Snow leopard (irbis; Latin names- Uncia uncia and Panthera uncia) - a mammal from the cat family that lives in mountain ranges Central Asia. Among large cats, the snow leopard is the only permanent inhabitant of the highlands. The snow leopard's habitat includes parts of the territories of 13 countries: Afghanistan, Burma, Bhutan, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Area snow leopard in Russia makes up 2-3% of the modern world range. In Russia, the snow leopard is found in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, Khakassia, Tyva and the Altai Republic, in the Eastern Sayan Mountains, in particular on the Tunkinskie Goltsy and Munku-Sardyk ridges.
Despite the external similarity with a leopard (in English, the snow leopard is called "Snow Leopard" - snow leopard), the relationship between it and the snow leopard is not very close, and besides, the size of the snow leopard is noticeably smaller. However, the snow leopard is much stronger and is considered the most ferocious predator of the cat family.
The main coat color is light gray, appearing white in contrast to the black spots. This coloring perfectly camouflages the animal in natural environment his habitat is among dark rocks, stones, white snow and ice. The spots are shaped like rosettes, inside which there may be an even smaller spot. In this respect, the snow leopard is similar to the jaguar. In the area of ​​the head, neck and limbs, the rosettes turn into black strokes. The coat is very thick and long (up to 55 mm) and serves as protection from the cold in harsh conditions. climatic conditions. From head to tail, the snow leopard measures 140 cm, the tail itself is 90-100 cm long. If we compare the length of the tail and body, then of all the cats the snow leopard has the longest tail, it makes up more than three-quarters of the body length. The snow leopard's tail serves as a balance when jumping. The length of the jump during hunting is up to 14-15 meters. Weight adult snow leopards can reach 100 kg.

The snow leopard is a predator that lives and hunts alone. Each snow leopard lives within the boundaries of a strictly defined individual territory. Hunts in most cases before sunset and in the morning at dawn. In the wild, snow leopards mainly feed on ungulates: blue sheep, Siberian mountain goats, ibexes, argali, tars, takins, serows, gorals, roe deer, deer, musk deer, deer, wild boars. In addition, from time to time they feed on small animals atypical for their diet, such as ground squirrels, pikas and birds (chukars, snowcocks, pheasants). In Russia, the main food for the snow leopard is the mountain goat, and in some places also deer, roe deer, argali, and reindeer. As a rule, the snow leopard sneaks up on its prey unnoticed and jumps on it with lightning speed. He often uses high stones for this in order to unexpectedly throw the victim to the ground by jumping from above and kill him. At the end of summer, autumn and early winter, snow leopards often hunt in families of 2-3 individuals, which are formed by a female with her cubs. The snow leopard is able to cope with prey three times its mass. There is a recorded case of 2 snow leopards successfully hunting a 2-year-old Tien Shan brown bear. Snow leopards consume plant food - green parts of plants, grass, etc. - in addition to their meat diet only in the summer.

Snow leopards do not emit a loud calling roar, characteristic of large cats, but purr like small ones. During the rut, animals make sounds similar to a bass meow. An adult snow leopard, like most other felines, has 30 teeth.

Leopard cubs (snow leopard cubs) are born blind and helpless, but after about 6-8 days they begin to see. The weight of a newborn leopard is about 500 grams with a length of up to 30 cm. The maximum known life expectancy in nature is 13 years. Life expectancy in captivity is usually about 21 years, but there is a known case where a female lived for 28 years.

Illegal but financially lucrative hunting for snow leopard fur has significantly reduced its population. On the black markets of Asia, the skin of this beast can fetch up to 60 thousand dollars. In all countries of its existence, the snow leopard is placed under state protection, but poaching still threatens it.

The snow leopard is one of the most mysterious animals in the world. He moves through the mountains or taiga in search of prey. This is a secretive and cautious animal, a symbol of valor, courage and strength. His image served as a magical amulet that protected ancient warriors. Snow leopard hunting is a cynical creation of the 20th century.

Snow leopards are found in the countries of Central Asia, their habitat includes the highest mountain ranges in the world.

The range covers Mongolian, Chinese, Pakistani, Russian lands, Nepal, India and other territories. Russia, in southern Siberia, is the northernmost limit of the snow leopard's global range.

