federation. The document was developed taking into account the very limited experience of studying and protecting the species in Russia. The number of snow leopards in Russia, according to the Strategy, was estimated by WWF experts at 150-200 individuals, however, as shown by further studies in snow leopard habitats in 2003-2011. , the real number of the species in Russia is at least two times lower and is unlikely to exceed 70-90 individuals. An updated version of the Strategy, taking into account work experience and new realities, was approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation in 2014.

In Russia, the snow leopard lives at the northern limit of its modern range and forms only a few stable groups in optimal habitats - the mountains of the Altai-Sayan ecoregion. The number of snow leopards in Russia is only 1-2% of the world number of the species. The survival of the snow leopard in our country largely depends on the preservation of its spatial and genetic connections Russian groups with the main population core of the species in Western Mongolia and, possibly, in Northwestern China.

In 2010, WWF moved to a new level of work and, in collaboration with numerous partners, began monitoring snow leopard populations using modern methods research: photo and video traps. This method made it possible to clarify the boundaries of the habitat of the groups and the abundance of the species. Disappointing conclusions were obtained from a study of the snow leopard group in the Argut River valley in the Altai Republic, previously considered the largest in Russia. Camera traps recorded only lynx, despite the fact that the conditions for the existence of snow leopards on Argut are ideal: high mountains, rocky gorges, the presence of the largest group of Siberian mountain goats in Russia of 3200-3500 individuals - the main food of the snow leopard in the Altai-Sayans. Surveys of local residents revealed the fact of the almost complete destruction of the snow leopard group on Argut in the 70-90s of the twentieth century, when the snow leopard fishery flourished in the mountains. WWF's task was to preserve the surviving remnants of the group and gradually restore its numbers.

One of WWF's priorities is supporting anti-poaching activities. In the same year, on the initiative of WWF, a German shepherd search dog, Eric, was trained to work in the Altai mountains in order to search and identify traces of snow leopard activity, becoming an assistant to specialists in the field.

In 2012, employees of the Altai biosphere reserve and WWF managed to obtain the first photographic evidence of the snow leopard’s habitat: cameras recorded a female and a male, named Vita and Kryuk. In addition to photomonitoring to record and study the elusive predator, in collaboration with scientists from the Institute of Ecology and Evolution. A. N. Severtsov RAS (IPEE RAS), scientists use the method of DNA analysis of collected traces of snow leopard activity (excrement, fur, etc.), SLIMS and other modern techniques...

In 2011 in Altai for the purpose of distraction local population from poaching, illegal collection of wild plants or logging in the region, a WWF and Citi Foundation program has been launched to improve the quality of life of local residents and create sustainable income from types of business that are sustainable for nature. With the help of training seminars, exchange of experience and provision of microgrants and microloans for the local population, WWF and Citi set goals for the development of legal small businesses in the field of rural tourism and ecotourism in the habitats of the Altai mountain sheep and snow leopard, the production of souvenirs and felt products, and improving performance quality of livestock, etc.

In 2015, with the support of the Pernod Ricard Rouss company, WWF specialists first tested a method of involving former hunters in environmental projects. Having undergone special training and received cameras for snow leopard monitoring, residents receive a reward for the fact that the snow leopard continues to be recorded by camera traps and remains alive and well. Already six people, including hunters from families of hereditary “leopard hunters”, have been trained in working with cameras and are participating in WWF raids, helping inspectors with information, forces and participating in expeditions.

The snow leopard is a predator that does not respect state borders. The well-being of this species directly depends on the connection between Russian groups and snow leopard groups in neighboring Mongolia and China. Therefore, the development of transboundary environmental cooperation is priority task WWF in the region. Joint research, exchange of experience, scientific, environmental and educational activities with WWF Mongolia and colleagues from other environmental structures in Mongolia are carried out annually and quite effectively. Joint projects with colleagues from Kazakhstan include the creation of protected natural areas and support for joint environmental activities.

