Snow leopard description of the animal. Snow leopard (Irbis)

Snow leopard, also known as snow leopard, or snow leopard (lat. Panthera uncia, Uncia uncia) is a mammal of the order Carnivora, cat family. Previously, it was classified as a separate genus, Snow Leopards (lat. Uncia), represented by a single species Uncia uncia. In 2006, according to the results of genetic studies, in some classifications it was added to the genus Big cats (Panthers) (lat. Panthera). It turned out that according to genetic criteria, the snow leopard is closest to tigers. True, some scientists still doubt this, classifying the animal as belonging to the genus Uncia. In addition to the snow leopard, the same controversial status has clouded leopard and cheetah.

International scientific name: Panthera uncia(Schreber, 1775), Uncia uncia (Schreber, 1775).

Synonyms: Felis uncia(Schreber, 1775).

Security status: According to the IUCN Red List (version 3.1), the snow leopard is considered vulnerable. According to the Red Book of Russia, the species is disappearing.

This cat has many names. The Kalmyks call it irgiz, the Uzbeks - alaji bars, the Tatars - akbars, the Tungus - kunik, the Yakuts - khakhai, the Kazakhs - ilbis or barys, the British - snow leopard, the Mongols - irves. In Japanese, snow leopard is tora. In Kyrgyzstan, the snow leopard is called ilbirs. In Russian, it has long been called an irbis, which is translated from the ancient Turkic language as “snow cat”, and in Tuvan it sounds like irbish.

Russian people learned about the snow leopard from merchants who traded with the Turkic peoples. The word itself entered scientific literature as a full term replacing the name “snow leopard”. The word "leopard" is also borrowed from the Turkic language and means "leopard". The snow leopard is often also called the white leopard. First scientific name Uncia was given to the snow leopard by the German scientist I.H. Schreber in 1775.

By the way, despite the fact that the leopard is called a snow leopard, it does not like to walk in the snow.

Snow leopard - description of the animal and photographs. What does a snow leopard look like?

The snow leopard is a graceful predator with a flexible and agile body, a smooth and graceful gait, somewhat reminiscent of a leopard, but squat in comparison. The features of the snow leopard's adaptation to its environment are noticeable in its entire appearance. Average length the body of the animal is 100-130 cm, the tail - 90-105 cm. The total length of the body including the tail can reach 230 cm. The height at the withers is approximately 60 cm. The size of males exceeds the size of females. The weight of an adult male snow leopard reaches 45-55 kg, a female weighs no more than 35-40 kg.

The body of the snow leopard is slightly convex in the area of the sacrum and sloping towards the shoulders, which is characteristic of the appearance of small cats (lat. Felinae). The snow leopard is ten times heavier than a domestic cat and seven to eight times lighter than a tiger, the largest of the cats. For this, scientists call it the “big small cat.” The snow leopard differs from the leopard in having a less massive front part of the body and a smaller head.

The snow leopard's head is small, round, and shaped like the head of a domestic cat. It has small, rounded, widely spaced ears. The structure of the snow leopard's skull is easily recognized by its characteristic large forehead. There are no tassels on the ears. In winter, the ears are practically invisible due to the long pile covering them.

The whiskers on the face of the snow leopard are black or white, up to 10.5 cm long. The animal's eyes are large, with round pupils. Vision and smell are very well developed.

The snow leopard has sharp and long teeth and claws. All cats, including the snow leopard, have 30 teeth:

on the upper and lower jaws there are 6 incisors, 2 canines;
on the upper jaw - 3 premolars and 1 molar;
on the lower jaw - 2 premolars and 1 molar.

The length of the snow leopard's fangs is somewhat shorter than those of other cats. It is 59.9 mm.

On the sides of the snow leopard's long tongue there are tubercles covered with keratinized skin. They help the beast strip meat from the victim and wash itself during hygienic procedures.

The soft and long hairs of the animal can reach 55 mm.

The magnificent tail of the snow leopard is covered with especially long hair. It reaches more than ¾ overall size body and due to the elongated fur it seems very thick. The thickness of the tail exceeds the thickness of the predator's forearm.

The snow leopard holds its tail either bent in an arc towards its back, or drags it freely along the ground, stones or snow: then in winter a distinct stripe is additionally visible between its tracks.

By the way, the snow leopard often bites its tail for some reason. Zoologists suggest that this is how he simply warms his nose in cold winters. But maybe there is another explanation for this? All cats love to play, and snow leopards are no exception: they bite their tails for fun.

The snow leopard's wide snowshoe paws are equipped with light pink retractable claws. Along with thick fur, they make the predator visually larger. The length of the foot of the hind legs of the mammal is 22-26 cm.

The color of the snow leopard's coat on the back and upper sides is predominantly smoky-brownish-gray, with dark gray or black spots. There are no differences in color between females and males. In the off-season, the smoky coating is less pronounced than in winter. The belly and sides of the animal are lighter underneath than the upper part of the body. There is no yellowness in the colors. However, according to the latest data, the Baikal subspecies (lat. U. u. baikalensis-romanii), which not all scientists recognize as a valid subspecies, has yellow tones in color.

