Threatened species of Uncia uncia
Name(s):
Threatened species of snow leopard
Nature
Snow leopards are hunted to satisfy illegal demand for their pelts. It is estimated that over one dozen are taken every winter. A snow leopard coat can fetch US$20,000 in the black market. Very little is known about the ecology of these animals.
Background
The least known of all the big cats, the snow leopard lives high in the mountains of central Asia. These solitary cats prowl craggy mountain slopes just below the tree line, relying on their heavy coat to protect them from the severe Himalayan winters. The average male is 4 to 5 feet in length, with a tail as long as 3 feet. Snow leopards hunt in the mornings and evenings, but are active all day. They hunt animals varied in size from small mice to large sheep that may take them a week to eat. Snow leopards are uncommon and rarely seen in their extreme habitats.
Other language names for the snow leopard include: French [panthère des nieges], [léopard des neiges], [once] or [ounce]; German [Schneeleopard], [Irbis]; Spanish [leopardo nival], [pantera], [de las nieves]; Chinese [xue bao]; Hindi, Urdu [bharal he], [barfani chita] Dari [palang-i-berfy]; Ladakhi [shan]; Nepali [hiun chituwa]; Pakistani [Ikar]; Russian [snezhnai bars]; Mongolia, central Asia [irbis, irvis]; Tibetan [sarken]; Bhutanese [chen].
Incidence
By 1970 the snow leopard had already become rare due to hunting for fur and as a trophy, persecution as a livestock predator, and loss of prey. Currently, it has a fragmented distribution, consisting of a mix of long narrow mountain systems and islands of montane habitat scattered throughout a vast region surrounding the central Asian deserts and plateaus. An estimated 4,000 to 7,000 snow leopards remain in 12 countries across central Asia.
[Uncia uncia] is considered as "Endangered" by the IUCN Red List. CITES lists the species as "Appendix 1".
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(S) Suspect problems