Camera trap in the Chibit tract

© Alexander Kuksin

© Sergey Istomov

Sergei Istomov records snow leopard tracks

Snow leopard on Tsagaan-Shibetu, Tuva © A. Kuksin

© Mikhail Paltsyn

© Alexander Kuksin

What remains of the owner of the mountains

What to do next

Today, the main threat to snow leopards in the region remains illegal fishing using wire snares. An inconspicuous noose is installed by a poacher on an animal path along which animals move, and, tightening as the animal moves, it becomes a death trap. Cheap snares are often abandoned by poachers, and they remain wary for many years, threatening the animals with death. According to WWF experts, there are only a few cases of targeted hunting of snow leopards in the region. More often, loops are installed on other species of animals, in particular, on musk deer, whose musk gland is an excellent and expensive trophy that is valued in the eastern market for medicines and potions. Poaching musk deer - big threat and the snow leopard.

In conditions of insufficiently efficient equipment and a small number of employees government agencies for the protection of wildlife, WWF provides material and technical support for operational activities in the habitats of rare and endangered species. Special attention is devoted to the fight against snare fishing.

Work in the Republic of Tyva has its own characteristics. In the region with the highest livestock population in Siberian federal district shepherds live in the highlands almost side by side with the snow leopard. The decline in the number of wild ungulates and climate change are the reasons that force the snow leopard to attack livestock, which is the source of life for pastoralists. Shooting or trapping of snow leopards by local residents in retaliation for attacks on livestock is a major threat to the predator in Tuva. To reduce conflict situations WWF is taking different steps. Thus, a scheme for paying compensation to shepherds for livestock lost as a result of a snow leopard attack was tested, and measures are being taken to instill a special attitude towards the rare predator among local residents. In 2010, a simple but effective measure to reinforce ventilation holes in covered cattle pens with chain-link mesh prevented snow leopard attacks on livestock and saved the lives of many predators.

Today, about 19% of key snow leopard habitats and 31% of argali habitats in Russia have the status of protected natural areas. WWF plans to expand the network of protected areas or improve the status, as well as the quality of protection, management and existing protected areas. The number of the group in the Argut River valley is growing - photos and video traps record the presence of females with kittens here, a new habitat of the snow leopard has been found on the Chikhachev Ridge. In 2015, for the first time, an online information system was developed for snow leopard specialists, which will collect all available information on every snow leopard encountered in Russia and Mongolia - from footage from automatic cameras to meeting places and the characteristics of each snow leopard.

International cooperation between Russia, Mongolia and Kazakhstan should develop, ensuring the conservation of animals that do not respect state borders.

WWF will continue to use A complex approach and work in partnership with multiple partners. This will optimize resources and ensure the long-term conservation of these species in the Altai and Sayan Mountains.

Niramin - Sep 2nd, 2015

The snow leopard, or, as hunters have long called it, the snow leopard, is an animal from the cat family. By appearance similar to a leopard, but slightly smaller in size. Because of their valuable fur, people hunted them en masse, after which they were listed in the Red Book of the World. Therefore, if you are lucky enough to see a snow leopard, then you are very lucky. Since each time the likelihood of meeting him has sharply decreased.

Appearance of the snow leopard

The length of the snow leopard's body including its tail is about two meters. Its weight is about 45-55 kg. Males are usually much larger than females. Externally, the shape of the head and its physique resembles a domestic cat. The predator's wide paws are strong and equipped with curved and sharp claws. Thanks to its paws, the snow leopard easily walks through the snow without falling into it. Due to the beautiful gray-white coat color with black spots on the fur, it allows the predator to camouflage well among the rocks in winter. Among the representatives of the cat family, this is the only animal that can jump from a height of 15 meters downwards with pinpoint accuracy.

Where does the snow leopard live?

Leopards are very secretive animals. They live alone in hard-to-reach places, in rocky cliffs high in the mountains, up to about 5 thousand at sea level, among the mountains of the Middle and Central Asia. If in summer he lives high in the mountains, then in winter he descends into the valleys.

What do snow leopards eat and who do they hunt?

