Sunday, July 17, 2005
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard is an endangered big cat that inhabits the rugged and mountainous terrain of Central Asia and the Himalayan region. It is currently threatened by hunting for the illegal wildlife trade and revenge killings by herders; habitat loss; and diminished food supply. A 2003 study by TRAFFIC, WWF and the International Snow Leopard Trust found a dramatic decline of the big cats in many countries over the previous decade. It is estimated these threats are reducing the snow leopard population to numbers approaching those of the endangered tiger. The remaining animals live in only 12 countries in South and Central Asia.
Behavior:
Although the snow leopard is usually nocturnal, it is also active during the daytime, especially in the morning and late afternoon. Snow leopards are generally considered solitary animals except during the breeding season when the males and females can be found together. It has been suggested that some pairs hunt cooperatively, one chasing the prey, while the other waits in ambush.
Breeding:
The snow leopard breeds in winter. It has a gestation period of 3 -3½ months. The average litter size is 2 to 3 cubs every other year. They are born in a den that is lined with the fur of the mother. Cubs weigh approximately 11 to 26 ounces, open their eyes after 7-9 days, and begin to crawl after 10 days. Cubs take solid food at 2 months, follow their mother at 3 months, and become independent after 18 to 22 months. Females reach sexual maturity at just under 3 years of age. Males maintain a well-marked home-range that may overlap extensively with those of several female snow leopards. In captivity, snow leopards live approximately 15 years, but in the wild, few reach more than 12 years.
Threats to Survival:
For many years the snow leopard has been hunted for its beautiful thick coat. Depletion of its natural prey by hunting and/or overgrazing forces to increase their feeding on domestic animals. Large scale pika and marmot poisoning has also impacted the food base on the Tibetan Plateau. Most recently, the demand for snow leopard bones as a substitute for tiger bone in traditional Chinese medicine has added a new threat to this species. In 1994, traders paid as much as $190 for snow leopard skeletons in Tibet.
