Zoo BI Cart Feline Snow Leopard

Question 1

Q: Snow Leopard range

Answer 1

Himalayas
Central Asia including Afghanistan, Bhutan, Tibet, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

Question 2

Q: Snow Leopard habitat

Answer 2

High altitude cliffs above tree line from 2,000 - 20,000 ft, with arid and semi-arid shrubland, grassland or steppe vegetation

Question 3

Q: Snow Leopard niche

Answer 3

Generally crepuscular, terrestrial, carnivorous

Question 4

Q: Snow Leopard wild diet

Answer 4

Bharal (Blue Sheep), ibex, Marco Polo sheep, musk ox, marmot, ptarmigan, pheasant, mice, birds, hares

Question 5

Q: Snow Leopard zoo diet

Answer 5

Fortified horsemeat

Question 6

Q: Snow Leopard lifespan

Answer 6

(Wild) 10 - 13 years
(Captivity) 21 years

Question 7

Q: Snow Leopard sexual dimorphism

Answer 7

Males are about 30% larger

Question 8

Q: Snow Leopard top speed

Answer 8

40 mph

Question 9

Q: Snow Leopard length (without tail)

Answer 9

2.5 - 4.5 ft

Question 10

Q: Snow Leopard tail length

Answer 10

2-4 ft

Question 11

Q: Snow Leopard shoulder height

Answer 11

24 in

Question 12

Q: Snow Leopard weight

Answer 12

M - 100-155 lbs
F - 60-120 lbs

Question 13

Q: Snow Leopard coloration and pelt

Answer 13

Coat has soft gray shading to white on the belly.
Head and lower limbs are marked with solid black or dark brown spots.
There is a black streak along the back.
Tail is round and heavily furred and is nearly equal to body length.
Ears (pinnae) have black edging.
Belly fur is up to 5” in length.
The winter coat is overall lighter in coloration and thicker than the summer coat.
Each coat pattern is unique and is used to identify individuals (camera traps + AI software)
Coloring provides excellent camouflage in mountainous environments.

Question 14

Q: Snow Leopard adaptations for high altitude and mountains

Answer 14

Long hair with dense, wooly under-fur.
Enlarged nasal and chest cavities with strong lungs, allowing them to get enough oxygen in the high altitudes.
The nasal cavity helps them warm the cold air they breathe in and helps retain water.
Small head with short muzzle and small ears to conserve heat.
Their high red blood cell count allows more oxygen to be delivered to the muscles with each breath. *Snow Leopards do not have specially adapted blood cells to cope with thin air at higher elevations, they just breathe more deeply.
Relatively longer hind limbs and short forelimbs snow leopard’s agility in the steep and rugged environment.
The long tail is thought to aid in balance, and they often wrap their tails around themselves when resting for added warmth.
They have well-developed chest muscles for climbing and they are able to leap up to 30 - 50 ft.
Paws are well developed hairy cushions and both ideal for
-padding over snow and distributing the animal’s weight, and
-protecting the paws from hot rocks during summer heat.

Question 15

Q: Snow Leopard conservation status

Answer 15

Classified as vulnerable on IUCN Red List.
Appendix 1 of CITES.
Appendix I: species threatened with extinction. Trade in specimens of these species is permitted only in exceptional circumstances.

Question 16

Q: Main threats to Snow Leopards

Answer 16

Hunted for the illegal wildlife trade for their fur and for the demand of their bones in traditional Asian medicines.
Habitat loss and defragmentation as the land is being converted for agricultural uses.
The depletion of its natural prey by hunting or overgrazing forces them to increase their feeding on domestic animals.
Herders do not want the leopards preying upon their livestock and will often kill snow leopards even if there is no proof that the leopard killed the livestock.
Impacted by effects of global warming - when the snow line moves upward there is less vegetation available for prey animals at the higher elevations and therefore less food for the leopards.

Question 17

Q: Snow Leopard conservation efforts

Answer 17

Help local ranchers/farmers with installation of predator-proof pens for their livestock.
Two NGOs are collaborating to help herders diversify away from livestock toward beekeeping, agroecology, ecotourism and handicrafts.
Communities receive beehives and training and help with education and research of snow leopards.
Half the honey profits are invested back into the program.
Snow Leopards are part of the Felid TAG and are managed under the Species Survival Plan (SSP).
The San Francisco Zoo has a very successful breeding program for snow leopards, producing 42 snow leopards since 1958.
Note: let people know that there has never been a verified snow leopard attack on a human. Even while feeding, a snow leopard is more likely to run away than defend the site.
Research: *see camera/gps tracking card.

