What does the snow leopard (irbis) eat and how does it hunt? Snow leopard or leopard: characteristics of the animal What do snow leopards eat

The irbis, or snow leopard, hunts alone in the highest mountains of the world.

Systematics

Russian name - snow leopard

English name - snow leopard

Latin name - uncia

Squad - predatory (Carnivora)

Family - cats (Felidae)

Genus - snow leopards (Uncia), has 1 species.

Conservation status of the species

Irbis is endangered, listed in the IUCN Red List.

View and person

The irbis has been persecuted by humans in the past because of its beautiful fur. Since 1952, in India and the USSR, he was taken under protection. Currently, hunting for it is prohibited everywhere.

Distribution and habitats

Irbis lives in the mountainous regions of Asia from Afghanistan to western China, in the Himalayas, in Tibet, in the mountains of Mongolia, in Altai. This is one of the highest mountain animals. In most areas in summer, the snow leopard stays near alpine meadows along the snow line at an altitude of 3500-4000 m, in the Himalayas - up to 5500-6000 m. selects areas where small open plateaus and narrow valleys alternate with steep gorges and heaps of rocks.

Appearance and morphology

The body length of the snow leopard is 110–125 cm, weight 20–40 kg. If we compare the length of the tail and body, then of all the cats, the snow leopard has the longest tail, it is more than three-quarters of the body length. The general tone of the color of the back and sides of the body is grayish-smoky, sometimes slightly yellowish. Against this background there are dark spots with unsharp outlines - large annular and small solid ones. On a small head - short, wide-set ears and large, high-set eyes. The fur cover of the beast is very thick, lush and soft. Thick wool grows even between the toes and protects the paw pads in winter - from the cold, in summer - from hot stones.

Irbis hunting alone in the highest mountains of the world

Lifestyle and social behavior

Animals live alone. They mark their sites with scrapes and scent marks. The home ranges of males may partially overlap with those of 1–3 females.

Feeding and feeding behavior

The basis of the nutrition of the snow leopard is made up of large ungulates: the Siberian mountain goat, argali. In the foothills, the snow leopard hunts roe deer and wild boar. In its huge hunting area (up to 100 sq. km), the predator moves, adhering to the same routes, bypassing the pastures of potential victims known to it. Like other high mountain animals, the snow leopard makes regular seasonal vertical migrations: in summer it follows ungulates to high alpine meadows; in spring - in the forest belt; after heavy snowfalls descends to foothill plains.

In alpine meadows and outcrops of rocks, the irbis, except for ungulates, catches marmots and ground squirrels, snowcocks and partridges. The leopard silently sneaks up on its prey and suddenly jumps on it. It can jump up to 10 meters in length and up to 3 meters in height. Not catching the prey immediately, he stops the pursuit after a few jumps. Having killed a large animal, the predator drags it under a rock or a tree and starts eating. At one time, he eats only 2-3 kg of meat, and throws away the abundant leftovers of the meal and does not return to them anymore.

Vocalization

Irbis do not emit a loud inviting roar, characteristic of large cats, but purr like small ones. During the rut, the animals make sounds similar to bass meowing.

Reproduction and education of offspring

The snow leopard rut occurs in March - May. The male meets with the female only at this time and subsequently does not take part in the upbringing of children. Three months later, in the lair, which the female arranges in a cave or in a crevice of a hard-to-reach gorge, 2-4 kittens are born. Newborns the size of a small domestic cat, completely helpless, are covered with thick brownish fur, dotted with dark solid spots. They open their eyes at the age of one and a half weeks. At the age of two months, kittens begin to leave the den to play at its entrance, from this time the mother gives them meat food. At the age of 3 months, the cubs begin to follow their mother, and five to six months old already hunt with her. The prey is hidden by the whole family, but the decisive throw is made by the female. Animals move on to an independent solitary life by the beginning of next spring.

Lifespan

In captivity, they live up to 20 years, in nature - less.

Irbis have been kept in the Moscow Zoo for more than a hundred years. The first snow leopard appeared on display in 1901. It was a gift from the Honorary Trustee of the Zoological Garden K. K. Ushakov. Since then, more than one generation of these amazing cats has changed in the zoo's collection. There was a time when eight snow leopards were kept on the Cat Row. The workers of the section achieved regular breeding among these inhabitants of the snowy expanses, so many snow leopards exhibited at the zoo were of their own breeding. For many years, a female snow leopard named Olga, who was born in the Moscow Zoo in 1996, lived in an enclosure between a Far Eastern leopard and a puma at the Cats' Ryad exhibition for many years. She had kittens only once, but this well-deserved grandmother had a very calm, balanced character, was not at all afraid of visitors and sat near the bars for a long time. She lived for over 20 years and died at the end of January 2017.

