Protect Snow Leopards
Snow Leopards are extremely rare. Fewer than 4,000 are left in the wild.
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The Snow Leopard does not roar but purrs like a domestic cat.
The Ghost of the Mountains - as the Snow Leopard is called - is really as inconspicuous as a ghost. But due to its shrinking natural environment, frequent human conflict and poaching, fewer than 4 000 are left in the wild.
Snow Leopard. Source: Wikipedia
**Snow Leopard **or Mountain Irbis (Panthera uncia) is the name for the only Asian large feline, which inhabits the inhospitable mountain ranges of Central and South Asia up to an altitude of 19 000 ft. above sea level. By comparison, North America's highest mountain, Denali (Mount McKinley) measures 20 310 ft. Although Irbis is called a "Leopard", its closest relative is the Tiger.
It looks like a Leopard, but is smaller and more robust. It reaches a height of 22 in and a body length of 30 to 59 inches. It has a very distinctive, long tail, which can be 31 to 41 in. long. The tail helps the Irbis to maintain balance while moving in and jumping over rocky terrain.
Comparison of Snow Leopard’s size with a human. Source: viaGood
**Did you know… the Snow Leopard is the only feline species that permanently inhabits mountain biotops? **
The area where the Snow Leopard is at home extends from the Himalayas in the south through the Qinghai-Tibet plateau and the mountains of Central Asia to the mountains of Southern Siberia in the north. It occurs in the Altai, Sayan, Tien Shan, Kunlun, Pamir, Hindu Kush, Karakoram and the outer Himalayan regions, as well as in the smaller isolated mountains of the Gobi region. It is found in 12 countries: Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. A small area of potential range occurs in Northern Myanmar, but the recent presence of Snow Leopard has not been confirmed.
The area inhabited by Irbis has recently been estimated at approximately 1.7 million square miles.
Distribution of Snow Leopard. Source: viaGood
Herbivores such as Bharal (also called Blue Sheep), Argali Sheep and Ibex are the favored prey of Snow Leopards. In many areas, however, Snow Leopards also hunt farm animals, triggering conflict with farmers and shepherds.
Did you know… Snow Leopards are inconspicuous predators, who are able to catch prey up to three times heavier than their own weight?
Irbis, unlike other big cats, can not roar. Instead, when threatened, or when fighting an enemy, a Snow Leopard will hiss, spit, growl, snarl, and make rasping yowls. They have also been known to purr during feeding, and females purr and meow, much as domestic cats do, but normally only between mother and cubs.
Snow leopards lead a solitary life. Source: Pixabay
The Irbis is very shy of humans and, even if injured, it attacks humans only rarely. It is a major predator and plays a key role as an indicator of the health of the Alpine habitat. If Snow Leopards thrive, it benefits countless other species, as well as millions of people whose livelihoods depend on the rivers flowing from the Central Asian mountains.
221 - 450 Snow Leopards are killed by poachers every year.
Snow Leopards are major predators, but the biggest threat to them (as to most animals) are humans.
Poaching Irbis has been persecuted and killed for a long time for its beautiful fur. At the same time, in traditional Asian Medicine, their bones and other body parts are also sought-after items. As a result, the illegal trade in Snow Leopard parts is slowly increasing. According to TRAFIC, 221- 450 Snow Leopards are poached every year (that's at least 4 per week). This number is probably even greater, because many killings are carried out in remote areas and thus remain undetected.
Loss of Natural Environment Until recently, the areas of occurrence of the Snow Leopard were inaccessible and thus naturally protected from the expansion of civilization. With the construction of new roads, the expansion of towns and villages and increased mining industries, the situation is beginning to change. Irbis is thus losing its natural habitats.
Conflict with Local Communities Locals hunt Snow Leopards in retaliation for attacks on their cattle herds. Attacks on sheep, goats and yaks occur due to the decline of natural prey for the Snow Leopard. This is another effect of losing their natural habitats.
Climate Change All these threats are and will be exacerbated by the impact of climate change. Due to climate change, Snow Leopards are losing more than one-third of their territory. With increasing temperatures, the climate will become warmer and wetter and the lines of trees will shift to Snow Leopard hunting grounds.
Park Rangers play a major role in protecting the Snow Leopard.
What can be done to save Snow Leopard? There are many things you can do, both individually and collectively!
Reducing Conflict with Local Communities The most common reasons for conflict are the Snow Leopard attacks on farm animals. To reduce the risk, local people need to be helped to secure their cattle by installing pens and stables that are resistant to predators.
Ranger Training and Equipment Rangers are the men and women who are on the front line. They monitor the Snow Leopard population and the development of its natural habitat. They communicate with local communities and try to reduce friction points with Snow Leopards. They also take care of removing traps left by poachers in the mountains.
Population Monitoring The Snow Leopard population is monitored in collaboration with guardians of the mountain areas. This is important to determine the quality of the population and also to understand how the Snow Leopard actually behaves in its natural habitat. The following methods are used:
- trail cams placed on leopard trails
- geotyping, where DNA is extracted from Snow Leopard droppings
- radio monitoring using tracking collars
- occupancy modeling to determine habitat occupancy and abundance of wildlife species.
- CyberTracker application - in combination with GPS tracking chips Collaboration with Politicians For effective protection, good laws need to be enforced. They help to support landscape planning and management, in order to mitigate threats of development and climate change and to expand protected areas. Good laws are also an effective tool in the fight against poachers.
Support for Ecotourism As many Snow Leopards are found in top tourist destinations, promoting Ecotourism in these areas offers extraordinary opportunities for the benefit of some of the world's poorest communities. These opportunities can generously compensate for any livestock losses.
Everyone can get involved. How can YOU help?
Become a Responsible Tourist When hiking in the mountains, do not leave any trash behind you. Plastic bottles or other packaging are disastrous to the ecosystem and the wildlife living in the area.
Do not Buy Snow Leopard Products Snow Leopards are hunted by poachers for their beautiful fur, and for their bones and meat. If you come across such traders, say NO and report it to the appropriate authorities. It will help to stop this immoral and illegal business.
Spread Awareness People do not know that the presence of Snow Leopards is an indicator of the health of the Himalayan ecosystem. Share your knowledge.
Support the Work of Protectors Help to save this mysterious Big Cat. Support the work of conservationists and help to increase the chances of the Snow Leopard’s survival.