The spots on the predator’s body have the shape of rings (rosettes) or continuous streaks with a diameter of 5 to 8 cm. There are only solid spots on the neck, head and legs. On the back, near the sacrum, they often merge and form stripes stretching along the body. At the end of the tail there are large markings in the form of half rings framing the tail. Unlike a real leopard, the snow leopard has much fewer spots.

The pattern of spots is individual for each animal. In young individuals it is bright, over the years it becomes fuzzy and blurry, remaining only on the head and paws. This coloring helps the predator remain invisible among rocks, stones and snow. Adaptation of the snow leopard to natural environment habitat is also expressed in changes in the thickness of the coat depending on the season. The winter fur of the snow leopard is very lush and silky, it allows the predator not to freeze in the mountains even in the cold season.

Like all living organisms, the adaptability of the snow leopard is relative character. When environment actively changes - the snow quickly melts, the mountain slopes are covered with dense vegetation, then the animal is not saved by either the color of its fur or its sharp claws.

What does a snow leopard eat?

The snow leopard, like any cat, is a dexterous and strong hunter. It can kill prey more than 3-4 times its weight. The snow leopard's food is mainly medium-sized ungulates. The snow leopard hunts mountain goats (lat. Capra), point-horned goats (markhors) (lat. Capra falconeri), blue rams (lat. Pseudois), argali (lat. Ovis ammon), Siberian roe deer (lat. Capreolus pygargus), musk deer (lat. Moschus moschiferus), deer (lat. Cervus elaphus), reindeer(lat. Rangifer tarandus), boars (lat. Sus scrofa), gazelles (lat. Gazella subgutturosa), kulans (lat. Equus hemionus), serau (lat. Capricornis), gorals (lat. Naemorhedus caudatus), Himalayan tar (lat. Hemitragus jemlahicus), takins (lat. Budorcas taxicolor ). More often it attacks female goats and young kids, sometimes not yet able to follow their mother.

Snow leopards also eat small animals such as snowcocks, pikas, marmots, hares, gophers, and chukars. They catch birds: pheasants, pigeons, partridges, mountain turkeys. Of the large victims, their prey can be moose, male deer, and horses. Like other felines, they sometimes eat grass or rhododendron shoots to compensate for vitamin deficiencies. Domestic animals (goats, sheep, pigs, horses) are attacked by snow leopards either in winter or if they graze in alpine meadows.

On average, the snow leopard hunts 2 times a month. He does this alone, more often at night or at dusk, less often during the day. Only occasionally can a male and a female or a female with grown cubs go hunting together.

The snow leopard hunt consists of an ambush and a decisive throw. Usually the predator lies above the path along which the ungulates pass in order to make a jump from above. He can also watch over them at a watering hole or salt lick. To be successful, he needs a height advantage. If the leopard misses when throwing, it usually pursues the victim no more than 300 meters or even leaves it alone. On short distances The snow leopard's speed can reach 64 km per hour. The snow leopard can also crawl towards its prey from cover. When there are several tens of meters left before the prey, the snow leopard jumps out and quickly overtakes it with a jump of 6-7 meters in length. Having caught up with his prey, he tears its throat or groin with his teeth.

Occasionally, the snow leopard tries to catch up with its prey. So on the Dzhebaglytau ridge we encountered traces of a predator chasing argali females for about a kilometer.

The leopard does not kill several animals at the same time, as, for example, a wolf does. He eats the carcass of a killed sheep or goat in 3-7 days. At one time he can eat no more than 3 kg of meat.

The snow leopard lives in 12 countries: Nepal, Afghanistan, China, Kazakhstan, Bhutan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, India, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Russia.

Snow leopard - inhabitant of the snowy peaks of the massifs Central Asia. Usually its home is the highlands near the snow line, up to an altitude of 2000 - 5000 meters. Depending on the snow line, it can descend to a level of 500 m (in Russia) and rise to 6500 m (in Nepal). In winter, the predator can be found in forests where the snow leopard hunts hare, musk deer, and deer. The oldest fossilized remains of this animal were found in Altai and Mongolia. They have been preserved there since the Pleistocene era of the Quaternary period.

The snow leopard's habitat extends from the Himalayas in the south, through the Qinghai-Tibet plateau and mountains Central Asia to the mountains Southern Siberia in the north. The predator is found in the Altai, Sayan Mountains, Tien Shan, Kunlun, Pamir, Hindu Kush, Karakorum, as well as on the outer Himalayan ranges and in small isolated mountains in the Gobi region. In the mountains of Tibet, the snow leopard is found as far as Altun Shan. The southern border of the distribution of the mammal is in Tajikistan. A small area of potential range is located in northern Myanmar, but the animal's recent presence there has not been confirmed. On the territory of Russia the most northern border habitat of the snow leopard in the world: here it inhabits the Altai-Sayan mountainous country(south Krasnoyarsk Territory, Chita region, the Republics of Tyva, Altai, Buryatia, Khakassia), and is also found in such reserves as Altai and Sayano-Shushensky. Unfortunately, in Russia the snow leopard population is on the verge of extinction.

