Research Paper On Snow Leopard
One of God’s beautiful creatures walks the Earth as an endangered species. The snow leopard is one of many species whose future is sadly at risk due to a decline in their population. This big cat is known for being elusive and unfortunately they have been falling victim to human violation and loss of habitat. Conservation efforts and cooperation between local governments is what this species needs to turn its endangered status around. In order to understand this species, this paper will explore the basic background information and reasons for why the snow leopard population has been and is still declining. Scientifically, the snow leopard is known as Pathera uncia or Uncia uncia. The snow leopard is one of the most rare and breathtaking
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members of the Felidae family. “You’ll never hear one give away its whereabouts by roaring; it lacks the throat structure, though it can hiss, chuff, mew, growl, and wail” (Chadwick, 2008). Despite how rare of a sighting this big cat is, scientists have gathered generous amounts of information and details to help with learning more about this particular animal. There is always more scientific information that can be learned and this will help with the efforts of saving the snow leopard. This big cat sits atop the food chain and that can easily be determined by just looking at the physical characteristics of this mighty animal. There is a lot that can be said about the physical characteristics of the snow leopard and many of them are an adaptation of the climate in which it lives.
An adult snow leopard generally weighs between 77 to 121 pounds and stands at about 24 inches. They have dense white, smokey-gray fur with a yellowish tint and obvious dark gray or black spots all over its body. Their spots act as camouflage in the mountain terrain for where they are known to dwell. The fur on their underbelly is about 5 inches long and this helps to keep them warm during the bitterly cold nights. “Snow leopards have powerful lungs and large chest capacity to help them get enough oxygen from the thin mountain air, while their enlarged nasal cavity helps them warm the cold air they breathe before it gets to the delicate tissues inside the lungs” (Snow Leopard Trust, 2011). The snow leopard has huge paws, which allows them to walk easier on snow with a similar effect of a snowshoe. One of the most distinct features is its long tail, which can be almost as long as its body. This long tail has a few advantages such as helping the snow leopard stay balanced when walking in unstable environments. It also helps to keep them warm when the leopard wraps their tail around its body and
face. Snow leopards live in cold, mountainous regions of Asia. “The carnivore scientists label Uncia uncia ranges across about a million square miles and portions of 12 nations” (Chadwick, 2008). These big cats thrive in the rugged environments of Afghanistan, China, Bhutan, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Nepal Pakistan, Russia, Tajikstan, and Uzbekistan. Snow leopards prefer higher elevated environments where the terrain is steep, rocky, and lacking grass. Since they live in such high, elevated environments well above sea level, they are more susceptible to harsh, cold conditions. They are known to be decent jumpers and are capable of jumping in such high terrain, as well as when attacking their prey. Just recently there has been a discovery of snow leopards in Afghanistan. “Researchers estimate between 4,500 and 7,500 snow leopards are left in the wild, scattered across Central Asia” (CNN, 2011). The researchers were able to photograph the leopard, which made this discovery the first camera recording of this animal in this particular country. Just like all carnivores, the snow leopard’s diet mostly consists of meat and they are very powerful hunters, so much so that they are able to kill an animal three times its weight. They typically hunt wild sheep and goats, which can take them up to three to four days to consume but will also feed on smaller prey such as marmots, pikas, hares, partridges, and other birds. There are times when snow leopards will consume plants, usually during mating season, in order to acquire the nutrients that they don’t receive from other forms of their diet. Mating season for the snow leopard occurs between the months of January and March. The pregnancy for females is generally between 93 to 110 days, which means cubs are born in June or July timeframe. A litter typically consists of two to three cubs and the male snow leopards are never involved in raising them. Cubs are born basically helpless because they aren’t able to open their eyes for about seven days. For one to two years, cubs stay with their mother until they become fully independent. By the age of two or three, females are sexually mature enough to have their own cubs. Snow leopards have been able to live up to 21 years of age when in captivity but in the wild, because of the harsher conditions and threats they face, that number can easily drop by up to ten years. The snow leopard was first listed as endangered in the year 1972. “Snow leopards are suspected to have declined by at least 20% over the past two generations (16 years) due to habitat and prey base loss, and poaching and persecution” (Chundaway, Habib, Jackson, Mallon, & McCarthy, 2008). They have been and are still being hunted illegally for various reasons. The pelt of a snow leopard is