The snow leopard chooses twilight as its main time for hunting. During the day, they bask in the sun or rest in the den. They always hunt alone, chasing their prey for a long time. Having killed their prey, they bring it into their home and only then begin to eat food. They can eat up to 3 kg of meat at a time.

Predators feed on artiodactyl animals, such as rams, goats, sheep, but they also love hare and even mouse. If they are really hungry, they can go down to the valley and attack livestock.

How do snow leopards reproduce?

The mating season or breeding season for leopards occurs at the beginning of spring: March - April. The female's pregnancy lasts up to 100 days, so she gives birth only once every two years. Usually up to 3 cubs are born. At two months, they already begin to follow their mother everywhere, since the father does not take part in raising them. They feed exclusively on mother's milk for up to 4 months. Predators reach final puberty by the age of three.

See a selection of snow leopard photos:

Irbis in a high jump.











Mother and cub





















Photo: Angry Irbis

Video: Irbis - a legend snowy mountains(Film by Ivan Usanov).

Video: Snow leopard attacks bull yak

Video: Afghanistan: Snow Leopard: WILD HD

Titles: snow leopard, snow leopard, snow leopard.
Irbis, from the Turkic dialect "irbiz", which meant "snow cat".

Area: mountains of Altai, Pamir, Tien Shan, Tibet, Himalayas, Mongolia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, China.

Description: The snow leopard's fur is long (up to 12 cm long), fluffy, with a thick undercoat. The head is small. The pupils are round. The tail is long (it accounts for up to 3/7 of the total length), covered with thick fluffy hair. The female uses it to warm her kittens. Males are larger and more massive than females.

Color: the general background of the body is whitish-gray (sometimes with a yellowish tint), which perfectly camouflages the leopard from enemies and its victims. There are many small black spots on the head. On the body the spots are black-gray or black in the form of rings. The belly and inside of the legs are white.

Size: body length 1.2-1.5 m, tail - 80-100 cm, height at the shoulders (at the withers) - 60 cm.

Weight: male - 45-55 kg, female - 35-40 kg.

Lifespan: in nature up to 18-20 years, in captivity up to 28 years.

Habitat: adapted to harsh conditions climatic conditions- low-snow high-mountainous alpine meadows and bare rocks at the borders of eternal snow, slopes of gorges, treeless highlands, stone placers (5000-6000 m above sea level).

Enemies: the main enemy is man. In hungry years, the snow leopard can compete for food with packs of wolves.

Food: The snow leopard hunts mountain goats and sheep, roe deer, wild boar, marmots, hares, ptarmigan, snowcocks, reindeer, moose and domestic yaks.

Behavior: Spends time in the shelter during daylight hours. The snow leopard rests in caves, rock crevices, and on low trees. Hunts at dusk and at night. Can make jumps up to 6 m in length. Vision and hearing are well developed. Loves to play and roll in the snow. After such games he rests and basks in the sun.
On average, it kills one large prey every 10-15 days and eats it for about 4 days.
When meeting a person, he tries to leave or hide.
Dense and fluffy fur on the paws helps the snow leopard run quickly through the snow and stay on the slopes of the mountains.
The trail of wild goats can migrate up to 600 km.

Social structure: The snow leopard leads a mostly solitary lifestyle.
An individual area is about 160 km 2 .

Reproduction: The female does not give birth every year. For childbirth, the female makes a warm den in deep caves, rock crevices or other places where the kittens will not be disturbed by enemies. The bottom is lined with undercoat and fur, which it pulls out. The male also takes part in raising the young. Parents do not always actively protect their offspring.

Breeding season/period: January March.

Puberty: for 2-3 years.

Pregnancy: lasts about 100 days.

Offspring: The female gives birth to 1-5 blind and deaf kittens (usually two). The weight of newborns does not exceed 500 g. Size with tail is up to 25 cm. The fur is gray-brown with spots and stripes.
Eyes open on day 5-6. At 10 days of age, kittens begin to crawl. The young leopards leave the den when they are two months old. Lactation lasts up to 4 months, but from two months the female begins to feed them with meat. At the end of lactation, kittens go hunting with their mother. Leopard cubs play a lot, especially love to hunt for their mother's tail.