Due to the small number and secrecy, the presence of a snow leopard in the territory and its habits are recognized mainly due to indirect signs. Where the snow leopard is located, there are scrapes in the ground, burrs on tree trunks, excrement, urine marks and footprints. Snow leopard tracks are large, without claw marks, reminiscent of lynx tracks. But snow leopard and lynx are practically never found in the same territory. Now automatic cameras (photo traps) and satellite beacons have been added to the methods of detecting animals. With their help you can learn everything about the snow leopard.

The slopes of the Altai Mountains are a typical habitat for the snow leopard. Photo credit: Stefan Kühn, CC BY-SA 3.0

Number of snow leopards in the world

This secretive and therefore poorly studied mammal has become rare due to the fault of people. The first mentions of it in literature appeared only in the 18th century. And all the work of that time was devoted to how to discover the habitat of the snow leopard, how to properly kill the animal and tan its skin. The snow leopard was important only as a game animal. Due to intensive destruction, the life of the snow leopard was in danger.

Due to the fact that the snow leopard leads a secretive lifestyle, it is difficult for scientists to accurately count the number of individuals. According to the latest data, there are from 4 to 7 thousand snow leopards left in the world.

There are only 150-200 individuals left in Russia.
China has the largest number of snow leopards: 2000-5000 individuals.
There are 600-700 snow leopards living in zoos around the world.

Snow leopards have become completely extinct in parts of Russia, Nepal, India and Mongolia. The reasons why the numbers of this species are declining around the world are absurdly similar:

Poaching.

The snow leopard is caught due to valuable fur, as well as for the use of his body parts in oriental medicine. Leopards often die after getting caught in snares placed on other animals; in Russia, most often on musk deer.

Human modification of the snow leopard's habitat.

The construction of roads, as well as gas and oil pipelines, affects the number of ungulates - the leopard's main prey. The proximity of man-made buildings also causes discomfort for this cautious and secretive mammal.

Shooting during an attack on livestock.

The snow leopard can attack livestock if it is grazing in the predator's hunting area. Having climbed into a covered pen, in his excitement he can slaughter almost the entire herd.

Reducing the number of ungulates due to intensive human hunting and changes in their habitats.

How does a snow leopard live in the wild?

It is important for the snow leopard to be surrounded by rocks, boulders, scree, and gorges, because it cannot pursue prey for a long time, and therefore hunts from ambush. When a snow leopard sits hidden among the rocks, it is almost impossible to notice it. The animal's paws, which are short relative to the body, allow it to move silently along the rocks. It slowly creeps up or quietly waits for the victim, and then suddenly attacks it. This tactic allows the predator to cope with an animal much larger than itself. Like big cats, it kills prey quickly and accurately, and eats it like representatives of small cats: slowly and little by little.

The snow leopard is a cautious animal. Its main refuges are hard-to-reach gorges, crevices and caves in the mountains. Females hide here and breed their offspring. In the mountains, the snow leopard wanders behind herds of ungulates, in the summer it rises higher in the mountains, and in the winter it descends to the forest belt. In summer, it often lives in the subalpine and alpine belts of the mountains.

Despite its name, the snow leopard has difficulty moving through deep snow. In winter, he prefers to walk along well-trodden animal trails.

The snow leopard can jump up to 3 meters in height and up to 6-7 meters in length. There is evidence that it “flies” over gorges that are 15 meters wide, but this is unlikely. The snow leopard's jump is helped by its well-developed pectoral muscles, and with their help it can easily climb steep cliffs. In this case, its tail serves as a steering wheel - this is one of the explanations why the snow leopard needs such a long tail. The main prey of the snow leopard is wild mountain ungulates, so daily training exercises– overcoming steep slopes and jumping over rocky screes is a vital necessity for a predator. The snow leopard uses its tail as a balance during fast movements and sharp turns.

The snow leopard is an animal well adapted to life at high altitudes. It has an expanded chest and large lung capacity to obtain the necessary amount of oxygen from the thin air high in the mountains. The deep and wide cavity of its nose helps warm the cold mountain air. In addition, when he goes to bed, he covers his nose with his fluffy warm tail.

The snow leopard can withstand frosts down to -40°C and below. In winter, even the pads of its paws are covered with thick hair.

Each snow leopard has its own territory, the boundaries of which it marks. different ways: scrapes the ground with its hind paws, leaving holes - scratches, splashes of urine on the rocks at nose level, excrement, scuff marks on the most noticeable tree trunks. But males are not aggressive towards their fellow tribesmen; their territories can overlap with the territories of several adult females.

The snow leopard is most active at dawn and dusk, making it difficult to spot. In winter, the animal has a more difficult time than in summer, since its tracks in the snow are clearly visible.

