Snow Leopard: (Panthera uncia)
Page revised 12/26/2007
Back to the Snow Leopard Page See More Cheetah pictures Back to Big Cats Index See More Cheetah pictures Back to Bagheera Home


SUMMARY: The Snow Leopard, sometimes known as the Ounce, is a large cat native to the mountain ranges of central and southern Asia. It is a shy and solitary feline and of all the world's great cats, the snow leopard is probably the biggest mystery? The cats are seldom seen by man in the wild because of the inaccessibility of their haunts and their nocturnal habits. The snow leopard is often called the gray ghost and if measures are not to stem the tide of poaching and habitat loss it may soon become a ghost in the wild..
Interesting Features
  • Snow leopards hold the world record for long jumping: 20 ft. high, 50 feet horizontally!
  • Snow Leopards are found at altitudes up to 18,000 feet.
  • They are well adapted to the cold, rugged mountain terrain it calls home.
  • Snow Leopards have luxuriously thick, spotted coats.
  • Their tail is longer in proportion to body size than any other cat.
  • They have large nostrils so they can breathe in more air in the low oxygen high altitudes.
  • The surfaces of its paws are covered by a cushion of hair for protection and ease of movement.
  • Snow leopard skins sell on the black market for about $60,000 per pelt.
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
Genus: Panthera
Species: uncia
Body Length: up to 5 feet
Tail Length: over 3 feet, longer in proportion to body size than any other cat
Weight: up to125 pounds
Litter Size: 1 to 4 cubs
Life Span: They live about 10 years in the wild and about 20 in captivity.


Size: The overall size of the leopard depends very much on the subspecies and location, with the largest animals growing to a length of nearly 5 feet with an additional tail length of some 3 feet - generally the male is between 20-40% larger than the female.


Color: Background color is highly variable, from sandy yellow to rusty orange. Black spots sometimes clustered in rosettes. It has very distinct dark markings on its coat which varies in base color from yellow through shades of brown.


Physical Description: Snow leopards are generally smaller than true leopards, and their tails are characteristically much longer. Their heads are notably more rounded than those of common leopards. Their feet act like large snowshoes and their legs are designed for jumping. The hind legs are longer than the fore legs. Snow leopards have very large nasal cavities to enable them to efficiently utilize the oxygen in the thin, cold and dry air of high altitudes.


Distribution: The snow leopard has a very patchy, discontinuous distribution in the mountains of central Asia. Its range includes alpine meadows, treeless rocky mountains and rhododendron forests. Most of their range occurs in Tibet and other parts of China associated with steep rocky slopes, with arid shrub land, grassland or steppe vegetation.


Habitat: Steep rocky slopes in mountainous regions at high elevations.


Primary prey: The snow leopard eats wild sheep, wild boars, hares, marmots, mice, deer and other small mammels.


Conservation Status: The snow leopard is listed in the IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Animals as Endangered and it is probable that without continuing action by many of the world’s conservation organisations they may become extinct in the wild.


Principal threats: The primary threats to the species are illegal hunting and the sale of pelts, bones and body parts for the fur-trade and traditional Chinese medicine; the depletion of the natural prey base; retribution by herders for depredation of livestock; lack of awareness of the importance of protecting snow leopards among villagers; and habitat degradation along with habitat fragmentation.
Back to the Snow Leopard Page See More Cheetah pictures Back to Big Cats Index See More Cheetah pictures Back to Bagheera Home