Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia)

[Sully]

Surprised this thread hasn't been done already. Feel free to post vids, pics, data, and anything else.

*This image is copyright of its original author

Also, can you spot the snow leopard in these pics?

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

Here is a good article on their prey preferences

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article...ne.0088349 Reply

[Dr Panthera]

Excellent article about the prey preference across its vast range.
I also liked the picture as they highlight the elusiveness of this well camouflaged specialized predator. Reply

[Sully]

@Dr Panthera couldn't have said it any better Reply

[Sully]

You've probably seen this hunt already

Reply

[Sully]

A beautiful snow leopard inspecting a camera trap in Khunjerab National Park, within the Gilgit

A curious, rare snow leopard checks out the researchers' camera trap. (Photo: Richard Bischof (Norwegian University of Life Sciences) and Muhammad Ali Nawaz (Snow Leopard Foundation Pakistan))

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

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[Sully]

Snow leopard in Russia

*This image is copyright of its original author

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[GuateGojira]

Interesting. Snow leopards are normally labeled as the most shy of the great cats, however here we see another example of the dominance of this cat. So much for the accounts of dholes vs tigers in the wild, specially when in over 50 years of scientific studies, there is not a single case of an adult tiger killed/attacked by the dholes.

Snow leopards are more powerful then we think. Reply

[Sully]

@GuateGojira good observation, and I agree. I also have an account of a snow leopard killing a 2 year old bear. Reply

[Pckts]

I have seen a Snow leopard, albeit, in a Zoo.
But that being said, they are large. He was laying on his back but I could tell that was a large fellow, probably comparable to a mastiff. Reply

[Sully]

@Pckts so have I, it seemes quite robust but not that long proportionally Reply

[Pckts]

The one I saw was surprisingly long, I was shocked at its length actually but I really needed to see him standing up to get a good idea. Reply

[Sully]

@Pckts the tail can deceive, but it was most likely the position we saw each cat at, that is the only time I've seen a snow leopard so maybe they are quite long most of the time. Reply

[Pckts]

Agreed, the tail is outrageous, its soo long.
They need it to be their "rutter" when traversing that crazy terrain they live on. Reply

[Sully]

So this is long

http://snowleopardconservancy.org/wp-con...d-size.pdf

I haven't read it all but if you want to gradually read it like I am please do Reply

[Sully]

Update, 50 pages in and it is well worth the read Reply