On the Brink extinction 30: Snow Leopard

 

BEST SEEN AT: Hemis National Park, Ladakh
STATUS: Schedule I/Endangered
GOOD TO KNOW: Snow leopards can leap well over 30 feet in a single bound

 

 SO ELUSIVE is this cat, so perfect its camouflage, so lofty its realm that much about the snow leopard remains a mystery, including its population. Estimates suggest that 3,500 to 6,000 remain across two million sq miles in 12 countries – including India, which has, at best, about 600. The snow leopard is sparsely distributed through its habitat and is usually found above the tree-line cover of 3,000 metres. It massive paws, thick coat and enlarged nasal cavity allow the cat to survive in temperatures as low as 40 degrees celsius. The long furry tail provides insulation – the leopard curls it around its body for warmth and uses it for balance. Local legend has it that female leopards cast their tails over cliffs to help her young climb up. This leopard is an opportunistic predator which can prey on a yak 10 times its size or on tiny marmots and hares. It is the top predator of the alpine realm and its presence is an indicator of the health of the eco-system. But it’s an imperiled cat today, pushed to the brink by degraded, fragmented habitats, loss of prey and poachers who covet its pelt.

 

From Tehelka Magazine, Vol 6, Issue 32, Dated

August 15, 2009

 

URL: http://www.tehelka.com/story_main42.asp?filename=hub150809extinction.asp