Benefit/harm for humans: Snow leopard skin is highly prized. Previously, leopard fur coats in the USA cost up to 60 thousand dollars. Now leopards are also hunted for their bones, which are used in Chinese medicine.
It can be tamed, although it has a rather evil character.

Population/Conservation Status: The snow leopard is a rare and endangered species throughout its range. Listed in International IUCN Red List like an endangered species. The population size is no more than 2000 individuals.
The reasons for the decline in the population are depletion of the food supply, poaching, human development of mountain pastures, developing tourism, high market prices for the skin and entrails of leopards.
There are several subspecies of snow leopards, which differ from each other in color, size and spotting.

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Snow leopard, also known as snow leopard, or snow leopard (lat. Panthera uncia, Uncia uncia) is a mammal of the order Carnivora, cat family. Previously, he was allocated to separate genus Snow leopards (lat. Uncia), represented by a single species Uncia uncia. In 2006, according to the results genetic research in some classifications it was added to the genus Big cats (Panthers) (lat. Panthera). It turned out that according to the genetic criterion, the snow leopard is closest to. True, some scientists still doubt this, classifying the animal as belonging to the genus Uncia. In addition to the snow leopard, the clouded leopard and the clouded leopard have the same controversial status.

International scientific name: Panthera uncia(Schreber, 1775), Uncia uncia (Schreber, 1775).

Synonyms: Felis uncia(Schreber, 1775).

Security status: According to the IUCN Red List (version 3.1), the snow leopard is considered vulnerable. According to the Red Book of Russia, the species is disappearing.

This cat has many names. The Kalmyks call it irgiz, the Uzbeks - alaji bars, the Tatars - akbars, the Tungus - kunik, the Yakuts - khakhai, the Kazakhs - ilbis or barys, the British - snow leopard, the Mongols - irves. In Japanese, snow leopard is tora. In Kyrgyzstan, the snow leopard is called ilbirs. In Russian, it has long been called an irbis, which is translated from the ancient Turkic language as “snow cat”, and in Tuvan it sounds like irbish.

Russian people learned about the snow leopard from merchants who traded with the Turkic peoples. The word itself has entered the scientific literature as a full-fledged term replacing the name “snow leopard.” The word "leopard" is also borrowed from the Turkic language and means "leopard". The snow leopard is often also called the white leopard. First scientific name Uncia was given to the snow leopard by the German scientist I.H. Schreber in 1775.

By the way, despite the fact that the leopard is called a snow leopard, it does not like to walk in the snow.

Snow leopard - description of the animal and photographs. What does a snow leopard look like?

The snow leopard is a graceful predator with a flexible and agile body, a smooth and graceful gait, somewhat reminiscent of, but squat in comparison with it. The features of the snow leopard's adaptation to its habitat are noticeable throughout its appearance. The average length of the animal's body is 100-130 cm, the tail - 90-105 cm. The total length of the body including the tail can reach 230 cm. The height at the withers is approximately 60 cm. The size of males exceeds the size of females. The weight of an adult male snow leopard reaches 45-55 kg, a female weighs no more than 35-40 kg.

The body of the snow leopard is slightly convex in the area of ​​the sacrum and sloping towards the shoulders, which is characteristic of the appearance of small cats (lat. Felinae). The snow leopard is ten times heavier than a domestic leopard and seven to eight times lighter than a tiger, the largest of the cats. For this, scientists call it the “big small cat.” The snow leopard differs from the leopard in having a less massive front part of the body and a smaller head.

The snow leopard's head is small, round, and shaped like the head of a domestic cat. It has small, rounded, widely spaced ears. The structure of the snow leopard's skull is easily recognized by its characteristic large forehead. There are no tassels on the ears. In winter, the ears are practically invisible due to the long pile covering them.

The whiskers on the face of the snow leopard are black or white, up to 10.5 cm long. The animal's eyes are large, with round pupils. Vision and smell are very well developed.

