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- Priority Species
- What We Do
Snow leopard
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common name
Ounce, Snow Leopard Irbis, Léopard Des Neiges, Once, Panthère Des Neiges(Fr) Leopardo Nival, Pantera De La Nieves (Sp)
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scientific name
Panthera uncia, Uncia uncia
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habitat
Cold high mountains
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status
IUCN: Endangered C1 CITES: Appendix I
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population
Estimated 4000 - 6500 individuals
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weight
35-55 kg
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height
about 60 cm
Snow leopard is a priority species. WWF treats priority species as one of the most ecologically, economically and/or culturally important species on our planet. And so we are working to ensure such species can live and thrive in their natural habitats.
Download
- Factsheet on Snow Leopard 24 KB doc
Physical description
Snow leopard is a relative species to more widely seen Leopard (Panthera pardus). It is in the same size range as leopard.Snow leopards are highly adapted to their natural habitat of cold high mountains. With their whitish-, yellowish- or smokey-grey fur, patterned with dark grey rosettes and spots, they can perfectly camouflage against the mountainous rocky terrain.
The fur has long hair with dense, woolly underfur to protect them against the cold enviornment. Snow leopards molt twice a year, but the summer coat differs little from the winter in density and length.
Snow leopards have long tails, upto 1 m in length, that helps in keeping balance and as an additional protection against the cold to wrap around the body when the snow leopard is resting.
Size
Head-body length: 90 - 130 cm
Adult shoulder height: about 60 cm
Tail length: 80 - 100 cm
Female weight: 35-40 kg
Male weight: 45 - 55 kg
Habitat
Biogeographic realmPalearctic
Range states
Afghanistan; Bhutan; China (Gansu, Nei Mongol - Presence Uncertain, Qinghai, Sichuan, Tibet [or Xizang], Xinjiang, Yunnan - Regionally Extinct); India (Himachal Pradesh, Jammu-Kashmir, Sikkim, Uttaranchal); Kazakhstan; Kyrgyzstan; Mongolia; Nepal; Pakistan; Russian Federation; Tajikistan; Uzbekistan
Geographical location
Mountain regions of Central and Southern Asia
Ecological region
Boreal forest, Temperate shrublands and grasslands, Subtropical and tropical high altitude shrublands and grasslands, Rocky areas
Food chain
Snow leopards prey on:
- Blue sheep
- Argali wild sheep
- Siberian ibex
- Asiatic ibex
- Marmots, pikas, hares
- Tibetan snowcock and chukor partridge
- Humans
Interesting facts
- Snow leopards are solitary animals, it is rare to see two snow leopards together. Therefore, there is no term for a group of snow leopards.
- Unlike other large cats, snow leopards cannot roar. They can mew, growl, yowl and prusten.
- They can jump as much as 50 feet (15 meters).
- Snow leopards mate in late winter, between January and mid-March. Males and females stay together for a short period and males do not participate in rearing the cubs.
- The gestation period is 98 - 104 days and the litter size can be between 1 - 5 cubs, though 2 - 3 is more usual.
How you can help
Buy a goat and save a leopard! Help prevent retaliation killing of snow leopards and raise awareness of the plight of snow leopards.
Threats
The main threats to snow leopards are:- Depletion of prey base which forces them to prey on livestock
- Human-animal conflict: it occurs when Snow leopards prey on livestock
- Illegal poaching and hunting for trade in hides and bones