There are just 4,000 snow leopard left. The animals are endangered. Between 2014 and 2015, only 92 amur leopards were left. This number is now 84. As many as 250,000 leopards exist today. The Amur leopard is the rarest with 100 left. It could soon be extinct. Javan Rhinos suffered due to hunting and habitat loss.
Snow leopards lived across Asia. Now only 4,000 survive. Threats are poaching, habitat loss and conflicts. Climate change aggravates these. On October 23rd annually, International Snow Leopard Day raises awareness. Snow leopards play a key ecological role. They have thick fur with rosettes and spots unique to each. They weigh 60-120 pounds and are 3 to 4.5 feet long. Their tail helps balancing. They leap 50 feet. Prey is blue sheep and ibex. Climate change and habitat loss threaten them.
Their habitat is the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau at 9,800-17,000 feet. Mostly human activities like hunting and pet trade affect them. IUCN calls them a vulnerable species. IUCN estimates 4,080-6,590 exist. Their range is 1.8 million square kilometers, largest in Tibet, then Mongolia and India. GSLEP, a range country alliance, aims to identify and secure 20 landscapes for snow leopards by 2020. 24 landscapes targeted. They live above the tree line up to 18,000 feet.
How rare is a snow leopard?
Currently, in Russia, it is thought that there are between 70 and 90 snow leopards. Between 2008 and 2016, one snow leopard has reportedly been killed and traded every day – 220 to 450 cats per year. There are fewer than 10,000 mature snow leopards worldwide. On the brink of extinction, the vaquita is the rarest animal.
There are an estimated 4,080-6,590 snow leopards in the wild. They are listed as ‘Vulnerable’ by IUCN. The snow leopard is classified as vulnerable because their global population is estimated between 2,500-10,000. The numbers could be higher or lower as they live in not easily accessible mountain areas.
Snow leopards are very rare, estimated 3,500-7,000 left worldwide, with 600-700 in zoos. They live at 9,800-17,000 feet altitude in Central Asia’s mountains. Snow leopards like steep, rocky terrain and are solitary. In summer they stay high, in winter they come to forests.
Encountering a snow leopard is rare in Nepal. They have a home range the size of France, Germany, Italy and Spain combined, across 463,000-618,000 square miles in 12 countries. China has the world’s largest snow leopard population, with 2,000-2,500. They remain at risk due to poaching and habitat loss.
Weighing 60-120 pounds, snow leopards are up to 5 feet long with 3-foot tails. Their furry tails balance them and guard from cold. They attack prey up to three times their weight, leaping 6 times their length. Snow leopards do not move in packs, they are solitary.
Are snow leopards Endangered?
The elusive snow leopard was listed as endangered in 1986. In 2017, its status changed to vulnerable. The IUCN says the snow leopard’s population numbers are still decreasing. Researchers aren’t sure how many snow leopards are left. The IUCN estimates between 2,710 and 3,386 snow leopards. The Snow Leopard Conservancy calculated in 2010 between 4,500 and 7,500 big cats living in the mountains of Central and South Asia.
Nearly all main threats to snow leopards come from humans encroaching their territory. Downgrading the status from endangered sparked a debate about conservation. Either way, snow leopards are declining. These impact their survival: Habitat Loss. Climate change may shrink the alpine zones snow leopards inhabit. The Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program involves collaboration between countries, organizations, and communities. It focuses on issues like poaching and habitat protection.
The snow leopard is native to Central and South Asia. The cubs are born blind and helpless, with thick fur coats. Their eyes open around seven days. They leave the den around two to four months old. Three radio-collared snow leopards in Mongolia gave birth in late April and June.
Snow leopards are hunted for their coat. There are a few left in mountain homelands. In summer, they live at 2,000 to 4,000 meters. They prey on sheep and goats. Snow leopards are vulnerable, facing habitat loss and poaching. Without them, herbivores would increase, reducing vegetation. This causes habitat destruction. Snow leopards face poaching, habitat loss and conflict with communities. In 2016, 4,080-6,590 remained. The snow leopard inhabits alpine zones at 3,000–4,500 m elevations.
Why is a snow leopard called an ounce?
The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is a rare big cat living in the mountains of Central and South Asia. Its fur helps it blend in with the rocky slopes. Another name for the snow leopard is the “ounce.” Historical words like “ounce” and the species name “uncia” come from the old French word “once,” meaning “lynx.”
The standard Roman unit of weight, a copper bar, was divided into 12 equal parts called “unciae.” Over time, the Old French “lonce” became “l’once” in French because the “L” was mistaken for “the.” The noun became “once”, then “uncia”, leading to the species Felis uncia.
In Ladakh, snow leopards are called Uncia uncia. Seeing one is rare. They survive on blue sheep, ibex and marmots. Their elusiveness and camouflage make sightings very difficult.
The word “leopard” combines the Greek for lion and cat. Similarly, snow leopards were once called “ounce” which may come from the Latin “luncea” meaning lynx. Now, we call them snow leopards, along with other names like the French “panthére des neiges” or Spanish “leopardo nival.”
At ten days old, a leopard cub’s eyes open and spots show. Female snow leopards are called leopardesses. Snow leopards mate from 12 to 36 times daily in late winter. Their litters arrive in spring.
Rare snow leopard attacks on humans are known but very unusual. Scientists estimate 4,000-7,000 snow leopards exist. Habitat loss threatens them. Organizations try to preserve the snow leopards and their home.