Snow Leopards are beautiful big cats. Their coat is gray/silver with spots that are patterned much like the Leopards. The spots are dark gray or brown. The Snow Leopards coloration helps camouflage them in the snow. They have a whitish underbelly, chest and chin. A full-grown adult Snow Leopard measurers about 6-7 (1.8 – 2m) feet long and stands about 2 feet (0.6m) high and weights 50-90 pounds (23-41kg). A Snow Leopards fur has a warm, insulating under coat and a thick outer coat that can be about 2 inches long and about 4 inches long on the belly. They have a thick, bushy tail that is almost as long as its body. They have broad paws that act as snowshoes and a round head, and small ears, which conserve heat.
Snow Leopards live in central Asia, Russia, China, parts of Indian and the Himalayas in alpine and sub-alpine zones on rugged land with cliffs, steep ridges and a rocky, snowy terrain but they are very well adapted to that cold climate.
The Snow Leopard is a very muscular cat and can kill animals up to three times its own body weight! They prey on deer, ibex, marmots, wild sheep, wild boar, gazelles, and other such animals.
Snow Leopards are usually solitary animals like most big cats. They pair only briefly to mate in January till late March. A female’s gestation period is 3 months. They give birth to 2-4 young. The cubs leave their mother at about 1 ˝ to 2 years old.
For more pictures go to Snow Leopard Gallery
