Animals snow leopards 6. While snow leopards are protected over part of their range hunting and poaching pose a major threat to their survival. These unique creatures are in decline and listed as vulnerable by the iucn red list. The magnificent snow leopard is native to northern and central asia and can be found in china russia afghanistan and several other countries. It is estimated that there are fewer than 10000 adult snow leopards left in the wild and their population decrease has been attributed mainly to poaching.
Over 60 of the worlds snow leopards live in china. In the wild snow leopards are typically only seen together during mating season or when a female has cubs. It stands about 06 metre 2 feet high at the shoulder and weighs 2341 kg 5090 pounds. Though these powerful predators can kill animals three times their weight they also eat smaller fare such as marmots hares and game birds.
Snow leopards are solitary animals so even though raj is the only snow leopard at binder park zoo he is not lonely. It hunts at night and preys on various animals such as marmots wild sheep ibex capra and domestic livestock. Snow leopards prey upon the blue sheep bharal of tibet and the himalaya as well as the mountain ibex found over most of the rest of their range. One of the saddest snow leopard facts is that this beautiful feline is an endangered species.
The snow leopard is hunted for its fur and body parts and killed to protect livestock.