Snow Leopard

Uncia uncia

Animal Class: Mammals

Length: Body = 3 feet, Tail = 3 feet

Weight: 75-115 pounds

Life Span: Wild = 15 years, Captive = 20 years

Diet: Wild: Sheep, ibex, wild boar, hares, mice, deer and ground dwelling birds

Habitat: Primarily in forested areas at high elevations in the mountain ranges of Asia, from Myanmar moving west through China, Nepal, India, Pakistan and back east through Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and the Gobi Desert

Snow Leopards have a thick coat of smoky-gray colored fur with dark-gray shading and dark-brown circular spots.  The fur has two layers for extra insulation and the color pattern provides camouflage for its snowy mountainous habitat.  

Snow leopards are skillful hunters that use their incredible leaping ability to catch their prey.  They use their long tail for balance when jumping from rock to rock. Snow leopards stalk their prey and usually spring from a distance of 6 to 15m.  They eat slowly and remain by the kill for several days, protecting it from scavengers such as vultures or ravens until all meat is consumed. The snow leopard is a solitary creature, only pairing during the breeding season or when females are accompanied by their young.

Our Animals: Dian