In addition to her, we now have three more cats - two males and a female. In 2013, it was she who gave birth to three kittens. Blue-eyed fluffy babies from the first minutes were surrounded by maternal care. In a secluded den in the interior, the female fed them with milk, licked them, carefully guarding them from prying eyes. Even employees were allowed to look at the kittens for a while. As soon as the babies could be taken away from the mother, who stopped feeding them, they moved to a new place of residence, each to his own. Someone - to Finland, to the homeland of their father, one of our two males, someone - to conquer the inhabitants of France with their beauty, the third - to Hungary.

They feed the snow leopard, like all predators in the zoo, once a day with meat. Various vitamin and mineral mixtures are necessarily added to it to maintain a balanced diet, periodically - hydroponic greens. One day a week, the snow leopard always has an unloading day, when the cat does not receive food at all. With this diet, predators feel better, do not overeat.

The snow leopard can hardly be called an aggressive animal, but even after living in captivity for a long time, it remains wild and cannot be tamed. As true inhabitants of the highlands, living near the border of ice, snow leopards do not tolerate heat well. Therefore, in summer, our cats often hide in the shade, and it can be difficult to see them.

The snow leopard (irbis; Latin names - Uncia uncia and Panthera uncia) is a mammal from the cat family that lives in the mountain ranges of Central Asia. Among the large cats, the irbis is the only permanent inhabitant of the highlands. The range of the snow leopard includes parts of the territories of 13 states: Afghanistan, Burma, Bhutan, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan. The range of the snow leopard in Russia is 2-3% of the modern world range. In Russia, the snow leopard is found in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, in Khakassia, in Tyva and in the Altai Republic, in the mountains of the Eastern Sayan, in particular, on the Tunkinsky Goltsy and Munku-Sardyk ridges.
Despite the outward resemblance to a leopard (in English, the snow leopard is called "Snow Leopard" - a snow leopard), the relationship between it and the snow leopard is not very close, besides, the size of the snow leopard is noticeably smaller. However, the irbis is much stronger and is considered the most ferocious predator of the cat family.
The main coat color is light gray, appearing white in contrast with black spots. This coloring perfectly masks the beast in its natural habitat - among dark rocks, stones, white snow and ice. The spots are in the form of rosettes, inside which there may be an even smaller spot. In this respect, the snow leopard is similar to the jaguar. In the area of the head, neck and limbs, the rosettes turn into black strokes. The wool is very thick and long (up to 55 mm) and serves as protection from the cold in harsh climatic conditions. From head to tail, the snow leopard is 140 cm long, 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 is more than three-quarters of the body length. The tail of the snow leopard serves as a balancer when jumping. The length of the jump during the hunt is up to 14-15 meters. The weight of an adult snow leopard can reach 100 kg.

Irbis is a predator living and hunting alone. Each snow leopard lives within the boundaries of a strictly defined individual territory. Hunts in most cases before sunset and in the morning at dawn. In the wild, snow leopards mainly feed on ungulates: blue sheep, Siberian mountain goats, markhor goats, argali, tars, takins, serows, gorals, roe deer, deer, musk deer, deer, wild boars. In addition, from time to time they also feed on small animals atypical for their diet, such as ground squirrels, pikas and birds (kekliks, snowcocks, pheasants). In Russia, the main food for the snow leopard is the mountain goat, in some places also deer, roe deer, argali, and reindeer. As a rule, the snow leopard quietly sneaks up to its prey and jumps at it with lightning speed. Often uses high stones for this, in order to unexpectedly throw the victim to the ground with a jump from above and kill. In late summer, autumn and early winter, snow leopards often hunt in families of 2-3 individuals, which are formed by a female with her cubs. The snow leopard is able to cope with prey three times its mass. There is a recorded case of successful hunting of 2 snow leopards for a 2-year-old Tien Shan brown bear. Vegetable food - green parts of plants, grass, etc. - snow leopards eat in addition to the meat diet only in summer.

Irbis do not emit a loud inviting roar, characteristic of large cats, but purr like small ones. During the rut, the animals make sounds similar to bass meowing. An adult snow leopard, like most other cats, has 30 teeth.