Since 2010, the World Fund wildlife is engaged in research of this rare animal here.

Wild mountain goats are the main food of the predator. With the onset of summer, the snow leopard follows them to the high mountain plateaus. And in winter it comes down from the mountain peaks and alpine meadows, covered with high snow cover, where coniferous forest grows.

The snow leopard also attacks deer, but less often. In the spring, when food is scarce, he likes to eat marmots. He tries to avoid encounters with bears, but there is evidence of two snow leopards successfully hunting this animal.

The wolverine can be considered a food competitor of the snow leopard, because it often steals its prey while traveling along the same trails. Natural enemies The snow leopard does not, so in times of danger it rarely runs away. This leads to sad consequences when meeting poachers - they can easily shoot a hidden predator.

Varieties of snow leopards

Snow leopards are not usually divided into varieties. Their numbers are too small for this.

There is evidence that the fur color of the snow leopards inhabiting Southern Transbaikalia contains yellowish and brownish tones, which are uncharacteristic of most individuals.

All snow leopards belong to a separate genus Uncia. They are the only representatives of this genus. Genetic testing showed relationship snow leopards with tigers, which is why they were previously classified as members of the Panther genus. However, it was later proven that snow leopards have unique features that distinguish them from other large representatives that are part of the cat family. For example, a snow leopard cannot growl, purrs like a domestic cat, is well trained in captivity, and never attacks a person.

Description, size, life expectancy

The height of the animal at the withers is about 60 cm; it is stockier than its African relatives, panthers, with which it has a similar genotype. Body length with tail exceeds 2 meters, Weight Limit about 55 kg.

The fur of the snow leopard is very beautiful - light smoky, almost white, with dark, ring-shaped or solid spots. It is thick and soft, retains heat well in harsh conditions snowy winters. The sides, belly and inner surfaces of the limbs are lighter in color than the back.

The male is larger than the female.

General Scripture:

• convex skull;
• rounded head;
• there is a hyoid bone;
• the eyes are almond-shaped, small, widely set;
• 30 teeth, like most cats;
• small round ears without tufts, in winter they are almost invisible due to the long fur;
• slender limbs and wide powerful paws with retractable claws;
• the long tail, exceeding three-quarters of the body length, is covered with thick fur, so it appears very thick.

Agile snow leopards are known for their ability to jump long distances - from 6 to 15 meters. During the jump, their long tail helps them; it serves as a “rudder” and an effective counterweight.

Lifestyle and social behavior

Snow leopards are very cautious animals; they usually go out hunting early in the morning or in the evening. Thanks to their light, spotted fur, they almost blend in with the surrounding rocks, making it very difficult for humans to notice their presence. During the day, snow leopards may rest in rock crevices or black vulture nests.

Snow leopards prefer to lead a solitary lifestyle. They mark the boundaries of their territory by leaving special marks on rocks and trees.

The size of holdings can vary significantly depending on the amount of game available for consumption. Thus, in the Himalayas, the personal territory of one snow leopard can be 12 km2, and in areas with a small amount of prey - up to 200 km2.

The snow leopard makes circuits of its hunting grounds, sampling the pastures of wild goats. He always prefers to walk along the same routes, choosing paths along the mountain ridge along the water stream. In the same place, the animal can be found at certain intervals of time, necessary for it to cover its entire area.

Reproduction and raising of offspring

The mating season for snow leopards begins at the end of winter or in early spring. After about 3 months, from 1 to 5 cubs are born, usually two or three.

A female snow leopard gives birth once every two years and raises her offspring herself.

For a lair, she chooses rocky cracks covered with moss and secluded caves. The weight of newborn babies is up to 500 g, their color is brighter than that of adults, black spots lack a light central part. The eyes of the cubs open on the 6th day after birth. For the first 6 weeks, babies feed on mother's milk, and after two months they begin to eat solid food.

At the end of summer, the female and her cubs go hunting. She raises them for quite a long time, so you can meet several snow leopards in one territory. Her offspring are finally ready for independent existence in the second year after birth.

Are the animals listed in the Red Book?

People are exterminating the snow leopard for profit, and soon these beautiful animals may disappear from the face of the Earth forever. Today there are only a few thousand of them left.

