We’ve spoken before about how there are nine species of leopard – let’s talk about a specific one today…
Snow Leopards!
These cats are solitary and live in mountain regions of Central Asia, usually in areas that have open forests or grasslands.1&2 Snow Leopards measure about 4-5 feet long, not including their tails, which usually add another three feet.1&3
Snow Leopards have gray/white fur with black rosette markings. Their fur helps them both camouflage in their surroundings and keep them warm in cold temperatures. While some animals have fur on their feet to keep their feet safe from the hot ground, Snow Leopards have fur on their feet to help them walk over snow.2&3 They are agile cats and can jump far either vertically or horizontally.2
These leopards like to eat:3
Blue sheep
Marmots
Hares
Ibex
In the wild, they’re fairly elusive. The exception to them being solitary is during mating season. Males and females will mate at the beginning of the year.2 Females end up caring for their offspring for a couple of years before they’re ready to go off on their own.1&2
Snow Leopards are considered Vulnerable by the IUCN. They’ve been marked as Endangered before but have made some progress for their listing to change.4 However, they still face threats from poaching, climate change, and territorial conflicts.3
Learn more about cats with our puzzles!
We have several puzzles for you to learn about big cats! Check them out:
Each comes with a poster that you can use for reference or hang up on the wall – flip it around and you’ll find a list of fun facts about the animal! Our 300-piece puzzles are recommended for ages 10+.
You can also find 100-piece and 1,000-piece puzzles too!
