Snow Leopard Uncia uncia
The snow leopard (Uncia uncia) is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of South Asia and Central Asia. Snow leopards live between 3,000 and 5,500 meters (9,800 and 18,000 ft) above sea level in the rocky mountain ranges of Central Asia. Their secretive nature means that their exact numbers are unknown, but it has been estimated that between 3,500 and 7,000 snow leopards exist in the wild. Snow leopards show several adaptations for living in a cold mountainous environment. Their bodies are stocky, their fur is thick, and their ears are small and rounded, all of which help to minimize heat loss. Their paws are wide, which distributes their weight better for walking on snow, and have fur on their undersides to increase their grip on steep and unstable surfaces; it also helps to minimize heat loss.
Size: 5200px × 3467px
Location: Montana USA
Photo credit: © Anaspides Photography - Iain D. Williams / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: carnivore, cats, endangered, felidae, iucn, leopard, list, mammals, pantherinae, predator, red, snow, uncia