In the 90s of the 20th century, the majority of snow leopards in Altai lived in an area called the Argut cluster, but by the beginning of the 21st century, snow leopards had practically disappeared from these places. Catching a snow leopard was a great success for local hunters. For one skin, the poacher received an unheard of fee.

Nowadays, snow leopards are protected by the state. They are included in the Red Book of the IUCN and the Russian Federation.

About 2 thousand individuals live in various zoos around the world and give birth. Most snow leopards are kept in Chinese zoos; about three dozen live in Russian ones. However, the Red Book and captive breeding do not guarantee the preservation of the snow leopard population from complete destruction as long as there is a demand for fur.

To protect the snow leopard in Altai, an annual international Conference. Representatives of the countries where this spotted predator lives gather to discuss the problems of conservation and research of the snow leopard.

In Russia, researchers install camera traps in places where a snow leopard is likely to pass, near stones or rocks that the animal has marked on the border of its territory. After collecting data from camera traps, photographs and videos are processed and carefully studied. This allows you to control the number of snow leopards in a certain area.

Interesting facts about the snow leopard

This animal has a unique appearance and cat-like habits. Domestic cats love to play with their tail. This is how kittens or adult animals play when they can’t get what they want. The snow leopard has a very long tail, and often holds it in its teeth not only for play. For example, when he crosses a mountain stream or wants to warm his pink nose from the severe winter cold. There are funny pictures of baby snow leopards with their tail in their teeth.

In the wild, snow leopards live for about 13 years, and in captivity much longer.

There is a known case where a female lived up to 28 years in a zoo.

Despite the ban on shooting and catching, snow leopards in the wild often die at the hands of poachers.

Scientists say there is no archaeological evidence of snow leopard hunting. Our distant ancestors idolized these animals; they were considered inviolable. The famous mummy of a noble Scythian woman, who is called Princess Ukok, has snow leopard tattoos on her shoulder. Image feline predators– tigers and leopards were often found in Scythian culture. There are especially many of them found in Altai - in rock paintings and on household items.

In modern numismatics, the image of a snow leopard can be found on commemorative coins. In 2000, Russia issued coins made of gold and silver with the image of a snow leopard, with denominations ranging from 25 to 100 rubles.

The snow leopard lives on high mountain plateaus, it is a beautiful and proud animal, it never threatens humans. When meeting without unnecessary fuss, it disappears from the eyes of the lucky one, because according to ancient beliefs, a meeting with a snow leopard brings good luck.

One of the most strong representatives cat family - snow leopard. Another name for this animal is snow leopard or snow leopard. Snow leopard hunting is always popular because of its valuable fur. Because of this, the number of individuals of this species decreased greatly in the middle of the last century.

It was recorded that in the sixties of the 20th century there were only one thousand adult snow leopards left on the planet. IN Lately The snow leopard population has increased and reached a value of 5000–7500 individuals. This was achieved thanks to the ban on hunting this predator. In all states where the snow leopard lives, the animal is protected and listed in the Red Book.

Habitats and numbers of snow leopards

You can meet this magnificent animal in Central Asia. The main habitats of snow leopards are located in such states as:

• Afghanistan,
• Russia,
• China,
• India,
• Kazakhstan,
• Kyrgyzstan,
• Mongolia,
• Uzbekistan and others.

You can meet a mammalian predator in the highlands, at approximately an altitude of 1500 to 5 thousand meters above sea level. In Russia, snow leopard habitats are located in Khakassia, Altai, Tyva, and the Krasnoyarsk Territory.

Appearance of a snow leopard (irbis)

Description of the appearance of the snow leopard

The appearance of the snow leopard resembles a leopard, despite its rather distant relationship. In addition, the snow leopard is much smaller than its relative. At the withers the animal grows up to 60 centimeters. The body of the snow leopard reaches one and a half meters in length, the tail is a whole meter! From the entire cat family snow leopards have the longest tail in relation to their body. The tail is used to maintain balance during huge jumps - over a distance of 15 meters. Moreover, the weight of an adult leopard can reach 100 kilograms. Males are usually larger than females.

The snow leopard's head is small, about 20 centimeters long. The tips of the ears are rounded and there are no tassels. Wide paws prevent the predator from falling into the snow.

