Snow leopard map Panthera uncia Vulnerable
Where the snow leopard lives: an interactive map of recorded sightings worldwide.
Approximate range, based on recorded sightings. Shapes are drawn by World Animal Map from 35 wild occurrence records on GBIF (CC0/CC BY 4.0; captive and fossil records excluded, isolated outliers removed), grouped into 1° grid cells and clipped to land. They show where the animal has been recorded, not an official range; gaps can simply mean no open data. Method · Records on GBIF
Interesting facts
- The snow leopard inhabits alpine and subalpine zones at elevations of 3,000 to 4,500 m (9,800 to 14,800 ft), but also lives at lower elevations in the northern part of its range. [source]
- The tail is very thick due to fat storage, and is covered in a thick layer of fur, which allows the cat to use it like a blanket to protect its face when asleep. [source]
- The snow leopard actively pursues prey down steep mountainsides, using the momentum of its initial leap to chase animals for up to 300 m (980 ft). [source]
About the snow leopard
The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is a felid species in the genus Panthera. 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. Males are larger than the females, and both sexes have long canine teeth. Its small rounded ears, broad paws, and thick tails are adaptations for living in cold, mountainous environments.
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. It inhabits alpine and subalpine zones at elevations of 3,000–4,500 m (9,800–14,800 ft) featuring cliffs and ridges, but also lives at lower elevations in the northern part of its range. It is a solitary animal and is mostly active at dawn and twilight. It is a carnivore and actively hunts its prey, which include various ungulates and domestic livestock.
Photos
Text in “About”, “Interesting facts” and “Population” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Snow leopard (revision 1379262323), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: sentences excerpted verbatim, citations and formatting removed. No text added. Taxa and status: Wikidata Q30197 (CC0).
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