International Snow Leopard Day has been observed on October 23 each year since 2013. Six years ago, 12 Asian countries including China signed a declaration to protect the rare big cat, and set up the day as a celebration for the species.
Happy International Snow Leopard Day! /VCG Photo
The snow leopard is honored as "king of snow mountains." It inhabits mountainous zones at elevations from 3,000 to 4,500 meters, ranging from eastern Afghanistan to Mongolia and western China.
King of snow mountains. /VCG Photo
Living in such habitats of high elevation and low temperatures is not easy. The snow leopard has some advantages to better adapt to the environment:
We are not fat, just fluffy! The snow leopard's hair can be 5-12 centimeters, forming a warm fur coat. /VCG Photo
The thick fur coat keeps it warm in coldest areas. The pale grey color helps it camouflage. The broad paws enable it to walk on snow as deep as 85 centimeters. Small round ears reduce the heat loss. Furthermore, the leopard has the coolest tail of all cats: Almost as long as its body. The long flexible tail helps it keep balance when jumping between rocks and chasing prey. It even functions as a warm blanket when the big cat sleeps.
The powerful hunter prefers bigger prey. /VCG Photo
The snow leopard is a solitary hunter. It feeds on wild goat, blue sheep, argali and other big prey. Sometimes it attacks herdsmen's livestock, but this rarely happens.
The beautiful big cat doesn't pose a significant harm to humans. /VCG Photo
In fact, the snow leopard may be the least aggressive cat to humans as it never has been reported to have attacked a human. The shy cat easily abandon their kills when threatened, and may not even defend themselves. Tragically, it still get killed by herdsmen in defense of their livestock.
Despite its size, the snow leopard is one of the shiest cats. /VCG Photo
Other threats include poaching and habitat loss. Due to climate change, the snow line moves up and shrinks the snow leopard's habitat area. The species is listed as "vulnerable" by IUCN, with a small and decreasing population of 2,710-3,386 individuals.
The snow leopard is as rare as the tiger. /VCG Photo
In the 2013 Bishkek Declaration, 12 countries with snow leopard distribution acknowledge that "the snow leopard is an irreplaceable symbol of our nations' natural and cultural heritage, and an indicator of the health and sustainability of mountain ecosystems." As one of the snow leopard range countries, China has taken multiple measures to protect the beautiful big cat.
(Cover image via VCG)
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