especially sought after and is worth a fortune. Their bones and body parts, such as the penis, are in high demand for medicinal uses throughout Asia. Since snow leopards will sometimes prey on livestock, poachers often kill them due to the economic affect the leopards have on their means of living. Lastly, the habitat in which the snow leopard lives is diminishing due to the humans taking over more and more of the mountainous areas. Conservation programs mostly depend on the area in which snow leopards live and the support from local governments. The survival of snow leopards also depends on organizations and those willing to help stop this species from declining and becoming extinct. The Snow Leopard Trust is one of the most well known nonprofit organizations that work with local governments in effort to reduce the problems between humans and the snow leopard and to ensure there are strong conservations policies in place. The Snow Leopard Conservancy is also another known organization helping this animal. “The Snow Leopard Conservancy (SLC) engages local people in a discussion of their needs and ideas on how to live harmoniously with snow leopards. SLC builds upon traditional beliefs and empowers communities to benefit economically by maintaining a balanced ecosystem for the snow leopard. Employment, education and alternative-income projects, such as tourist homestay lodging, are the cornerstone of SLC 's success” (Jackson, 2011). The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, also known as CITES, bans the trading of snow leopards, as well as their body parts and fur in all the countries that this species is known to inhabit. The future of the snow leopard is unknown and sadly if more isn’t done for this beautiful creature, then their population will continue to fall. A loss of this wildlife will have a huge impact, especially scientifically. It is extremely important that this endangered species, as well as other endangered species, be protected and saved because they are crucial to the proper functioning and survival of ecosystems. A loss of just one species can easily change things environmentally. Extinction is forever and without the help of those that truly care, the snow leopard will eventually fall victim to those that hunt them.
References
Ariosto, D. (2011). Elusive snow leopard discovered in remote corner of Afghanistan.
Retrieved September 30, 2011, from http://articles.cnn.com/2011-07-
17/world/afghanistan.snow.leopards.discovered_1_snow-leopards-afghanistan-
researchers?_s=PM:WORLD
Chadwick, D. (2008). Out of the shadows., Retrieved September 7, 2011, from
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/06/snow-leopards/chadwick-text
Chundaway, R. A, Habib, B, Jackson, R., Mallon, D., & McCarthy, T. 2008. Pathera
uncia. Retrieved September 18, 2011, from
http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/22732/0
Jackson, R. (2011). Snow leopard conservation program. Retrieved October 1, 2011,
from http://wildlifeconservationnetwork.org/wildlife/snowleopard2.html
Snow Leopard Trust. 2011. Retrived September 11, 2011, from
http://www.snowleopard.org/catfactsclassroom/catfacts/physicalfeatures
members of the Felidae family. “You’ll never hear one give away its whereabouts by roaring; it lacks the throat structure, though it can hiss, chuff, mew, growl, and wail” (Chadwick, 2008). Despite how rare of a sighting this big cat is, scientists have gathered generous amounts of information and details to help with learning more about this particular animal. There is always more scientific information that can be learned and this will help with the efforts of saving the snow leopard. This big cat sits atop the food chain and that can easily be determined by just looking at the physical characteristics of this mighty animal. There is a lot that can be said about the physical characteristics of the snow leopard and many of them are an adaptation of the climate in which it lives.
An adult snow leopard generally weighs between 77 to 121 pounds and stands at about 24 inches. They have dense white, smokey-gray fur with a yellowish tint and obvious dark gray or black spots all over its body. Their spots act as camouflage in the mountain terrain for where they are known to dwell. The fur on their underbelly is about 5 inches long and this helps to keep them warm during the bitterly cold nights. “Snow leopards have powerful lungs and large chest capacity to help them get enough oxygen from the thin mountain air, while their enlarged nasal cavity helps them warm the cold air they breathe before it gets to the delicate tissues inside the lungs” (Snow Leopard Trust, 2011). The snow leopard has huge paws, which allows them to walk easier on snow with a similar effect of a snowshoe. One of the most distinct features is its long tail, which can be almost as long as its body. This long tail has a few advantages such as helping the snow leopard stay balanced when walking in unstable environments. It also helps to keep them warm when the leopard wraps their tail around its body and
