Snow Leopard Case

DESCRIPTION

The snow leopard is slightly smaller than the common leopard, weighing from 55-165 pounds. Their general coat is colored a pale charcoal to creamy smoke-gray above and white below, with solid black spots. Their long, bushy tail is used as a counterbalance when jumping. They can make leaps up to 40 feet. They do not roar like other cats. Snow leopards live in rocky slopes in the ranges of China, Mongolia, India, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Tadzhikistan, and Nepal.

POPULATION SIZE

The original population of the snow leopard is unknown. The current low point is present day and the population size is roughly estimated in 2012 as 3,500 to 7,000. Snow leopards are suspected to have declined by at least 20% over the past two generations.

CONDITIONS

Snow Leopards are hunted illegally for many of their body parts. Their fur is made into coats, hats and other garments. Pelts sell for thousands of dollars on the black market, and it typically takes 6-12 skins to make one coat. Snow Leopard skeletons sell for twice the amount of their furs. Over the past five years, their bones have become in demand as a substitute for Tiger bones in traditional Asian medicine. Humans are another reason that snow leopards are endangered. Humans have pushed their livestock into the snow leopard's habitat. Overgrazing damages the fragile mountain grasslands, leaving less food for the wild sheep and goats that the snow leopard's main prey.

PROGRESS

Since 1972 when Snow Leopards were first placed on the endangered species list, many things have been done to try to save them. Various international and national treaties and laws protect the Snow Leopard. All Snow Leopard range countries except the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan have made the trafficking of live Snow Leopards or their fur/body parts illegal. A number of governments have also created national parks in order to preserve and protect Snow Leopard habitat.

The Snow Leopard Trust

Founded in 1981, is the world's leading authority on the study and protection of the endangered snow leopard.

The Snow Leopard Conservancy

The Snow Leopard Conservancy is dedicated to promoting innovative measures that lead local people to become more educated of endangered snow leopards, their prey, and habitat.

Panthera

Panthera's Snow Leopard Conservation Project is protecting this cat by carrying out ecological research, training field biologists, assessing threats, securing habitat, working with local communities to lower snow leopard-human conflicts and helping governments create National Snow Leopard Action Plans, across nine countries.

OUTLOOK

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