The snow leopard has sharp and long teeth and claws. All cats, including the snow leopard, have 30 teeth:

• on the top and lower jaw 6 incisors, 2 canines;
• on the upper jaw - 3 premolars and 1 molar;
• on the lower jaw - 2 premolars and 1 molar.

The length of the snow leopard's fangs is somewhat shorter than those of other cats. It is 59.9 mm.

On the sides of the snow leopard's long tongue there are tubercles covered with keratinized skin. They help the beast strip meat from the victim and wash itself during hygienic procedures.

The soft and long hairs of the animal can reach 55 mm.

The magnificent tail of the snow leopard is covered with especially long hair. It reaches more than ¾ overall size body and due to the elongated fur it seems very thick. The thickness of the tail exceeds the thickness of the predator's forearm.

The snow leopard holds its tail either bent in an arc towards its back, or drags it freely along the ground, stones or snow: then in winter a distinct stripe is additionally visible between its tracks.

By the way, the snow leopard often bites its tail for some reason. Zoologists suggest that this is how he simply warms his nose in cold winters. But maybe there is another explanation for this? All cats love to play, and snow leopards are no exception: they bite their tails for fun.

The snow leopard's wide snowshoe paws are equipped with light pink retractable claws. Along with thick fur, they make the predator visually larger. The length of the foot of the hind legs of the mammal is 22-26 cm.

The color of the snow leopard's coat on the back and upper sides is predominantly smoky-brownish-gray, with dark gray or black spots. There are no differences in color between females and males. In the off-season, the smoky coating is less pronounced than in winter. The belly and sides of the animal below are lighter than top part bodies. There is no yellowness in the colors. However, according to the latest data, the Baikal subspecies (lat. U. u. baikalensis-romanii), which not all scientists recognize as a valid subspecies, has yellow tones in color.

The spots on the predator’s body have the shape of rings (rosettes) or continuous streaks with a diameter of 5 to 8 cm. There are only solid spots on the neck, head and legs. On the back, near the sacrum, they often merge and form stripes stretching along the body. At the end of the tail there are large markings in the form of half rings framing the tail. Unlike a real leopard, the snow leopard has much fewer spots.

The pattern of spots is individual for each animal. In young individuals it is bright, over the years it becomes fuzzy and blurry, remaining only on the head and paws. This coloring helps the predator remain invisible among rocks, stones and snow. The adaptation of the snow leopard to its natural habitat is also expressed in changes in the thickness of the fur depending on the season. The winter fur of the snow leopard is very lush and silky, it allows the predator not to freeze in the mountains even in the cold season.

Like all living organisms, the snow leopard's fitness is relative. When environment actively changes - the snow quickly melts, the mountain slopes are covered with dense vegetation, then the animal is not saved by either the color of its fur or its sharp claws.

What does a snow leopard eat?

The snow leopard, like any cat, is a dexterous and strong hunter. It can kill prey more than 3-4 times its weight. The snow leopard's food is mainly medium-sized ungulates. Snow leopard hunting mountain goats(lat. Capra), point-horned goats (markhors) (lat. Capra falconeri), blue rams (lat. Pseudois), argali (lat. Ovis ammon), Siberian roe deer (lat. Capreolus pygargus), musk deer (lat. Moschus moschiferus), deer (lat. Cervus elaphus), reindeer (lat. Rangifer tarandus), boars (lat. Sus scrofa), gazelles (lat. Gazella subgutturosa), kulans (lat. Equus hemionus), serau (lat. Capricornis), gorals (lat. Naemorhedus caudatus), Himalayan tar (lat. Hemitragus jemlahicus), takins (lat. Budorcas taxicolor). More often it attacks female goats and young kids, sometimes not yet able to follow their mother.

Snow leopards also eat small animals such as snowcocks, pikas, marmots, hares, and chukars. They catch birds: pheasants, partridges, mountain turkeys. Of the large victims, their prey can be male deer and horses. Like other felines, they sometimes eat grass or rhododendron shoots to compensate for the lack of vitamins. Domestic animals (goats, snow leopards) are attacked by snow leopards either in winter or if they graze in alpine meadows.