By the way, the snow leopard loves to play, like all cats: it rolls around in the snow, rolls down the mountains on its back, having previously accelerated well. After a successful hunt, he basks in the sun, settling down somewhere more comfortable.

The snow leopard cannot growl: it purrs, meows, moans, howls, hisses. The meow of a snow leopard resembles a roar, as it calls spring with its guttural “ay”.

Is the snow leopard dangerous for humans?

The snow leopard behaves non-aggressively towards humans and is not afraid of them. Scientists say that the predator does not have a gene for fear of people, since, living high in the mountains, it rarely meets its true enemies. Even if disturbed near prey or while hunting, a snow leopard will not attack, but will only try to hide. Living for a long time near people, he can observe them out of curiosity, characteristic of all cats. The character and behavior of the snow leopard deteriorate when it encounters poachers: the animal becomes timid and tries to get out of a hopeless situation. A snow leopard can only be dangerous if it feels a threat to its life or the safety of its cubs. He can get in the way and make threatening sounds - this means that the leopard will not give up his position even at the cost of his life.

In history, there have been 2 cases of snow leopard attacks on humans. In the first, it was an animal with rabies, and it actually injured several people. In the second, an old, toothless, weakened leopard tried to attack a traveler from a cliff, but he stunned the animal with a stick, tied it up and brought it to the village.

After a few days, a captured adult snow leopard will allow a person to approach him and allow him to pet him. Taken in early age Snow leopards become completely tame and domestic.

Enemies of the snow leopard in nature

The enemies of the snow leopard in its natural habitat are wolves, lynxes, dogs, and in the south – leopards (lat. Panthera pardus ). Leopards, lynxes, wolves and snow leopards kill each other when competition arises due to a lack of prey. But in a fight with a pack of wolves, before dying, the snow leopard manages to mortally wound several enemies, because this is very strong beast. The snow leopard is stronger than a lone wolf, so in the animal world the snow leopard can fend for itself.

Reproduction of the snow leopard (irbis)

Snow leopards are loners. A pair of a male and a female, as well as from a group of grown kittens, can be seen together only during the breeding season. In captivity, the female's estrus is observed in March-May; in Uzbekistan, the breeding season for leopards begins in February-March. Himalayan and Tibetan snow leopards mate more frequently throughout the year.

The female partner attracts the male for mating with a loud meow. Sometimes males fight for the female. At this time, snow leopards stop hunting and do not attack even in very accessible places. After mating, the animals begin to hunt very actively to restore strength. At this time, they can eat waking rodents and flying birds.

To protect the cubs, the female snow leopard chooses hard-to-reach places to raise them: caves, rock crevices. The mother insulates the den with wool torn from her belly. None of the cats, except perhaps the jungle cat, are capable of such self-sacrifice. The gestation period for the female lasts 93-100 days. Two or three snow leopard cubs, rarely up to 5-7, are born in May-June, rarely in April, weighing from 430 to 500 g, with a body 25 cm long and a tail 15 cm long.

Snow leopard kittens are born helpless, blind, with closed ear canals. Small snow leopards begin to be seen on the 9th day. The female feeds them with her nutritious milk (it is 5 times more nutritious than that of a cow), covering them with her whole body and her fluffy tail. The mother feeds them milk for one month, and then begins to bring meat from the hunt. By two months, snow leopard kittens leave the den to bask in the sun and play. By the end of August, young, sufficiently strong snow leopards go to the place of their first hunt. By this time, young snow leopards develop a thick undercoat that can protect them from the cold. The whole family creeps up to the victim, but the mother makes the decisive jump.

Snow leopards have kittens up to twice a year. But more often the female gives birth once every 2 years. For one and a half to two years, the cubs live next to their mother, who raises them. Young snow leopards reach sexual maturity at 2-4 years of age.

How long do snow leopards live?

In the wild, the life expectancy of snow leopards reaches 13 years. In captivity, there is a known case of a female living up to 28 years.

Subspecies of snow leopard

Previously, it was believed that the geographical variability of the color and body size of the leopard was not expressed, and the species was defined as monotypic. All modern classifications adhere to this point of view. But in September 2017, after analyzing the collected droppings and mitochondrial DNA of animals, scientists published the results of a phylogenetic study, indicating the need to distinguish 3 subspecies of snow leopard:

Panthera uncia uncioides
Panthera uncia uncia
Panthera uncia irbis

Interesting facts about the snow leopard (irbis)

