Snow Leopard

Panthera uncia

Range

• Central Asia

Habitat

• Mountains

Diet

• Wild sheep
• Goats
• Pikas
• Hares
• Game birds

Snow leopards are specially adapted for mountain life:

• Cat Tales: During cold winter nights, snow leopards wrap their thick, furry tail around their body to stay warm while sleeping — like a scarf. Their long tail also helps them balance while moving over steep ground or springing on prey.
• High Jump: In their rugged homeland of the Himalayas, snow leopards must be extremely agile. They are excellent jumpers — able to leap about 30-50 feet horizontally, or enough to clear a four-lane highway. As if that were not enough, they could leap over a two-story building, or 10-20 feet vertically, in a single bound.
• Fluffy Feet: Even snow leopards’ feet are made for cold, with large paws that work like snowshoes keeping snow leopards from sinking into the snow. Their paws are furred, with hair between the toes, which insulates them against the cold during harsh mountainous winters.

Stop by the Hardesty Snow Leopard Habitat in Lost Kingdom to learn more.