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Snow Leopard Panthera uncia

Size: females 35-40 kg (77-88lbs) males 45-55 kg (99-121 lbs).

Habitat: Steep rocky slopes in mountainous regions at high elevations (2700-6000 meters [8900-19,700 feet]).

Primary prey: Snow leopards usually feed on medium-sized ungulates, including wild sheep and goats, but will also rely on large rodents and game birds during part of the year. .

Conservation Status: Endangered.

Principal threats: Lack of prey; illegal hunting.

The magnificent pelt of the snow leopard has undoubtedly contributed to its decline. In the 1920's, over 1000 pelts per year were exported from Asia to be made into coats for the wealthy. Hunting is no longer legal in most places but snow leopard pelts still appear in tourist shops in parts of China and Tibet. Poaching is difficult to resist when a single pelt can provide a poor family with nearly a year's income in some cases. Snow leopards are also hunted for their skeletons which are used as substitutes for tiger bones in the Chinese medicine trade. Those that are not killed for their fur and bones often find themselves competing with hungry humans for the wild sheep and goats that are their natural prey.

Distribution: The snow leopard has a very patchy, discontinuous distribution in the mountains of central Asia.

Notable Features: Well adapted to the cold, rugged terrain it inhabits, the snow leopard has short limbs, a long well-furred tail, and large broad paws. Its coloration hides it well amongst rocks partially covered with snow.