A special token called “Snow Leopard” was awarded to conquerors of the highest mountain peaks of the USSR. Today this tradition continues. The list of peaks that need to be conquered to receive the title “Snow Leopard of Russia” was approved by the board of the Russian Mountaineering Federation in 2010.
The snow leopard is depicted on the coat of arms of the city of Almaty and is the official symbol former capital Kazakhstan. Also, the snow leopard is present on the coats of arms and is a symbol of Khakassia and Tatarstan, the city of Bishkek.
Talisman-decorations with the image of a snow leopard were found in the burial mounds of Tuva. Since ancient times, these people have revered the mountain dweller and endowed him with supernatural abilities.
Now in all countries where snow leopards are found, there are laws protecting these rare predators, but they are different everywhere. In China, killing a mammal is punishable by 10 years in prison, in Russia - a fine of up to 500 thousand rubles.
For a long time, the snow leopard in the USSR was considered a livestock pest and a bonus was given for its destruction.
Along with the Amur tiger, beluga and polar bear, the snow leopard is a participant in the Research and Conservation Program rare species animals, carried out with the support of the President Russian Federation V.V. Putin.
The “Fund for the Study and Conservation of the Snow Leopard (Irbis) and Rare Species of Mountain Fauna” was established by scientists from Irkutsk. They are searching for this species in Eastern Siberia and they do a lot to protect it in the country. Researchers have already managed to detect and photograph snow leopards in the Tunkinsky Goltsy region and in the area of Munku-Sardyk.
Snow leopards are more trainable than lions and tigers.
The fact that snow leopards sleep in old vulture nests is a myth that has remained since the time of Przhevalsky.
International Snow Leopard Day is celebrated on October 23. The date arose as a result of the World Snow Leopard Forum, held in 2013, and was first celebrated in 2015. Twelve participating countries in which this rare cat lives (Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Mongolia, Nepal , Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan) adopted the Bishkek Declaration - a special program for the conservation of the snow leopard. The holiday of the snow leopard, an animal in the Red Book, was dedicated to this day.

The Uzambara violet variety Snow Leopard was bred by breeder Elena Korshunova. Its flowers are simple or semi-double, white, with a purple border and center.
The Snow Bengal cat is a breed that is similar in appearance to the snow leopard. In common parlance it is often called the snow leopard.
The snow leopard is often confused with the Caucasian leopard (Central Asian leopard) (lat. Panthera pardus ciscaucasica). There are no real snow leopards in the Caucasus.
“Russian Irbis” is the name of a cattery of Siberian cats.
Tomato variety "Snow Leopard" is not white. It is so named because of its resistance to temperature changes, similar to that of a hardy mountain animal.
Valery Maleev, a former hunter, exchanged his gun for a camera and published a colorful book “In Search of the Snow Leopard.” In order to film the animal, he traveled many times to the Altai mountains.
In Russia greatest number Snow leopards live in Altai. Scientists have issued electronic passports for 63 individuals living on its territory. The snow leopard is listed in the Red Book of the Altai Territory.
In the Turkic-Mongolian calendar, instead of the year of the tiger, there was a year of the leopard. It was considered the most favorable for life, successful and promising happiness. In the year of the snow leopard, they predicted a good harvest and called for sowing at least something - “... at least this millet.” Leopards were totem animals not only of the Turkic peoples, but also of other peoples. The snow leopard symbolizes nobility, courage and honor.
A snow leopard with wings is a symbol of pan-European nationalism. It is found in the mythology of the Scythians, Greeks, Eastern Slavs, Huns, Turks, Bulgars.

One of the most powerful representatives of the cat family is the snow leopard. Another name for this animal is snow leopard or snow leopard. Snow leopard hunting is always popular because of its valuable fur. Because of this, the number of individuals of this species decreased greatly in the middle of the last century.

It was recorded that in the sixties of the 20th century there were only one thousand adult snow leopards left on the planet. IN Lately The snow leopard population has increased and reached a value of 5000–7500 individuals. This was achieved thanks to the ban on hunting this predator. In all states where the snow leopard lives, the animal is protected and listed in the Red Book.

Habitats and numbers of snow leopards

You can meet this magnificent animal in Central Asia. The main habitats of snow leopards are located in such states as:

Afghanistan,
Russia,
China,
India,
Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan,
Mongolia,
Uzbekistan and others.

You can meet a mammalian predator in the highlands, approximately at an altitude of 1500 to 5 thousand meters above sea level. In Russia, snow leopard habitats are located in Khakassia, Altai, Tyva, and the Krasnoyarsk Territory.

Appearance of a snow leopard (irbis)

Description of the appearance of the snow leopard

The appearance of the snow leopard resembles a leopard, despite its rather distant relationship. In addition, the snow leopard is much smaller than its relative. At the withers the animal grows up to 60 centimeters. The body of the snow leopard reaches one and a half meters in length, the tail is a whole meter! From the entire cat family snow leopards have the longest tail in relation to their body. The tail is used to maintain balance during huge jumps - over a distance of 15 meters. Moreover, the weight of an adult leopard can reach 100 kilograms. Males are usually larger than females.

The snow leopard's head is small, about 20 centimeters long. The tips of the ears are rounded, there are no tassels. Wide paws prevent the predator from falling into the snow.