Leopards (snow leopard cubs) are born blind and helpless, but after about 6-8 days they begin to see clearly. The weight of a newborn snow leopard is about 500 grams with a length of up to 30 cm. The maximum known life expectancy in nature is 13 years. Life expectancy in captivity is usually about 21 years, but a case is known when a female has lived for 28 years.

Illegal but financially attractive hunting for snow leopard fur has significantly reduced its population. In the black markets of Asia, the skin of this beast can bring up to 60 thousand dollars. In all countries of its existence, the snow leopard is placed under state protection, but poaching still threatens it.

Snow Leopard represents the cat family - it is a rather graceful and beautiful predator. Often he is called the "master of the mountains", he is a permanent inhabitant of it.

Features and habitat of the snow leopard

An animal by nature is a loner, it is not for nothing that he lives in the mountains: the Western Sayan, the Himalayas, the Pamirs, Altai, the Greater Caucasus. In Russia, you can meet only a few percent of this delightful animal of the total.

Snow Leopard – snow leopard, he received such a name in translation from Turkic, snowy. Basically, especially during the warm period, snow leopards live among bare rocks, and only in winter they can be found in the valley. The animal feels great at high altitude (6 km). Each of them occupies a sufficiently large area, and other individuals do not step on it.

Snow leopard description appearance is very similar to . On average, this animal weighs up to 40 kg (it can reach 75 kg in captivity), and its body has a length of 1-1.30 m. The length of the tail is the same as the body.

The male is always larger than the female. Its coat has a light gray color and is covered with dark gray spots, except for the belly, it is white. This coloration helps him to camouflage himself while hunting.

The fur of the leopard is so warm and thick that it perfectly protects the animal in cold weather, it is also located between the toes of the paws. The paws are soft and long, they do not fall into the snow, and this allows the animal to successfully hunt. The jump while hunting can reach up to 6 m in length and 3 m in height.

The animal's fur is considered very valuable, so it is actively hunted, which significantly reduces the population. That's why snow leopard in the Red Book occupies a place of honor. And worst of all, poaching of this magnificent animal continues. A man with a gun is the main enemy of a predatory animal.

But zoos, on the contrary, are trying by all means to increase the population. What is surprising for a cat breed, leopards rarely growl, and if this happens, it is very quiet. But they meow and purr, like all other predators.

The nature and lifestyle of the snow leopard

Oddly enough, the nature of the snow leopard is feline. Like many others, he is a loner by nature. He prefers highlands. The area it occupies is quite large (up to 160 km²). Its linear territory can be crossed by the territories of females. The male mostly moves along the same route.

A snow leopard can build his own house (lair) in a large nest or in a rock (cave). It is here that he spends a large amount of time, namely all of his bright part.

At night, the snow leopard starts hunting. It is carried out in the territory marked by him, and only extreme need can force him to go to the neighboring one.

Hunting for the snow leopard is not only food, but also a kind of fun. He can track down his prey for hours. Leopards have practically no enemies, so they are not at all afraid of night hunting.

They can bring him trouble, perhaps, wild and hungry, but they fail to defeat the snow leopard. The snow leopard does not attack a person, he prefers to retire and be unnoticed. But still, isolated cases were recorded in times of famine for the animal.

If we compare all , we can conclude that Snow Leopard, animal friendly enough. He can be trained. Irbis love to play, ride in the snow and even slide down the hill. And after the pleasures lie down in a cozy place and enjoy the sun.

Nutrition

The diet of the snow leopard mainly consists of animals living in the mountains:,. But if it is not possible to obtain such food, he can be content with birds or rodents.

A brave and cunning animal is also able to cope with a huge one. During one hunt, the snow leopard can get several victims at once. He does not eat them on the spot, but transfers them to a place convenient for him (tree, rock). One animal is enough for a wild cat for several days.

In summer, snow leopards, in addition to meat, can eat vegetation. Everything that was managed to get for "dinner" the leopard does not eat. He needs about 2-3 kilograms to get enough. In times of famine, a predatory animal can hunt domestic animals.

Reproduction and lifespan

The mating season for the snow leopard begins in the spring. The male at this time creates sounds similar to purring and thus attracts the female. After fertilization, the leopard leaves the female.

Pictured is a snow leopard cub

The period of bearing offspring in a female lasts 3 months. Before the appearance of the "barsenka", the expectant mother prepares the lair. Most often it is located in a hard-to-reach place, among the rocks. To make the “house” warm, the female rips out her hair and lines the bottom of the den with it.

