Everything about The Snow Leopard totally explained
The
Snow Leopard (
Uncia uncia), sometimes known as the
ounce, is a large cat native to the mountain ranges of
Central Asia from Afghanistan to Lake
Baikal and eastern
Tibet. The taxonomic position of this species has been subject to change. In the past, many taxonomists included the Snow Leopard in the genus
Panthera, with several of the other largest
felids, but later it was placed in its own genus,
Uncia. However, a recent molecular study places the species firmly within the genus
Panthera, although the exact position remains unclear. Along with the
Clouded Leopard, it represents an intermediate between so-called
big cats and smaller species, as it can't roar, despite possessing an incomplete ossification of the hyoid bone, which was thought to be essential in allowing the big cats to roar. However, 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. Well known for its beautiful fur, the Snow Leopard has a whitish-tan coat with ringed spots of dark, ashy-brown and rosettes of black. Its tail is heavy with fur and the bottom of its paws are covered with fur for protection against snow and cold.
The life span of a Snow Leopard is normally 15–18 years, but in captivity it can live up to 20 years.
Description
Weighing usually to, the Snow Leopard is slightly smaller on average than a leopard. Exceptional large males can weigh up to, very small females weigh only . The head and body length is, the shoulder height is about . Its agility often proves helpful when ambushing prey and traversing through mountains.
An individual Snow Leopard lives within a well defined home range. However, it doesn't defend its range aggressively when encroached upon by other individuals. Home ranges can vary greatly in size. In Nepal, where prey is abundant, a home range can be as small as to and up to 5 to 10 animals are found here per ; whereas, in habitats with sparse prey, an area of supports only 5 of these cats.
| Range Country |
Habitat Area
(sq. km.) |
Estimated
Population |
| Afghanistan |
50,000 |
N/A |
| Bhutan |
15,000 |
100-200 |
| China |
1,100,000 |
2,000-5,000 |
| India |
75,000 |
200-600 |
| Kazakhstan |
50,000 |
100-200 |
| Kyrgyz Republic |
105,000 |
150-500 |
| Mongolia |
101,000 |
500-1000 |
| Nepal |
30,000 |
300-500 |
| Pakistan |
80,000 |
200-420 |
| Russia |
N/A |
N/A |
| Tajikistan |
100,000 |
180-220 |
| Uzbekistan |
10,000 |
20-50 |
Protected Areas:
- Chitral Gol National Park, in the NWFP, Pakistan.
- Hemis National Park, in east Ladakh, India.
- Khunjerab National Park, Northern Areas, Pakistan.
- Nanda Devi National Park, in state of Uttarakhand, India, a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site.
- Qomolangma National Nature Preserve, Tibet, China.
- Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal, a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site.
- Tumor Feng Nature Reserve, western Tianshan Mountains, Xinjiang, China.
- Valley of Flowers National Park, Uttaranchal, India, a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site.
- Shey-Phoksundo National Park, Dolpa, Nepal.
- Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve,Baglung, Nepal.
- Annapurna Conservation Area, Western Nepal.
- Jigme Dorji National Park, Bhutan
- Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park, Mongolia
- Ubsunur Hollow, on the territorial border of Mongolia and the Republic of Tuva
Much progress has been made in securing the survival of the Snow Leopard, with Snow Leopards being successfully bred in captivity. The animals usually give birth to 2 to 3 cubs in a litter, but can give birth to up to 7 in some cases.
Snow Leopard in heraldry
The Snow Leopard (almost invariably known in
heraldry as the ounce) (
Aq Bars) is a national symbol for
Tatars and
Kazakhs: a Snow Leopard is found on the official seal of the city of
Almaty, and a
winged Snow Leopard is found on
Tatarstan's
coat of arms. A similar leopard is featured at the
coat of arms of North Ossetia-Alania. The
Snow Leopard award was given to Soviet mountaineers who scaled all five of the
Soviet Union's 7000m peaks. In addition, the Snow Leopard is the symbol of the
Girl Scout Association of Kyrgyzstan.
Image:SnowLeopard10000KZT.jpg|Snow Leopard on the backside of the old 10000 tenge (Kazakhstan) banknote.
Image:Aq_bars.png|Aq Bars is the coat of arms of Tatarstan. It is an ancient Turkic and Bolgar symbol translated as "white leopard" or "snow leopard".
Image:Almaty_seal.gif|Snow Leopard as a symbol of Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Image:Astana1.svg|Snow Leopard as a symbol of Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan.
Image:COA_of_Bishkek.PNG|Snow Leopard as a symbol of Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Snow Leopard'.
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