The coat color is predominantly gray with black spots. In winter the skin has more dark color, and in the summer it gets lighter. The spots are shaped like a five-leaf flower, often with an additional spot in the middle. The head, neck and limbs do not have clearly defined spots, but rather black smears. The spots are large and can reach a diameter of 7 centimeters. The predator's fur is thick and long, the hairs reach a length of 5.5 centimeters. This is due to the fact that snow leopards live mainly in cold climatic conditions. It is noteworthy that snow leopards fur grows even between the toes. This saves the snow leopard from the cold in winter and from hot stones in summer. It also prevents it from slipping on ice.

An adult animal has 30 teeth. They do not emit a roar like other large representatives of the cat family, but mostly meow in low tones.

Food and hunting

Snow leopards are predatory animals of the cat family. They prefer to hunt at dusk or dawn. As a rule, they hunt the following animals:

on ungulates: sheep, mountain goats, roe deer, deer;
on small animals: gophers, pikas;
for birds: snowcocks, pheasants.

However, attacking small animals and birds is not typical for snow leopards. Snow leopards hunt for them if there are not enough large horned animals nearby.

The hunt is conducted as follows. The predator sneaks up on the chosen game and quickly jumps on it. For an ambush, high stones are used; in this case, the victim will be thrown from above. They can pursue prey at a distance of about 300 meters, but if they fail to catch up with the victim, they stop the chase. Snow leopards can hunt in families of 2–3 individuals. In this case, these mammalian predators can even successfully attack a bear.

Snow leopards drag their prey onto a bed, where they eat it. The remains, as a rule, are not guarded or hidden. At the same time, one large game, a snow leopard, is enough for several days.

In summer, snow leopards are known to nibble on grass and green parts of young bushes in addition to meat obtained from hunting.

Reproduction

Snow leopards lead a predominantly solitary lifestyle, but can unite in family groups. The territory of one male has an area of 150–160 square kilometers. Partially overlapped by female territories. They prefer to settle in rocky places, often occupying natural caves or nests of large birds.

Mating occurs in spring or early summer. The mating season is very short - only a week. Pregnancy lasts 3–3.5 months. The female makes a warm, secluded den, the bottom of which is lined with her fur. There are 2–3 kittens in a litter. The cubs are born blind and their eyes open after about a week. Babies weigh approximately 500 grams and reach a length of 30 centimeters. The color is brown with small spots. At first they feed only on mother's milk. Only the mother takes care of the babies.

In hidden from prying eyes The cubs stay in the cave for about 2 months. All this time, in addition to milk, the female feeds them with meat. Little leopards begin to go hunting with their mother at about six months.. At first, only the mother rushes to the prey.

Children become independent at about two years of age, and sexual maturity occurs at 4 years. The lifespan of snow leopards reaches 13 years; in captivity they can live up to 20.

Snow leopards - large predators from the cat family. They are often classified as part of the big cat group, which includes the tiger, lion, jaguar, puma and leopard.

Snow leopard (Uncia uncia).

The appearance of this animal indicates a great resemblance to a leopard. Indeed, these animals are similar in size and posture (the body length of the snow leopard is slightly more than a meter, weight 25-40 kg). The snow leopard has the same spotted coloring, but nevertheless they are completely different animals.

Home distinctive feature The snow leopard has relatively short legs with wide soft paws-snowshoes and a very long and thick tail.

The main color of the snow leopard's coat is light gray (white on the belly), and the spots are dark gray; the fur of these animals is long and very thick. All these signs indicate that snow leopards live in harsh conditions with cold winter and can jump well.

Indeed, the range of these animals is located exclusively in the mountainous and cold regions of Asia - snow leopards live in the Himalayas, Tibet, the Pamirs, Altai and Tien Shan. Everywhere they prefer to inhabit highlands with vast areas of bare rocks and descend into valleys and dense forests only in winter. The upper limit of habitat can reach an altitude of 6000 m above sea level. Like all cats, snow leopards are hermits, living alone. They are sedentary and migrate only in the vertical direction: in the summer they rise to the mountains, in the winter they descend to the foothills. These animals settle in caves, less often they make shelter in some windfall. There are cases when snow leopards rested even in abandoned vulture nests. The character of these animals matches their surroundings - stern, but calm. There are rarely any clashes between them because snow leopards live separately and each individual occupies a huge territory, so questions about boundaries do not arise.

A snow leopard walks around the territory.

Snow leopards hunt primarily on ungulates - mountain goats and sheep, but on occasion they can be content with smaller prey - birds, rodents. The snow leopard tracks its prey using its keen sense of smell and camouflage coloring, which makes it invisible against the background of stones. As it approaches, it overtakes its prey with several large leaps. This is where you need a long tail to move, because it acts as a balancer! A leopard can drag a killed victim a long distance.

Snow leopards use constant hunting trails.

The mating season for snow leopards living in the Pamirs and Altai occurs in February-March, and in Tibet and the Himalayas animals mate all year round. The mating song of the snow leopard resembles a rough and at the same time gentle meow.

A pair of snow leopards.

