Snow leopards love hunting blue sheep, also called bharal — these wild sheep are one of their favorite meals!
Snow Leopards - Facts for Kids
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Facts About Snow Leopards For Kids
Snow leopards are super strong hunters — they sometimes take down animals that are three times heavier than themselves!
Snow leopards gobble up all kinds of prey — from large wild sheep to smaller animals like birds, rabbits, marmots, and even rodents!
Snow leopards usually hunt a big animal about every 8 to 10 days — then they hang near the kill and eat from it over several days.
Snow leopards sometimes leave part of a kill out in the snow, which keeps it cold and slows down spoilage — this lets them eat from the same prey over several days, even when the meat is frozen!
Snow leopards are amazing hunters, but only about 1 in 10 hunts end with a meal. Their steep, rocky mountain homes make hunting tricky, and their prey are quick and agile.
Snow leopards usually eat for 3–4 days from a single large prey animal!
Snow leopards have big, strong teeth that help them chew tough meat, even when it’s frozen in the cold mountains.
Conservation & Population
Snow leopards are listed as “Vulnerable” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List!
Snow leopard population has declined by 20% in the past 20 years!
Climate change is causing snow leopards to lose their mountain habitat as the tree line moves higher!
Scientists use special cameras that take pictures when animals walk by to study snow leopards!
Snow leopards face threats from poaching, conflict with humans, and loss of prey animals!
Additional Fun Facts
Snow leopards can’t purr like house cats, but they can make a special sound called a chuff!
Their scientific name “Panthera uncia” for the snow leopard comes from the Old French word “once,” meaning lynx!
Snow leopards have longer hind legs than front legs, which helps them jump so far!
Snow leopards have exceptional night vision, enabling them to see in low-light conditions far better than humans.