At one time, the female leopard can bring up to 5 kittens. Their size is the same as that of an ordinary kitten, and they weigh about 500 g. In blind kittens, eyes begin to see after 5-6 days. Already on the 10th day of life, they begin to crawl.

After 60 days, the kids slowly crawl out of the lair, but only in order to play pranks near the entrance. Snow Leopard, images which is on the Internet, at a young age is very funny.

Up to 2 months of age, babies eat milk, and then a caring mother begins to feed them with meat. At 5 months, the young generation goes hunting with the female. Prey is hunted down by the whole family, but the mother will attack first.

The female teaches her cubs everything, including hunting and taking care of them on her own. The male has no part in this. At the age of one year, the leopards already become independent and retire.

On average, snow leopards live for about 14 years, but in captivity they can live up to 20. Several thousand snow leopards live in zoos and breed successfully there.

Snow leopard, or irbis (Uncia uncia)- a predatory mammal, one of the rarest, largest representatives of the cat family.

Description

The length of the body of an adult is 1000-1300 mm, the length of the tail is about 800-1000 mm and is equal to about 75% to 90% of the total body length. This extremely long tail is used for balance in the rocky and mountainous areas where they live, and animals also use it to keep their limbs warm during harsh winter weather. The average weight of an adult snow leopard is 35-45 kg. Among these animals there is no pronounced sexual dimorphism, however, males may slightly exceed females in weight. Compared to other felids, snow leopards have slightly larger forelegs, with an average paw pad size of 90 to 100 mm in length and 70 to 80 mm in width. They also have relatively long hind legs adapted for better maneuvering and jumping in their habitat.

The coat color of the snow leopard varies from light gray to gray smoky, on the belly, as a rule, there is a creamy yellow with a white tint. The entire body of the snow leopard is covered with gray-black spots that surround black rings. Larger spots and rings surrounding them are found only on the body and tail, while solid spots are common on the head, neck and lower limbs. Juveniles have longitudinal black stripes running along the back from head to tail. As they grow and mature, these stripes break up into large patches that form lateral rows of elongated rings along the center of the back.

Snow leopards have a long and thick coat that sheds twice a year. In winter, it becomes thicker and longer. In summer, the length of the snow leopard coat is about 25 mm on the sides and about 50 mm on the belly and tail. In winter, the coat on the sides reaches 50 mm, from 30 to 55 mm on the back, 60 mm on the tail and up to 120 mm on the stomach. In addition to thick fur, they have small, rounded ears that help minimize heat loss in cold environments. Compared to other felids, snow leopards have much larger nasal cavities, as well as small and broad heads in relation to their body size.

area

Snow leopards live in large areas of approximately 2.3 million square kilometers. They can be found on all the high mountain ranges of Central Asia. This includes the entire mountainous Himalayan system, as well as areas in Bhutan, Nepal and Siberia in Russia. Snow leopards are found anywhere from the Himalayas to southern and western Mongolia and southern Russia, however, 60% of the population is found in China, especially in the autonomous regions of Xinjiang and Tebet, as well as in the provinces of Sichuan, Qinghai and Gansu.

Habitat

Steep, rocky and rough terrain are preferred for snow leopards to rest, particularly close to natural vegetation. Rocks and large ridges are ideal for daytime recreation. Snow leopards live in high-altitude and subalpine zones at an altitude of 900 to 5500 meters and above, but most often at an altitude of between 3000 and 4500 meters. In winter, they can migrate to lower places, to an altitude of 900 meters. Irbis generally avoid dense forests and cultivated fields, but can inhabit coniferous forests, as well as arid and semi-arid scrublands, meadows, mountain meadows, and barren areas.

In the west of Nepal, in an area of high prey density, the average range size varies from 12 to 39 square kilometers. However, in areas with difficult terrain, the actual range is probably 20-30% greater.

reproduction

Snow leopards are solitary animals and do not communicate with other individuals of their own kind, unless it is the mating season. Due to the long time spent rearing their young, females mate every other year. They are polygamous in the wild, but some snow leopards in captivity have been known to become monogamous.