Pregnancy lasts 3 months. The female brings 3-5 cubs. For the first month, the kittens sit in the den without leaving, then with great caution they begin to explore the outside world. The young accompany their mother for almost a year, learning the difficult art of hunting in the highlands. The life expectancy for such a large animal is relatively short: in the wild, leopards barely live to be 12-14 years old, although in zoos they live up to 20 years.

Snow leopard kittens peek out of their den.

In nature, snow leopards have practically no enemies, except for lack of food. Exactly harsh conditions life naturally limit the number of these animals. The only real enemy of leopards is man. Despite the rarity of snow leopards, they have always been a coveted hunting trophy; the fur of these animals is very highly valued. Now hunting for snow leopards is prohibited everywhere, but there are still cases of poaching. In captivity, these animals are also rare, because not all zoos can afford such a rare exhibit.

Snow leopards, or snow leopards as they are also called, live high in the mountains. To get food for themselves, they often have to overcome great difficulties. Snow leopards, like all felines, are predators and their diet consists mainly of ungulates.

What do snow leopards (irbis) eat?

Snow leopards prefer to hunt prey that is larger than themselves or that matches their own size. A snow leopard can handle prey three times its own weight.

The main food of the snow leopard is: Siberian mountain goats, deer, deer, marking goats, blue sheep, roe deer, musk deer, argali, serow, gorals, Himalayan tars, takins, wild boars. In times of famine, leopards also hunt smaller prey, such as ground squirrels, hares, pikas, birds (pheasants, chukars, mountain turkeys).

When the number of ungulates in the territory where snow leopards live is significantly reduced, the animals move to regions where they can get their own food. Sometimes snow leopards attack livestock (goats, sheep and horses).

There was also a case recorded when two young snow leopards attacked a two-year-old bear cub. The outcome of this hunt was successful.

In summer, leopards eat plants in addition to their meat diet.

At one time, a snow leopard can eat no more than 2-3 kg of meat.

Snow bar on the hunt

How do snow leopards (irbis) hunt?

As a rule, a snow leopard quietly sneaks up on its prey and instantly jumps on it, overtaking it with a jump of 6-7 meters. Often when hunting, he climbs onto high rocks in order to throw his prey to the ground with an unexpected jump from above. If the animal misses when jumping, then it pursues the prey at a distance of no more than 300 meters or even leaves it alone.

Having overtaken a large victim, the snow leopard tries to grab it by the throat, and then strangle it or break its neck. The snow leopard carries the killed animal to its den or to another shelter, where it then eats it. He leaves the remains of food or remains near them and protects them from scavengers. It is not uncommon to see several snow leopards hunting together in late summer, autumn and winter. Such hunts are organized by the female together with her cubs, whom she teaches all the intricacies of the life of a snow leopard.

The leopard catches birds mainly near its den during the night.

The main prey of the snow leopard from ungulates are females and young animals, as well as old and sick individuals.

In its habitat, the leopard is the main predator and has virtually no competition.

The snow leopard is one of the most mysterious animals in the world. He moves through the mountains or taiga in search of prey. This is a secretive and cautious animal, a symbol of valor, courage and strength. His image served as a magical amulet that protected ancient warriors. Snow leopard hunting is a cynical creation of the 20th century.

Snow leopards are found in the countries of Central Asia, their habitat includes the highest mountain ranges in the world.

The range covers Mongolian, Chinese, Pakistani, Russian lands, Nepal, India and other territories. Russia, in southern Siberia, is the northernmost limit of the snow leopard's global range.

Since 2010, the World Wildlife Fund has been researching this rare animal here.

Wild mountain goats are the main food of the predator. With the onset of summer, the snow leopard follows them to the high mountain plateaus. And in winter it comes down from the mountain peaks and alpine meadows, covered with high snow cover, where coniferous forest grows.

The snow leopard also attacks deer, but less often. In the spring, when food is scarce, he likes to eat marmots. He tries to avoid encounters with bears, but there is evidence of two snow leopards successfully hunting this animal.

The wolverine can be considered a food competitor of the snow leopard, because it often steals its prey while traveling along the same trails. The snow leopard has no natural enemies, so in times of danger it rarely runs away. This leads to sad consequences when meeting poachers - they can easily shoot a hidden predator.

Varieties of snow leopards

Snow leopards are not usually divided into varieties. Their numbers are too small for this.

There is evidence that the fur color of the snow leopards inhabiting Southern Transbaikalia contains yellowish and brownish tones, which are uncharacteristic of most individuals.

All snow leopards belong to a separate genus Uncia. They are the only representatives of this genus. Genetic testing has shown that snow leopards are related to tigers, which is why they were previously classified as members of the Panther genus. However, it was later proven that snow leopards have unique features, distinguishing them from other large representatives that are part of the cat family. For example, a snow leopard cannot growl, purrs like a domestic cat, is well trained in captivity, and never attacks a person.

Description, size, life expectancy

The height of the animal at the withers is about 60 cm; it is stockier than its African relatives, panthers, with which it has a similar genotype. Body length with tail exceeds 2 meters, Weight Limit about 55 kg.

