Snow Leopard

Snow leopard is a moderately large mountain cat which occupies higher reaches of Himalayas between 3,350 and 6,700 metres above sea level.  They have long thick fur and their colour varies from smoky grey to yellowish tan with whitish under parts. They have dark grey to black open rosettes on their body. The snow leopard cannot roar and their vocalization includes hisses, chuffing, mews, growls, and wailing. They prey mainly on mountain ungulates such as blue sheep, Himalayan Tahr and Goral but also feed on birds, rodents and similar small animals. The Meadows that their main prey base (mountain ungulates) feed on is also visited by shepherds with their cattle, resulting in less food availability for wild ungulates. The main threats they face is decline in prey base, conflict with humans and poaching.

Snow leopard listed as endangered on the IUCN Red list of threatened species.