SNOW LEOPARDS (Uncia uncia)
ig Cat Conservation
y’s Actions Affect Tomorrow’s World
Description
Uncia uncia uncia - Asia, Mongolia, Russia
Uncia uncia uncioides - China, Himalayas
Web: www..karmacats.org.au
Written by Liz Bellward, Founder & Managing Director of
Karma Cats Ltd. ABN: 60 141 655 254
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Email: [email protected]
Distribution
Native: Central Asia - Afghanistan; Bhutan; China (Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan, Tibet [or Xizang], Xinjiang,);
India (Himachal Pradesh, Jammu-Kashmir, Sikkim, Uttaranchal); Kazakhstan; Kyrgyzstan; Mongolia; Nepal; Pakistan; Russian Federation; Tajikistan; Uzbekistan
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Regionally Extinct: Yunnan (in China)
Presence Uncertain; Nei Mongol (in China)
Population
Wild
Captivity
3,500 - 5,000
600
Status
Endangered
Physical
Description
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Size
Head and body length:
Tail length:
Weight:
Life Span
Wild:
Captivity:
Breeding
Gestation:
94 - 103 days (3 - 3.5 months)
Sexual maturity: 2 - 3 years of age but generally do not reproduce until 4 years old
Oestrus:
5 -12 days
Mating:
Occurs in late winter (January - March)
Lasts 3 - 6 days, 12 - 36 matings a day, each mating lasts approx 15 - 45sec
Male holds the female by the back of the neck giving a loud yowl when completed
Birth:
Cubs born in spring (May - June)
Cubs:
1 - 5 per litter (average 2.2)
320 - 560 grams at birth
Cubs born blind but open their eyes around 7 days
Dependant:
Dependant on Mum until at least 18 months old
Snow leopards are a medium sized stocky cat with a very long bushy tail and huge front paws
Pale green or grey eyes, short rounded ears and smoky grey fur with dark rosettes
Each snow leopard’s coat patterns are unique like our fingerprints
In winter, their fur can grow to over 5 cms in length on their back and sides, and up to 12 cms on their
stomach
• A very agile cat with their long tail and muscular legs allowing them to jump up to 6m
90cm - 1.2m
80cm - 1m
35 - 55 kgs
• The snow leopard is different to other cat species in that it has a pronounced seasonal birth peak
which is probably due to the harsh winters they experience in their natural habitat
• Also unusual to most cats, if their litter dies, the females will rarely come back into oestrus and
re-mate until the following season
• Females give birth in rocky dens that they have lined with their thick, soft fur
Today’s actions affect tomorrow’s world
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© Karma Cats 2010.
15 - 18 years
Up to 21 years
SNOW LEOPARDS (Uncia uncia)
ig Cat Conservation
y’s Actions Affect Tomorrow’s World
Written by Liz Bellward, Founder & Managing Director of
Diet
&CatsHunting
Snow leopards’ main prey consists of bharal (blue sheep), ibex (wild goat) and argali (wild sheep) but
Karma
Ltd. ABN: 60 141 655 254 •
Email: [email protected] Web: www..karmacats.org.au
they will eat prey as small as marmots, hares and birds such as the snow cock
• Will hunt domestic livestock such as sheep, goats and cows
• Will eat carrion (dead and rotting carcass of an animal)
• Uses rocks, ledges, crevices etc. for cover to get close enough to ambush prey
• Often drops on prey from a ledge above
• Chase of prey may last up to 200 - 300m
• Ambush predator that kills with a bite to the back of the neck or throat
• May move kill to an area away from scavengers
• Will eat from one carcass for a few days if large enough
• Captive snow leopards eat approximately 1.5kgs of meat per day
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art from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research or as permitted under the Copyright Act
Habitat
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High mountainous regions of central Asia
Rocky areas at altitudes of 1,200m - 6,000m
Snow capped mountains
Rock specialists – rocks, ravines, cliffs
Snow leopards have evolved physically to adapt to these mountainous conditions;
• Large paws for walking on snow
• Long, thick, bushy tail for balance and to wrap around their body and face in the snow
• Long back legs for jumping
• Long fur with woolen undercoat to keep them warm
• Enlarged nasal passages and well developed chest to cope with the cold and altitude
Social System
& Territories
• Solitary animals that only come together to breed, or a mother with cubs
• Range sizes vary depending on prey density (20km2 to 100km2)
• Scent mark their territories with cheek rubbing, faeces, scrapes, urine and spray (urine with scent
gland secretions which is sprayed on rocks, trees, bushes)
• Flehmen - allows olfactory & chemical clues to pass over naso-vomeral organ positioned in the roof
of the mouth
• Most active dawn and dusk
• Can not purr and is the only big cat that can not give a full deep roar (can only cough-roar)
• Can spit, hiss, growl, mew, yowl and prusten (chuff)
• Snow leopards are one of the least aggressive of the big cats
Threats
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Today’s actions affect tomorrow’s world
© Karma Cats 2010.
Loss of natural prey – competition with local people
Local farmers kill snow leopards as they often hunt their livestock
Poaching for bones and body parts for traditional Asian medicines
Poaching for pelts
Global warming is changing their habitat and prey location
Humans and wolves are their main competitors
Full CITES protection (Appendix I)
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