SNOW LEOPARD  
Panthera uncia

The Snow Leopard is an endangered large cat native to the mountain ranges of central and southern Asia. Along with the Clouded Leopard, this beautiful cat represents an intermediate between so-called "Big Cats" and the smaller wild cat species. Snow leopards do not roar, yet they have the cartilaginous hyoid which allows the big cats to roar. The Snow Leopard is well known for its gorgeous fur. It has a whitish-tan coat with ringed spots of dark, ashy-brown and rosettes of black. The fur of this cat turns white in the winter. Snow leopards have an exceptionally long tail which becomes even heavier with fur in the winter so that the Snow Leopard will use its tail to cover and warm its mouth and nose in extreme cold. The Snow Leopard has enormous paws which can act like snowshoes; their paws are also covered with fur for protection against snow and cold conditions. At this writing, the total estimated population of the Snow Leopard in the wild is between 4,000 and 7,500 individual cats, plus there are between 600-700 animals in zoos worldwide.

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