On average, the snow leopard hunts 2 times a month. He does this alone, more often at night or at dusk, less often during the day. Only occasionally can a male and a female or a female with grown cubs go hunting together.

The snow leopard hunt consists of an ambush and a decisive throw. Usually the predator lies above the path along which the ungulates pass in order to make a jump from above. He can also watch over them at a watering hole or salt lick. To be successful, he needs a height advantage. If the leopard misses when throwing, it usually pursues the victim no more than 300 meters or even leaves it alone. At short distances, the speed of the snow leopard can reach 64 km per hour. The snow leopard can also crawl towards its prey from cover. When there are several tens of meters left before the prey, the snow leopard jumps out and quickly overtakes it with a jump of 6-7 meters in length. Having caught up with his prey, he tears its throat or groin with his teeth.

Occasionally, the snow leopard tries to catch up with its prey. So on the Dzhebaglytau ridge we encountered traces of a predator chasing argali females for about a kilometer.

The leopard does not kill several animals at the same time, as, for example, a wolf does. It eats the carcass of a killed or goat in 3-7 days. At one time he can eat no more than 3 kg of meat.

The snow leopard lives in 12 countries: Nepal, Afghanistan, China, Kazakhstan, Bhutan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, India, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Russia.

The snow leopard is an inhabitant of the snowy peaks of the Central Asian massifs. Usually its home is the highlands near the snow line, up to an altitude of 2000 - 5000 meters. Depending on the snow line, it can descend to a level of 500 m (in Russia) and rise to 6500 m (in Nepal). In winter, the predator can be found in the forests where the snow leopard hunts, musk deer, and deer. The oldest fossilized remains of this animal were found in Altai and Mongolia. They have been preserved there since the Pleistocene era of the Quaternary period.

The snow leopard's habitat extends from the Himalayas in the south, through the Qinghai-Tibet plateau and mountains Central Asia to the mountains Southern Siberia in the north. The predator is found in the Altai, Sayan, Tien Shan, Kunlun, Pamir, Hindu Kush, Karakorum, as well as on the outer Himalayan ranges and in small isolated mountains in the Gobi region. In the mountains of Tibet, the snow leopard is found as far as Altun Shan. The southern border of the distribution of the mammal is in Tajikistan. A small area of ​​potential range is located in northern Myanmar, but the animal's recent presence there has not been confirmed. The northernmost border of the snow leopard's habitat in the world lies on the territory of Russia: here it inhabits the Altai-Sayan mountainous country(south Krasnoyarsk Territory, Chita region, the Republics of Tyva, Altai, Buryatia, Khakassia), and is also found in such reserves as Altai and Sayano-Shushensky. Unfortunately, in Russia the snow leopard population is on the verge of extinction.

Due to the small number and secrecy, the presence of a snow leopard in the territory and its habits are recognized mainly due to indirect signs. Where the snow leopard is located, there are scrapes in the ground, burrs on tree trunks, excrement, urine marks and footprints. Snow leopard tracks are large, without claw marks, reminiscent of lynx tracks. But snow leopard and lynx are practically never found in the same territory. Now automatic cameras (photo traps) and satellite beacons have been added to the methods of detecting animals. With their help you can learn everything about the snow leopard.

The slopes of the Altai Mountains are a typical habitat for the snow leopard. Photo credit: Stefan Kühn, CC BY-SA 3.0

Number of snow leopards in the world

This secretive and therefore poorly studied mammal has become rare due to the fault of people. The first mentions of it in literature appeared only in the 18th century. And all the work of that time was devoted to how to discover the habitat of the snow leopard, how to properly kill the animal and tan its skin. The snow leopard was important only as a game animal. Due to intensive destruction, the life of the snow leopard was in danger.

Due to the fact that the snow leopard leads a secretive lifestyle, it is difficult for scientists to accurately count the number of individuals. According to the latest data, there are from 4 to 7 thousand snow leopards left in the world.