The coat color is predominantly gray with black spots. In winter the skin has more dark color, and in the summer it gets lighter. The spots are shaped like a five-leaf flower, often with an additional spot in the middle. The head, neck and limbs do not have clearly defined spots, but rather black smears. The spots are large and can reach a diameter of 7 centimeters. The predator's fur is thick and long, the hairs reach a length of 5.5 centimeters. This is due to the fact that snow leopards live mainly in cold climates. It is noteworthy that snow leopards fur grows even between the toes. This saves the snow leopard from the cold in winter and from hot stones in summer. It also prevents it from slipping on ice.

An adult animal has 30 teeth. A roar like others major representatives The cat family does not make sounds, but mostly meows in low tones.

Food and hunting

Snow leopards are predatory animals of the cat family. They prefer to hunt at dusk or dawn. As a rule, they hunt the following animals:

• on ungulates: sheep, mountain goats, roe deer, deer;
• on small animals: gophers, pikas;
• for birds: snowcocks, pheasants.

However, attacking small animals and birds is not typical for snow leopards. Snow leopards hunt for them if there are not enough large horned animals nearby.

The hunt is carried out as follows. The predator sneaks up on the chosen game and quickly jumps on it. For an ambush, high stones are used; in this case, the victim will be thrown from above. They can pursue prey at a distance of about 300 meters, but if they fail to catch up with the victim, they stop the chase. Snow leopards can hunt in families of 2–3 individuals. In this case, these mammalian predators can even successfully attack a bear.

Snow leopards drag their prey onto a bed, where they eat it. The remains, as a rule, are not guarded or hidden. At the same time, one large game, a snow leopard, is enough for several days.

In summer, snow leopards are known to nibble on grass and green parts of young bushes in addition to meat obtained from hunting.

Reproduction

Snow leopards lead a predominantly solitary lifestyle, but can form family groups. The territory of one male has an area of ​​150–160 square kilometers. Partially overlapped by female territories. They prefer to settle in rocky places, often occupying natural caves or nests of large birds.

Mating occurs in spring or early summer. The mating season is very short - only a week. Pregnancy lasts 3–3.5 months. The female makes a warm, secluded den, the bottom of which is lined with her fur. There are 2–3 kittens in a litter. The cubs are born blind and their eyes open after about a week. Babies weigh approximately 500 grams and reach a length of 30 centimeters. The color is brown with small spots. At first they feed only on mother's milk. Only the mother takes care of the babies.

The cubs sit in a cave hidden from prying eyes for about 2 months. All this time, in addition to milk, the female feeds them with meat. Little leopards begin to go hunting with their mother at about six months.. At first, only the mother rushes to the prey.

Children become independent at about two years of age, and sexual maturity occurs at four years of age. The lifespan of snow leopards reaches 13 years; in captivity they can live up to 20.

In the old days, we called a leopard a leopard. But the snow leopard is not a leopard, although it looks like one. The same black spots on the smoky gray skin (sometimes there are also black leopards). But the fur is long and fluffy, especially on the belly, up to twelve centimeters long. The leopard is a resident of the mountains (Altai, Pamir, Tien Shan, Tibet, the Himalayas and the highlands of Mongolia). High mountains - up to two to three thousand meters. And in the summer, following the mountain ungulates, leopards rise even higher - up to six thousand meters. As you know, in the mountains it is not hot in summer, but in winter it is completely cool.

The main coat color is light gray, appearing white in contrast to the black spots. This coloring perfectly camouflages the animal in its natural habitat - among dark rocks, stones, white snow and ice. The spots are shaped like rosettes, inside which there may be an even smaller spot. In this respect, the snow leopard is similar to the jaguar. In the area of ​​the head, neck and limbs, the rosettes turn into black strokes. The coat is very thick and long (up to 55 mm) and serves as protection from the cold in harsh climatic conditions. From head to tail, the snow leopard measures 140 cm, the tail itself is 90-100 cm long. If we compare the length of the tail and body, then of all the cats the snow leopard has the longest tail, it makes up more than three-quarters of the body length. The snow leopard's tail serves as a balance when jumping. The length of the jump during hunting is up to 14-15 meters. The weight of an adult snow leopard can reach 100 kg.

