The Snow Leopard

By, Vanessa

AppearanceAppearance

I have a long tail that is about

90 cm long. I grow about 1 meter long. My mate grows larger than me. I am 30%

smaller than my mate. When I am an adult I will weigh about 27 to 55 kg. I have

green or grey eyes, which is unusual for large cats! My

species has round pupils. My kind has lighter fur on the

belly, but darker on the back. My cubs are grey when they

are born. I have a creamy coloured nose.

Habitat

I live in the mountain steppes, which is an exceptionally high elevation. Sometimes, I come farther down toward the forest

scrub. There is not a big difference between the

mountain steppes and the forest scrub. The elevation is usually

2000 to 6000 meters high , which is much higher than

normal rock climbing height! We have no migration which is obvious. I am mainly found in Central, South and East Asia. I

live in the Himalayan mountains of Asia.

I live in the mountain steppes, which is an exceptionally highelevation. Sometimes, I come farther down toward the forestscrub. There is not a big difference between the mountainsteppes and the forest scrub. The elevation is usually 2000 to6000 metres high , which is much higher than normal rockclimbing hight! We have no migration which is obvious. I am

Diet

I like to eat wild sheep, donkeys,

birds, goats, game birds, musk deer, hares, yak, pikas,

marmots and domestic livestock. We hunt at dusk and dawn. My kind is a carnivore which

means we eat meat. Males and females

have been known to hunt together during the breeding season

Reproduction

I mate from January to March. My cubs develop inside my body. One to four cubs are born at a

time. My cubs open their delicate eyes seven days after birth. I give birth in rocky dens lined with my

soft fur. I wrap my tail around my young to keep

them warm on cold, winter nights. I stay with my cubs while my mate hunts for food. I feed my young from my mouth.

Care of Offspring

I stay with my young for the first winter of their

life. At two months old my cubs eat solid food. When my cubs

are two to three month Is old they

begin to follow me. At three months old my cubs begin to walk. When my cubs turn one-and-a-half they

leave me to find their own habitat. After my cubs leave, my mate

leaves, too.

Natural Enemies

Well, my primary predator is man, but I

am also hunted by wolves for my meat. To

protect myself I can run fast to escape, I can

camouflage. I have a strong sense of smell

and I have sharp claws. To protect other

leopards I scrape in the soil and I yowl loudly.

I am also an exceptional athlete!

Am I Endangered?

I am endangered and very close to extinction, zoos

are trying, though to make us repopulate. Also

global warming affects me because it melts my habitat, this also causes loss of my prey species, which makes it difficult to find food. People hunt me

for my rich fur, and my organs. Recently a baby Snow Leopard has been born in a zoo in 2008 and

survived. If we all work together my relatives will

live!

BibliographyBibliography

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