• There are only 150-200 individuals left in Russia.
• China has the largest number of snow leopards: 2000-5000 individuals.
• There are 600-700 snow leopards living in zoos around the world.

Snow leopards have become completely extinct in parts of Russia, Nepal, India and Mongolia. The reasons why the numbers of this species are declining around the world are absurdly similar:

1. Poaching.

The snow leopard is hunted for its valuable fur, as well as for the use of its body parts in oriental medicine. Leopards often die after getting caught in snares placed on other animals; in Russia, most often on musk deer.

1. Human modification of the snow leopard's habitat.

The construction of roads, as well as gas and oil pipelines, affects the number of ungulates - the leopard's main prey. The proximity of man-made buildings also causes discomfort for this cautious and secretive mammal.

1. Shooting during an attack on livestock.

The snow leopard can attack livestock if it is grazing in the predator's hunting area. Having climbed into a covered pen, in his excitement he can slaughter almost the entire herd.

1. Reducing the number of ungulates due to intensive human hunting and changes in their habitats.

How does a snow leopard live in the wild?

It is important for the snow leopard to be surrounded by rocks, boulders, scree, and gorges, because it cannot pursue prey for a long time, and therefore hunts from ambush. When a snow leopard sits hidden among the rocks, it is almost impossible to notice it. The animal's paws, which are short relative to the body, allow it to move silently along the rocks. It slowly creeps up or quietly waits for the victim, and then suddenly attacks it. This tactic allows the predator to cope with an animal much larger than itself. How big cats, he kills prey quickly and accurately, and eats it like representatives of small cats: slowly and little by little.

The snow leopard is a cautious animal. Its main refuges are hard-to-reach gorges, crevices and caves in the mountains. Females hide here and breed their offspring. In the mountains, the snow leopard wanders behind herds of ungulates, in the summer it rises higher in the mountains, and in the winter it descends to the forest belt. In summer, it often lives in the subalpine and alpine belts of the mountains.

Despite its name, the snow leopard has difficulty moving around deep snow. In winter, he prefers to walk along well-trodden animal trails.

The snow leopard can jump up to 3 meters in height and up to 6-7 meters in length. There is evidence that it “flies” over gorges that are 15 meters wide, but this is unlikely. The snow leopard's jump is helped by its well-developed pectoral muscles, and with their help it can easily climb steep cliffs. In this case, its tail serves as a steering wheel - this is one of the explanations why the snow leopard needs such a long tail. The main prey of the snow leopard is wild mountain ungulates, so daily training exercises– overcoming steep slopes, jumping on rocky scree – this is a vital necessity for a predator. The snow leopard uses its tail as a balance during fast movements and sharp turns.

The snow leopard is an animal well adapted to life at high altitudes. It has an expanded chest and large lung capacity to obtain the necessary amount of oxygen from the thin air high in the mountains. The deep and wide cavity of its nose helps warm the cold mountain air. In addition, when he goes to bed, he covers his nose with his fluffy warm tail.

The snow leopard can withstand frosts down to -40°C and below. In winter, even the pads of its paws are covered with thick hair.

Each snow leopard has its own territory, the boundaries of which it marks in different ways: it scrapes the ground with its hind legs, leaving scratching holes, splashes of urine on the rocks at nose level, excrement, scuff marks on the most noticeable tree trunks. But males are not aggressive towards their fellow tribesmen; their territories can overlap with the territories of several adult females.

The snow leopard is most active at dawn and dusk, making it difficult to spot. In winter, the animal has a more difficult time than in summer, since its tracks in the snow are clearly visible.

By the way, the snow leopard loves to play, like all cats: it rolls around in the snow, rolls down the mountains on its back, having previously accelerated well. After a successful hunt, he basks in the sun, settling down somewhere more comfortable.

The snow leopard cannot growl: it purrs, meows, moans, howls, hisses. The meow of a snow leopard resembles a roar, as it calls spring with its guttural “ay”.