Question 18

Q: Snow Leopard interaction with other Snow Leopards

Answer 18

Cats are solitary (except mother with cubs).
With such rugged territories these cats depend on a range of scent markings to determine who’s in the area and their sexual status.
Feces and sprays are used to mark areas.
Loud moans are used to attract mates.
During the breeding season they hunt in pairs.

Question 19

Q: Snow Leopard vocalization

Answer 19

These (big) cats are unable to roar, but do purr and grunt.

Question 20

Q: Snow Leopard hunting strategy

Answer 20

Stalk and ambush

Question 21

Q: Snow Leopard courtship and young

Answer 21

Due to the often-harsh weather conditions that prevail, cubs are always born in the spring, with mating taking place some three months earlier in late winter.
Breeding season is from January - mid-March.
Births occur in a concealed den that has been lined with fur from the mother.
Females breed every other year.
Cubs open their eyes at 7-9 days and they become very active by 2 months.
Cubs stay with their mothers until they are over 18 months old.
Weight at birth: 320-708g (11.2 - 24.78 oz); daily average weight gain of approximately 48g (1.68 oz) per day.

Question 22

Q: Snow Leopard estrous

Answer 22

Polyestrous (can go into heat multiple times per year)

Question 23

Q: Snow Leopard sexual maturity

Answer 23

F: 2-3 yrs
M: c. 4yrs

Question 24

Q: Snow Leopard gestation

Answer 24

95 -105 days

Question 25

Q: Snow Leopard weaning age

Answer 25

2 mos

Question 26

Q: Snow Leopard # of mammae

Answer 26

2-4 pair

Question 27

Q: Snow Leopard # of young

Answer 27

2-3

Question 28

Q: Is the Snow Leopard a big cat or a small cat?

Answer 28

Still debated as to whether it should be lumped into the genus Panthera (big cats) or placed in its own genus Uncia.
It is a transitional species between the small and large cats and is more closely related to the tigers than leopards.
The snow leopard does not roar despite the partial ossification of the hyoid bone. They have a relatively small mouth and throat, leading to a petite larynx or voice box making it arduous to form the resonating chamber necessary to amplify the sound.

Question 29

Q: Other names for the Snow Leopard

Answer 29

Also known as a rock leopard or Ounce.

Question 30

Q: Snow Leopard range size

Answer 30

Home ranges can vary greatly in size.
In Nepal, where prey is abundant, a home range can be as small as 30-65 km².
In Mongolia, with sparse prey, the Snow Leopard needs over 1,000 km² to survive. That’s as large as the whole San Francisco peninsula! (about 386 sq. mi.)

Question 31

Q: Why have some scientists recently concluded that there are separate subspecies of Snow Leopard?

Answer 31

Fragmented home ranges have led to possibly several subspecies, and recent genetic assessments have led some to conclude that there are 3 distinct subspecies.

Question 32

Q: How far can a Snow Leopard jump?

Answer 32

50 ft

Question 33

Q: When was the first time a Snow Leopard was photographed in the wild?

Answer 33

1971

Question 34

Q: Interesting fact about indigenous peoples’ view of the Snow Leopard?

Answer 34

The indigenous peoples of the highlands of central and southern Asia are haunted by the Snow Leopard and consider it a “ghost animal” and believe it to have mystical powers.

Question 35

Q: How do researchers find/track snow leopards (especially given how remote/rare they are)?

Answer 35

-Remote sensor cameras, especially helpful in difficult-to-find and/or difficult-to-observe animals such as the snow leopard.
–Positioned where a snow leopard would be expected to visit.
–enable researchers to accurately establish population size, identify resident cats, or track specific individuals over extended periods of time. (see photo)
-GPS collars periodically transmit the location of the animals, providing info on snow leopard’s habitat, spatial behavior, and movement across borders. This data helps inform conservation planning for the species.

Question 36

Q: List some hooks and/or interesting points for snow leopard conversations

Answer 36

-How far can you jump? SL can jump 50 ft! …segue to other adaptations.
-How much space do you think a SL needs to survive? In Mongolia where prey is sparse, up to 1000 sq. km. / 380 sq. mi. That’s as large as the whole SF peninsula! …segue to habitat loss, fragmentation, ranching.
-Did you know the snow leopard had never been photographed before 1971?!
-Images in notebook for “can you spot the snow leopard?”

Question 37

Q: The snow leopard is resting a lot. Is that normal?

Answer 37

Snow leopards rest/sleep up to 18 hours a day!
(Source: Snow Leopard Trust)

Question 38

Q: If snow leopards live in cold snowy places, are they uncomfortable here in San Francisco?

Answer 38

Snow leopard habitats actually vary widely in temperature, from -40 F to 100 F.