Snow Leopard. Photo: Mark Kent

The leopard (or snow leopard, which is the same thing) watches for hours somewhere on a rock or under a rock for mountain turkeys or sheep. But in general, he is a universal hunter: he takes everyone - from mice to yaks sometimes. It does not bother people, and its disposition is apparently more good-natured than that of the panther and tiger.
Leopards love to play and roll in the snow. Having fun, they slide off the cliff on their backs, and at the bottom they quickly turn over and fall into a snowdrift on all four paws. Quite a sybarite. After the morning hunt, after the games, they settle down somewhere comfortable and bask in the sun.
The usual habitat is rhododendron bushes, and in some places alpine meadows and bare rocks near the borders of eternal snow. They live here in pairs - male and female.
They will give birth to two to four kittens in the spring. The lair is in a cozy crevice (sometimes in a vulture’s nest on a low tree!). The mother insulates the den with wool, having torn it from her belly. Other cats, except for the jungle cat, do not seem capable of such self-sacrifice. Leopards' milk is fatty and five times more nutritious than that of a cow. The leopard has a very long and very fluffy tail, like none of the predators. We were surprised before; Why does an animal need these excesses? But it turned out that nature did not make any design mistakes here either. When a female leopard sleeps with her babies, she hugs them close to her and covers them with her tail, like a duvet. After all, where leopards live, it is very cool, especially at night.
The leopard is a good father and helps the female raise her children.
The old leopard weighs 75 kilograms, his large stature and other features are close to big cats, but he also has something of small cats. In a good mood, a leopard, for example, purrs (puma and clouded leopard too), but can also growl. Some zoologists call the clouded leopard, leopard and puma giant small cats.

Socio-economic crisis last decades in Russia greatly influenced the nature and intensity of environmental management, which had a dual role for the snow leopard.

On the one hand, due to a reduction in the number of livestock and a decrease in pasture load, the number of the main prey of the snow leopard - the Siberian mountain goat and the Altai mountain sheep - has increased; on the other hand, as the well-being of residents deteriorated, exploitation increased significantly biological resources. The hunting grounds began to be actively used by people who had lost their jobs and who had mastered poaching methods of catching animals, in particular snare fishing, which poses a great danger to snow leopards. At the same time, snow leopard poaching has increased due to increased demand and high prices for skins.

Due to the inaccessibility of habitats and low density of the species, such species still remain poorly studied. the most important aspects biology of the snow leopard, such as the structure of the range, ability to disperse, seasonal movements, nutrition and hunting behavior (in particular, the degree of food specialization, including the composition and share of domestic animals in prey), population structure, numbers, sizes of individual areas, diurnal cycle and many others, which makes it difficult to develop adequate protection measures. This applies to the entire range of the species and especially its Russian part.

The snow leopard is brutally exterminated by poachers because of its beautiful skin. In almost all countries it is listed in the Red Book. Today, there are no more than 2,000 individuals of this beautiful predator left in the world.

The snow leopard (Irbis) is a proud inhabitant of the mountains, a large predator, an amazing and graceful representative cat family. In ancient times, due to the similarity of color with panthers, it had a different name - snow leopard and was mistakenly attributed to their genus. Animals belong to different genera and are not close relatives. The leopard is inferior to the snow leopard in dexterity, jumping ability, and strength, although it is superior in size.

The living space of these animals is captivating high mountains Tibet, Altai ranges, mountainous regions of the Pamirs, Himalayas, Tien Shan. The snow leopard climbs to heights of up to three thousand meters, and in search of prey easily reaches the six thousand mark. The population size can be estimated approximately. According to scientists, it ranges from 3.5 to 7.5 thousand individuals. The most large population lives in China - 2 - 5 thousand individuals, the smallest in Uzbekistan - up to 50 individuals.

Due to intense human activity and illegal fishing, the number of the species is continuously declining. The animal’s beautiful and thick fur makes it a desirable prey for poachers, and the skin, despite the ban on sale, has a high price and is in great demand on world markets. In states where the predator's habitat is located, the snow leopard is protected by law and it is prohibited to kill it. International organizations measures are being taken to preserve the population. The predator is listed in the Red Book as being on the verge of complete extinction.