The fur of the snow leopard is very beautiful - light smoky, almost white, with dark, ring-shaped or solid spots. It is thick and soft, retains heat well in harsh snowy winters. The sides, belly and inner surfaces of the limbs are lighter in color than the back.

The male is larger than the female.

General Scripture:

convex skull;
rounded head;
there is a hyoid bone;
the eyes are almond-shaped, small, widely set;
30 teeth, like most cats;
small round ears without tufts, in winter they are almost invisible due to the long fur;
slender limbs and wide powerful paws with retractable claws;
the long tail, exceeding three-quarters of the body length, is covered with thick fur, so it appears very thick.

Agile snow leopards are known for their ability to jump long distances - from 6 to 15 meters. During the jump, their long tail helps them; it serves as a “rudder” and an effective counterweight.

Lifestyle and social behavior

Snow leopards are very cautious animals; they usually go hunting early in the morning or in the evening. Thanks to their light, spotted fur, they almost blend in with the surrounding rocks, making it very difficult for humans to notice their presence. During the day, snow leopards may rest in rock crevices or black vulture nests.

Snow leopards prefer to lead a solitary lifestyle. They mark the boundaries of their territory by leaving special marks on rocks and trees.

The size of holdings can vary significantly depending on the amount of game available for consumption. Thus, in the Himalayas, the personal territory of one snow leopard can be 12 km2, and in areas with a small amount of prey - up to 200 km2.

The snow leopard makes circuits of its hunting grounds, sampling the pastures of wild goats. He always prefers to walk along the same routes, choosing paths along the mountain ridge along the water stream. In the same place, the animal can be found at certain intervals of time, necessary for it to cover its entire area.

Reproduction and raising of offspring

The mating season for snow leopards begins at the end of winter or in early spring. After about 3 months, from 1 to 5 cubs are born, usually two or three.

A female snow leopard gives birth once every two years and raises her offspring herself.

For a lair, she chooses rocky cracks covered with moss and secluded caves. The weight of newborn babies is up to 500 g, their color is brighter than that of adults, black spots lack a light central part. The eyes of the cubs open on the 6th day after birth. For the first 6 weeks, babies feed on mother's milk, and after two months they begin to eat solid food.

At the end of summer, the female and her cubs go hunting. She raises them for quite a long time, so you can meet several snow leopards in one territory. Her offspring are finally ready for independent existence in the second year after birth.

Are the animals listed in the Red Book?

People are exterminating the snow leopard for profit, and soon these beautiful animals may disappear from the face of the Earth forever. Today there are only a few thousand of them left.

In the 90s of the twentieth century, the majority of snow leopards in Altai lived in an area called the Argut cluster, but beginning of XXI centuries, snow leopards have practically disappeared from these places. Getting a snow leopard was great luck for local hunters. For one skin, the poacher received an unheard of fee.

Nowadays, snow leopards are protected by the state. They are included in the Red Book of the IUCN and the Russian Federation.

About 2 thousand individuals live in various zoos around the world and give birth. Most snow leopards are kept in Chinese zoos; about three dozen live in Russian ones. However, the Red Book and captive breeding do not guarantee the preservation of the snow leopard population from complete destruction as long as there is a demand for fur.

To protect the snow leopard in Altai, an annual international Conference. Representatives of the countries where this spotted predator lives gather to discuss the problems of conservation and research of the snow leopard.

In Russia, researchers install camera traps in places where a snow leopard is likely to pass, near stones or rocks that the animal has marked on the border of its territory. After collecting data from camera traps, photographs and videos are processed and carefully studied. This allows you to control the number of snow leopards in a certain area.

Interesting facts about the snow leopard

This animal has a unique appearance and cat-like habits. Domestic cats love to play with their tail. This is how kittens or adult animals play when they can’t get what they want. The snow leopard has a very long tail, and often holds it in its teeth not only for play. For example, when he crosses a mountain stream or wants to warm his pink nose from the severe winter cold. There are funny pictures of baby snow leopards with their tail in their teeth.

In the wild, snow leopards live for about 13 years, and in captivity much longer.

There is a known case where a female lived up to 28 years in a zoo.

Despite the ban on shooting and catching, snow leopards in the wild often die at the hands of poachers.

Scientists say there is no archaeological evidence of snow leopard hunting. Our distant ancestors idolized these animals; they were considered inviolable. The famous mummy of a noble Scythian woman, who is called Princess Ukok, has snow leopard tattoos on her shoulder. Image feline predators– tigers and leopards were often found in Scythian culture. There are especially many of them found in Altai - in rock paintings and on household items.

In modern numismatics, an image of a snow leopard can be found on commemorative coins. In 2000, Russia issued coins made of gold and silver with the image of a snow leopard, with denominations ranging from 25 to 100 rubles.

The snow leopard lives on high mountain plateaus, it is a beautiful and proud animal, it never threatens humans. When meeting without unnecessary fuss, it disappears from the eyes of the lucky one, because according to ancient beliefs, a meeting with a snow leopard brings good luck.