The snow leopard is a large cat native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia, adapted to cold, high-altitude terrain with a thick pale grey coat marked by dark rosettes, a compact body, and an unusually long, thick tail used for balance and warmth. It preys mainly on wild sheep and goats, such as blue sheep and ibex, stalking prey across steep, rocky slopes at elevations that can exceed 5,000 metres. Snow leopards are elusive and solitary, and their remote habitat across countries including Nepal, China, India, Mongolia and several Central Asian states has long made them difficult to study; the species is classified as vulnerable, threatened by poaching, habitat fragmentation and conflict with herders.
Facts
Classification
System (Realm) ThreatsBiological Resource Use 2 Relationship to People Living or ExtinctDerived from this species' own Conservation Status: this atlas's IUCN category list has no Extinct value, so a set conservation-status is itself evidence of living status (w-bfill-g5-0924 browse backfill). Disputed
Population EstimateIUCN gives an upper bound, fewer than 10,000 mature individuals globally, not a settled point estimate; 10000 recorded here as that upper bound. Identification
Distinguishing AppearanceIt has a thick whitish to grey fur with black spots on the head and neck, with larger rosettes on the back, flanks and bushy tail. 1 Scientific Name Conservation Status Connections
Child Taxon Of
In Biome
In Ecosystem
Source World Wildlife Fund
In the Other Atlases
- Also in Geography Atlas: Kazakhstan, found in there.
- Also in Geography Atlas: Kyrgyzstan, found in there.
- Also in Geography Atlas: South Asia, found in there.
- Also in Geography Atlas: Tajikistan, found in there.
- Also in Geography Atlas: Uzbekistan, found in there.
Sources
1. Snow Leopard (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationLead section, first sentence
The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is a felid species in the genus Panthera.
Lead section, fourth paragraph, first sentence
The snow leopard is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List because the global population is estimated to number fewer than 10,000 mature individuals and is expected to decline about 10% by 2040.
Lead section, first paragraph, second sentence
It has a thick whitish to grey fur with black spots on the head and neck, with larger rosettes on the back, flanks and bushy tail.
- In Biome: Alpine, Wikipedia intro: "the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau to southern Siberia, Mongolia and western China. It inhabits alpine and subalpine zones at elevations of 3,000?4,500 m (9,..."
View the Source 2. Wikipedia: Snow leopard
diet-classification (MediaWiki batch-API article extract states it plainly)
It is a carnivore and actively hunts its prey, which include various ungulates and domestic livestock.
threat (MediaWiki batch-API article extract states it plainly)
It is mainly threatened by poaching and habitat destruction.
system (MediaWiki batch-API article extract states it plainly)
The snow leopard is native to the mountain ranges of Asia, ranging from eastern Hindu Kush, the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau to southern Siberia, Mongolia and western China.
View the SourceWikidata: Snow Leopard
Snow leopard (Wikidata)
WikidataStatements section, habitat (P2974): TerrestrialQuote, Statements section, habitat (P2974): Terrestrial
Wikidata habitat statement (P2974) resolves to a terrestrial habitat type.
Catalogue of Life
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of LifeChild Taxon Of: PantheraView the Source World Wildlife Fund
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