Appearance

The external similarity between the snow leopard and the panther is limited to their spotted color and large body size.

• The wild snow leopard is much fluffier than its counterparts and has long, especially on the belly, extremely thick fur. Coat length 5 – 12 cm.
• Males are larger than females, weighing from 45 to 55 kg. The weight of females starts from 22 kg and rarely exceeds 40 kg.
• The animal has an elongated body, a squat figure and a long tail.
• The height of an adult animal at the withers is 60 cm, the length of the body including the head is from 103 to 130 cm.
• The paws are wide, short, with retractable claws.
• The head has a rounded shape, small in relation to the body.
• The small ears are rounded at the ends, covered with fluffy fur, without tassels.
• The tail of the snow leopard deserves special attention - it is quite long (90 - 105 cm), with a thick edge, and therefore seems thicker than the front paws. Serves as a kind of steering wheel and balancer while running and jumping.
• The camouflage color makes the animal invisible against the background of stones, rock surfaces, ice and snow. The main tone of the skin is grayish, with a smoky tint, almost white on the sides, belly and paws (their inner surface). Clouded leopards that live in the eastern and southern territories of Asia have a similar shade. Faded coat pattern consists of dark spots different shapes, with a diameter of 5 to 8 cm. The smallest marks are on the head, larger ones decorate the neck and paws, ring-shaped shadows are scattered on the sides and on the back. In some places the rings merge into short longitudinal lines. The tail has large dark spots and a black tip.

In the photo, young predators have more pronounced coloring than adults. At the same time, the male snow leopard is no different from the female in terms of the intensity of the color of its skin. The species of snow leopards living in different territories do not differ in color either.

Habitat

The usual habitat is bare stone blocks, rhododendron bushes, alpine pastures, deep rocky gorges. The snow leopard is often found in areas with low snow cover. Selects open plateaus, slopes with great steepness and deep gorges. Sometimes it descends into the forests, but spends most of its life above the forest line.

In the area of ​​the Turkestan ridge it is not found below 2.6 thousand meters. In the Himalayas it climbs to heights of up to 6 thousand meters. In a number of places all year round lives at altitudes not exceeding 1 thousand meters above sea level (spurs of the Dzhungar Alatau, Matae).

Seasonal migrations of the animal are associated with the migration of its main prey - ungulates. In winter, high snow forces predators to descend from the highlands and move to the middle mountain zone. In summer, the snow leopard returns to its usual alpine zone.

Features of behavior

The snow leopard animal, as a rule, chooses loneliness. Some individuals live in pairs - a female and a male. Personal territory is marked different ways, but this is more of a habit than a necessity. The snow leopard is not particularly zealous in protecting it; it reacts calmly to the appearance of females or other males. The size of hunting grounds for individual individuals varies significantly, depending on the region of residence and the amount of prey (the less suitable food, the larger the land). An individual plot can cover an area from 12 km 2 to 160 km 2.

The snow leopard goes hunting at dusk - early in the morning or before sunset. In search of food, the snow leopard sets off along the same route. Looks into camps and pastures of wild ungulates, hunting smaller game along the way. Often such a journey takes several days and the animal has to travel tens of kilometers before returning to its den. The reference point for movement is a stream, river or mountain range.

Deep snow restrains the animal's agility and interferes with hunting. To make his way easier, he has to trample paths in the snow. The routes rarely change; the snow leopard uses the same paths more than once. Such predictability attracts poachers - an unsuspecting predator becomes easy prey for them.

The snow leopard establishes a shelter in rocky heaps, caves, and rock crevices. It settles in a den for several years and selects suitable shelters for a rookery far from home.

Nutrition

The snow leopard is a universal hunter. It poses the same danger to yaks, rams, roe deer, as well as to mice, gophers and small birds. The predator's diet consists of fresh meat, preference is given to ungulates, but if hares, pheasants and small rodents come across on the way, he does not refuse them either. The lack of vitamins is compensated in the summer by supplementing the main diet with grass and plant shoots. Daily norm meat for an adult predator – 2 – 3 kg.

The snow leopard stalks its prey from ambush, hiding near watering holes, trails, or quietly sneaking up on the victim. It attacks several tens of meters from the victim, jumps out sharply and overtakes the hesitant animal with jumps. In case of a miss, he runs 300 meters after the game or, having accepted defeat, goes in search of a new target.

