~SNOW LEOPARDS~
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
Subfamily: Pantherinae
Genus: Panthera
Species: Uncia
INTRO:
The snow leopard (Uncia uncia or Panthera uncia), sometimes known as ounce, is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of Central Asia. The classification of this species has been subject to change and its exact taxonomic position will not be resolved until further studies are conducted.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERTISTICS:
Snow leopards are smaller than the other big cats but like them, exhibit a range of sizes, generally weighing between 27 and 54 kilograms (60 and 120 lb). Body length ranges from 75 to 130 centimeters, with a tail of nearly the same length.
Snow leopards have long thick fur, the base colour of which varies from smoky grey to yellowish tan, with whitish underparts. They have dark grey to black open rosettes on their body with small spots of the same colour on their heads and larger spots on their legs and tail.
Snow leopards show several adaptations for living in a cold mountainous environment. Their bodies are stocky, their fur is thick, and their ears are small and rounded, all of which help to minimize heat loss. Their feet are wide, which distributes their weight better for walking on snow, and they have fur on their undersides to increase their traction on steep and unstable surfaces, as well as to assist with minimizing heat loss. Snow leopards' tails are long and flexible, helping them to maintain their balance. The tails are also very thickly covered with fur which, apart from minimizing heat loss, allows them to be used like a blanket to protect their faces when asleep.
Snow leopards cannot roar, despite possessing some ossification of the hyoid bone. The presence of this ossification was previously thought to be essential for allowing the big cats to roar, but new studies show that the ability to roar is due to other morphological features, especially of the larynx, which are absent in the snow leopard.
DIRTIBUTION:
The snow leopard's range in central and south Asia is rugged mountainous regions of approximately 1,230,000 square kilometres (470,000 sq mi), which extends through twelve countries: Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
The geographic distribution runs from the Hindukush in eastern Afghanistan and the Syr Darya through the mountains of Pamir Mountains, Tian Shan, Karakoram, Kashmir, Kunlun, and the Himalaya to southern Siberia, where the range covers the Russian Altai mountains, Sajan, Tannu-Ola mountains and the mountains to the west of Lake Baikal. In Mongolia it is found in the Mongolian and Gobi Altai and the Khangai Mountains. In Tibet it is found up to the Altyn-Tagh in the North.
BEHAVIOR:
In summer, the snow leopard usually live above the tree line on mountainous meadows and in rocky regions at an altitude from 2,700 to 6,000 m (8,900 to 20,000 ft). In winter, it comes down into the forests to an altitude of around 2,000 m (6,600 ft). It leads a largely solitary life, although mothers may rear cubs for extended periods of time in dens in the mountains.
An individual snow leopard lives within a well defined home range but does not defend its territory aggressively when encroached upon by other snow leopards. Home ranges vary greatly in size. In Nepal, where prey is abundant, a home range may be as small as 12 km2 (5 sq mi) to 40 km2 (15 sq mi) and up to five to ten animals are found here per 100 km2 (40 sq mi); whereas in habitats with sparse prey, an area of 1,000 km2 (400 sq mi) supports only five of these cats.Snow leopards are crepuscular, being most active at dawn and dusk.
DIET:
Snow leopards are carnivores and actively hunt their prey. However, like all cats, they are opportunistic feeders, eating whatever meat they can find including carrion and domestic livestock. They are capable of killing animals three times their size but will readily take much smaller prey such as hares and birds.
The diet of the snow leopard varies across its range and with the time of year, and is dependent on prey availability. In the Himalayas it preys mostly on bharals (Himalayan blue sheep) but in other mountain ranges such as the Karakoram, Tian Shan, and Altai, its main prey consists of Siberian ibex and argali, a type of wild sheep, although this has become rarer in some parts of the snow leopard's range.Other large animals eaten include various types of wild goats and sheep (such as markhors and urials), other goat-like ruminants such as Himalayan tahr and gorals, plus deer, boars, and langur monkeys. Smaller prey consists of marmots, woolly hares, pikas, various rodents, and birds such as the snow cock and chukar.
It is not averse to taking domestic livestock, which brings it into direct conflict with humans. Herders will kill snow leopards to prevent them from taking their animals.
Snow leopards prefer to ambush prey from above and can leap as far as 14 meters (46 ft).
REPRODUCTION:
Snow leopards give live birth to their offspring usually in a fur coated den around the spring or summer months. The gestation period varies between 93 to 110 days. The mating season occurs typically in the late winter months between December and March, during this time and when the mother is caring for her cubs marks the only times snow leopards are not alone. The mating season is dictated by the harsh winter conditions. Since food is scarce and difficult to obtain during the winter snow leopards wait to mate until late winter which allows them the have cubs during the spring or summer when food is more plentiful. After the male and female mate the male has no other role in the reproduction process. A female snow leopard’s liter can range from one to five cubs; however, the average is two to three cubs. It has been reported that snow leopards in zoos can have as many as seven cubs; this is unusual and if seven cubs were born in the wild it is likely not all cubs would survive due to the mother being unable to find enough food to support all the cubs and herself. When the baby cubs are born they have a full coat of fur and are blind for about a week. However they are helpless until they are six weeks old; during this time they sleep and drink their mother’s breast milk. When cubs are born they weigh between .71 pounds to 1.56 pounds (or 320 to 708 grams) each, after they are born they typically gain around .11 pounds (or 48 grams) a day. It takes both males and females about two years to reach sexual maturity at this time, if they have not already, they will leave their mother and begin life by themselves. A mature snow leopard’s weight is usually between 77 pounds (35 kilograms) and 121 pounds (55 kilograms); however a very large male can weigh as much as 165 pounds (75 kilograms) and a petite female can weigh 55 pounds (25 kilograms). A wild snow leopard’s life span usually lasts 8 to 10 years; while a snow leopard in captivity can live to 18 years old.
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