face. Snow leopards live in cold, mountainous regions of Asia. “The carnivore scientists label Uncia uncia ranges across about a million square miles and portions of 12 nations” (Chadwick, 2008). These big cats thrive in the rugged environments of Afghanistan, China, Bhutan, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Nepal Pakistan, Russia, Tajikstan, and Uzbekistan. Snow leopards prefer higher elevated environments where the terrain is steep, rocky, and lacking grass. Since they live in such high, elevated environments well above sea level, they are more susceptible to harsh, cold conditions. They are known to be decent jumpers and are capable of jumping in such high terrain, as well as when attacking their prey. Just recently there has been a discovery of snow leopards in Afghanistan. “Researchers estimate between 4,500 and 7,500 snow leopards are left in the wild, scattered across Central Asia” (CNN, 2011). The researchers were able to photograph the leopard, which made this discovery the first camera recording of this animal in this particular country. Just like all carnivores, the snow leopard’s diet mostly consists of meat and they are very powerful hunters, so much so that they are able to kill an animal three times its weight. They typically hunt wild sheep and goats, which can take them up to three to four days to consume but will also feed on smaller prey such as marmots, pikas, hares, partridges, and other birds. There are times when snow leopards will consume plants, usually during mating season, in order to acquire the nutrients that they don’t receive from other forms of their diet. Mating season for the snow leopard occurs between the months of January and March. The pregnancy for females is generally between 93 to 110 days, which means cubs are born in June or July timeframe. A litter typically consists of two to three cubs and the male snow leopards are never involved in raising them. Cubs are born basically helpless because they aren’t able to open their eyes for about seven days. For one to two years, cubs stay with their mother until they become fully independent. By the age of two or three, females are sexually mature enough to have their own cubs. Snow leopards have been able to live up to 21 years of age when in captivity but in the wild, because of the harsher conditions and threats they face, that number can easily drop by up to ten years. The snow leopard was first listed as endangered in the year 1972. “Snow leopards are suspected to have declined by at least 20% over the past two generations (16 years) due to habitat and prey base loss, and poaching and persecution” (Chundaway, Habib, Jackson, Mallon, & McCarthy, 2008). They have been and are still being hunted illegally for various reasons. The pelt of a snow leopard is especially sought after and is worth a fortune. Their bones and body parts, such as the penis, are in high demand for medicinal uses throughout Asia. Since snow leopards will sometimes prey on livestock, poachers often kill them due to the economic affect the leopards have on their means of living. Lastly, the habitat in which the snow leopard lives is diminishing due to the humans taking over more and more of the mountainous areas. Conservation programs mostly depend on the area in which snow leopards live and the support from local governments. The survival of snow leopards also depends on organizations and those willing to help stop this species from declining and becoming extinct. The Snow Leopard Trust is one of the most well known nonprofit organizations that work with local governments in effort to reduce the problems between humans and the snow leopard and to ensure there are strong conservations policies in place. The Snow Leopard Conservancy is also another known organization helping this animal. “The Snow Leopard Conservancy (SLC) engages local people in a discussion of their needs and ideas on how to live harmoniously with snow leopards. SLC builds upon traditional beliefs and empowers communities to benefit economically by maintaining a balanced ecosystem for the snow leopard. Employment, education and alternative-income projects, such as tourist homestay lodging, are the cornerstone of SLC 's success” (Jackson, 2011). The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, also known as CITES, bans the trading of snow leopards, as well as their body parts and fur in all the countries that this species is known to inhabit. The future of the snow leopard is unknown and sadly if more isn’t done for this beautiful creature, then their population will continue to fall. A loss of this wildlife will have a huge impact, especially scientifically. It is extremely important that this endangered species, as well as other endangered species, be protected and saved because they are crucial to the proper functioning and survival of ecosystems. A loss of just one species can easily change things environmentally. Extinction is forever and without the help of those that truly care, the snow leopard will eventually fall victim to those that hunt them.
References
Ariosto, D. (2011). Elusive snow leopard discovered in remote corner of Afghanistan.
Retrieved September 30, 2011, from http://articles.cnn.com/2011-07-
17/world/afghanistan.snow.leopards.discovered_1_snow-leopards-afghanistan-
researchers?_s=PM:WORLD
Chadwick, D. (2008). Out of the shadows., Retrieved September 7, 2011, from
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/06/snow-leopards/chadwick-text
Chundaway, R. A, Habib, B, Jackson, R., Mallon, D., & McCarthy, T. 2008. Pathera
uncia. Retrieved September 18, 2011, from
http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/22732/0
Jackson, R. (2011). Snow leopard conservation program. Retrieved October 1, 2011,
from http://wildlifeconservationnetwork.org/wildlife/snowleopard2.html
Snow Leopard Trust. 2011. Retrived September 11, 2011, from
http://www.snowleopard.org/catfactsclassroom/catfacts/physicalfeatures