Breeding of snow leopards is highly dependent on the season and occurs from January to March. When females enter estrus, they make a continuous creaking sound that attracts males. The female offers herself to the male - raises her tail and walks around him. During mating, the male grabs the hair on the female's neck, thereby holding her in one position. Pregnancy lasts 90-105 days, cubs are born from April to June. The number of offspring in a litter is 2-3 kittens, but in rare cases varies from 1 to 5. They are born in rocky shelters, where the female makes a warm nest of wool on her stomach. At birth, the weight is between 300 and 600 grams.

Breastfeeding lasts about 5 months, but young animals can consume solid food as early as 2 months of age. During the first year of life there is a close bond between the mother and her offspring. Females reach sexual maturity at 2-3 years, and males at 4 years.

Since snow leopards are solitary animals, the longest social contact occurs during the period when females raise their offspring. Kittens are born blind, and when they reach a week of age, they open their eyes.

The reproductive rate of snow leopards is higher in areas where females have the opportunity to hide in a reliable shelter, as well as feed on nearby prey. This is necessary for the safety of their offspring, since inaccessible and reliable shelter helps to hide the babies from other predators and allows females to hunt freely. After reaching three months of age, kittens follow their mother and learn basic survival skills such as hunting. The first year of life, the mother provides the cubs with food, protection, training and other necessary resources.

Lifespan

Since snow leopards lead a very solitary lifestyle, it is quite difficult to accurately determine the average life expectancy of these animals. In captivity, snow leopards live up to 21 years.

Behavior

Snow leopards are most active during dawn and dusk. They are also very mobile and can move from one place to another every day and change their resting place several times during the day. Generally, they stay in one particular area for a few weeks and then move to another.

Snow leopards are solitary animals, but during the mating season they are in pairs, so they share the territory with each other. Individuals that are forced to share a territory maintain a distance of approximately 2 km from the nearest individual. Irbis avoid each other, marking their way with scratches, feces and special glands that can describe the sex and reproductive status of an individual.

They have a well-developed ability to jump high thanks to their wide paws and elongated hind legs. Snow leopards prefer to spend time on tall structures, especially when they live in captivity. A rare observation of the behavior of the snow leopard in captivity determined that the animals reduce their activity in places where people are present.

The preferred method of hunting is stalking. They then ambush their prey from high ground, using the rocky terrain and shrubbery for camouflage.

Communication and perception

Unlike other large felines, snow leopards do not growl. Instead, they emit a high-pitched howl, especially females during the breeding season. This sound allows the females to notify the males of their location and usually occurs late in the evening. The vocalizations are non-aggressive and the sound is emitted through the nostrils of the animals. The presence of one snow leopard in close proximity to another causes this sound, and can be described as a greeting.

Snow leopards make high-pitched sounds and announce their location. Their long tails are used in a number of communication functions. Animals also use a tactile mode of communication, namely rubbing the head and neck of their social partner, which indicates a peaceful mood.

Another way to communicate is facial expressions. For example, when defending, they open their jaws wide enough and raise their lips to expose their fangs. However, when they are friendly, they only open their mouths without exposing their fangs, and also wrinkle their noses.

Snow leopards, like them, prefer to communicate with scents and other chemicals.

Nutrition

Snow leopards are carnivorous and actively hunt their prey. They are also opportunistic predators and will consume any meat to provide their bodies with the energy they need. Irbis are capable of killing animals 3-4 times their weight, but if necessary, they can consume much smaller prey.

The main animal that snow leopards feed on is the nahur. (Pseudois nayaur). Other types of prey are the Siberian ibex (Capra ibex sibrica), markhor goat (Capra failconeri), argali (Ovis ammon), mouflon (Ovis orientalis), Himalayan tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus), Sumatran serow (Capricornis sumatraensis), Himalayan goral (Naemorhaedus goral), red-bellied musk deer (Moschus chrysogaster), boar (Sus scrofa), orongo (Pantholops hodgsonf), Tibetan gazelle (Procapra picticaudata), gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) and kulan (Equus hemionus). Little prey includes marmots (Marmota), hares (Lepus), pika (Ochotona), gray voles (Microtus), mice and birds.

Due to over-hunting by humans, wild ungulate populations in certain regions have declined significantly, and snow leopards have begun preying on livestock.

Threats

Snow leopards are predatory animals, so they have less threat from wild animals than from people. However, cross-species killing between leopards (Panthera pardus) and snow leopards can occur when competition for resources increases. Adults are also a potential threat to young.