The snow leopard jumps on the back of large animals, grabs them by the throat, strangles them or breaks their neck. The trophy is dragged into a shelter and only there begins the meal, tearing meat from the victim’s skeleton with sharp teeth. Leaves the leftovers from lunch for everyone, eating only fresh food. In its habitat it is out of competition and has no obvious enemies.

Reproduction and care of offspring

A young snow leopard reaches sexual maturity at 3–4 years of age. Period mating games, deep meowing and courtship occurs in the last month of winter, and often covers the first months of spring.

A snow leopard cat prepares thoroughly for childbirth: it chooses a secluded place for shelter (a cave, a cozy crevice, sometimes a vulture’s nest), selflessly insulates it with its own fur, tearing it out of its belly. After 3 - 3.5 months (in April - May), the female gives birth to offspring - from 3 to 5 kittens. The whole burden of motherhood falls on the mother. The father participates in raising children only in rare cases.

A newborn snow leopard cub is no more than 30 cm long, weighs about 500 grams, does not see anything, and if anything happens to its mother during this period, it simply dies. Babies' eyes open at 6–8 days; at 10 days, grown-up cubs begin to crawl. The female feeds the cubs with milk only for the first six weeks. Despite this, they manage to get everything necessary for a growing organism. nutrients, grow up and get stronger. The fatty milk of leopards is five times more nutritious than that of a domestic cow - an irreplaceable source of energy in cold climates.

Two-month-old kittens get out of the den, play, bask in the sun and meet their mother with prey at the entrance to the shelter. Often such meetings end in quarrels - the kids are indignant, fight, tearing out pieces of meat from each other.

The restless family follows in the footsteps of their mother already at three months, and at five months they keep her company on the hunt. The female teaches the cubs to watch the prey, to sneak up, and she herself makes the decisive throw. Gradually, the hunt turns into a real safari with larger victims. Independent life the younger generation starts at two years old.

Relationship with a person

In relation to people, the snow leopard is less aggressive than the tiger and leopard. He doesn’t touch people, and if he does meet them, he doesn’t attack first. Only two cases of an animal attacking a person are reliably known.

In a hungry year, when the lack of food becomes noticeable, the predator easily switches to livestock - cows, goats, sheep, horses. The irreparable damage that herders suffer may result in the killing of the snow leopard.

Life in captivity

The snow leopard at the zoo is kept in a spacious, light enclosure more than 5 meters high. The living conditions are as close as possible to the natural environment. The territory is equipped with stumps of different heights, snags, and artificially created stone piles. Snow leopards cannot tolerate hot weather, in the summer they hide in a den or under the canopy of trees.

The animal leads a full-fledged lifestyle: plays, runs, jumps, climbs rocky ledges, and bears offspring. The female sets up a rookery in the inner compartment of the enclosure. There she feeds newborn kittens with milk, licks them, nurses them and jealously guards them.

Primiparous females are very restless, sometimes they abandon their cubs and stop feeding. For foundlings, an ordinary cat becomes the nurse - the composition of its milk is practically no different from the composition of leopard milk. If found suitable cat It doesn’t work, the kittens are fed by zoo staff with an artificial milk substitute from a pacifier.

Adult predators receive food once a day. The diet consists of beef and live food (rabbits, chickens, laboratory rats, mice). Mixtures of minerals and vitamins and fresh herbs must be added to food. A healthy pet eats the entire portion offered during feeding.

To prevent animals from overeating, they have a fasting day once a week. Animals are deprived of food for a day. This practice does not apply to lactating females (until the end of the lactation period) and kittens under six months of age.

Lifespan of individuals natural conditions no more than 13 years old. This is very little compared to how long snow leopards live in captivity - average duration life 21 years.

1. The snow leopard easily copes with game that is three times its weight.
2. The animal makes jumps up to 15 meters long.
3. Roar like others big cats, the snow leopard cannot. But he purrs like a domestic cat and meows deeply.
4. The snow leopard (stylized version) is depicted on the coats of arms of Tatarstan, Khakassia, and adorns the coat of arms of Almaty and Samarkand.