In the last two decades, the population has declined by at least 20% due to habitat loss, prey, poaching and persecution. The main factor influencing the decrease in the population is human activity. Wool, bones and other parts of the body are of particular value to poachers. The skin is in high demand. Recently, their bones have become a popular substitute for tiger bones in Chinese medicine. Many farmers are responsible for killing snow leopards at the risk of losing their livestock.

conservation status

Snow leopards are endangered. The number of individuals worldwide is estimated to vary between 4080-6590 individuals.

Role in the ecosystem

Snow leopards are at the top of the predator range, which means they play a key role in maintaining biodiversity in the ecosystem. They are an important indicator of environmental health and help regulate animal populations that are lower down the food chain.

Snow leopards can be recognized as indicators of species, and this is important as it provides an opportunity to motivate the public to support ecosystem conservation. If snow leopard habitats are protected, then many other animals also receive protection for their habitats.

Video

Member of the cat family - This is a majestic and beautiful predator. It has been badly damaged by human activity. It was systematically destroyed because of the valuable fur. At the moment - this animal is listed in the Red Book.

Appearance of the snow leopard

In appearance, the leopard strongly resembles a leopard. The length of the leopard's body reaches a meter, weight is from 20 to 40 kg. The leopard has a very long tail almost the same length as the body. The color of the coat is light gray with dark gray spots, the belly is white.

The animal has very thick and warm fur, which grows even between the fingers to protect the paws from cold and heat.

Snow leopard habitat

The predator lives in the mountains. Prefers the Himalayas, Pamir, Altai. They inhabit areas with bare rocks and only in winter can descend into the valleys. Bars can climb up to 6 km and feel great in such an environment.

These animals prefer to live alone. They live mainly in caves. Predators do not conflict with each other, as they live far from each other. One individual can occupy a fairly vast territory, which other leopards do not stumble upon.

In Russia, these animals can be found in the mountain systems of Siberia (Altai, Sayan). According to a census conducted in 2002, up to two hundred individuals live in the country. At the moment, their number has decreased several times.

What does a snow leopard eat

Snow leopards are hunting on the inhabitants of the mountains: goats, rams, roe deer. If it is not possible to catch a larger animal, they can get by with rodents or birds. In summer, in addition to the meat diet, they can eat plant foods.

The predator goes hunting before sunset or early in the morning. A sharp scent and coloring help him track down the victim, thanks to which he is invisible among the stones. It sneaks up unnoticed and abruptly jumps on the prey. Can jump from a high rock to kill even faster. Leopard jumps can reach 10 meters in length.

If it is not possible to catch the prey, the animal stops hunting for it and looks for another prey. If the prey is large, the predator drags it closer to the rocks. At a time, he eats several kilograms of meat. He throws away the rest and never returns to them.
In times of famine, snow leopards can hunt near settlements and attack domestic animals.

Snow leopard breeding

The mating season of snow leopards falls in the spring months. At this time, males make sounds similar to meowing to attract females. The male takes part only in fertilization. The female is responsible for raising the young. The pregnancy lasts three months. The female equips a lair in the gorges of rocks, where she brings kittens into the world. Usually leopards give birth to 2-4 babies. Babies are born covered in brown fur with dark spots, similar in appearance and size to domestic cats. Little leopards are absolutely helpless and need mother's care.

For up to two months, kittens feed on their mother's milk. Upon reaching this age, the female begins to feed the children with meat. They are no longer afraid to leave the lair and can play at its entrance.
At three months, the children begin to follow their mother, and after a few months they hunt with her. The prey is hunted down by the whole family, but the female attacks. Snow leopards begin to live independently at the age of one year.

Snow leopards they live a little: in captivity they can live for about 20 years, while in the wild they barely live up to 14 years.
These predators have no enemies among wild animals. Their numbers are affected by the lack of food. Due to the harsh living conditions, the number of leopards is decreasing. Man is considered the only enemy of the leopard. The fur of these animals is very valuable, therefore, despite the fact that this is a rather rare animal, hunting for it was quite common. At the moment, hunting for it is prohibited. But poaching still threatens him. Snow leopard fur is valued at tens of thousands of dollars on the black markets.

Zoos around the world contain several thousand representatives of this species. Successfully breed in captivity.
Very little information has been obtained by researchers about snow leopards. It is rare for anyone to see it in the wild. Only traces of leopards living in the mountains can be found.

Snow Leopard belongs to rare and endangered species and is under protection in many countries. For many peoples of Asia, this predator is a symbol of power and strength. On the coats of arms of many Asian cities, you can see the image of a leopard.

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