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Snow Panther |
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He is a wild animal |
Origin |
Mongolia, western China (in the provinces of Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan, Tibet, Xinjiang and Yunnan), Nepal, Bhutan, northern India (in the states of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Sikkim and Uttarakhand), Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Russia | |
Translation |
Francis Vandersteen |
| The possession of this animal is not authorized Royal Decree establishing the list of mammals not kept for production purposes that may be kept (M.B. 24.08.2009) |
| The Snow Panther (Panthera uncia), also known as the Snow Leopard, Once or Irbis, is a feline in the Pantherinae subfamily. It is now part of the Panthera genus. It is a medium-sized feline with short legs, wide paws and a long tail that accounts for almost half its total length. The face is broad and round, with short, rounded ears. The coat is pale gray to yellow-gray, studded with solid patches and rosettes. The coat is pale gray to yellow-gray, with an off-white belly and neck. The spots and rosettes are unique to each animal. Identification methods based on the spots on the forehead have been developed. The very long, thick coat is renewed twice a year. In winter, the coat measures five centimeters long on the body and up to twelve centimeters on the belly and tail. The face and neck are dotted with small, round spots. Dark gray rosettes and round spots dot the back, flanks and legs. On the tail, the rosettes become rings as they approach the tip. Two horizontal stripes mark the back from nape to tail. The pattern and color of the Snow Panther's coat provide effective camouflage in the rocky, snow-covered mountains that make up its habitat. Cubs are born with darker fur and large black spots on their backs and flanks, which become rosettes as they grow. The Snow Panther mainly hunts ungulates, notably the Greater Bharal, but also small mammals and birds. For a feline, plants form an important part of its diet. It occupies vast territories, covering restricted areas for seven to ten days before moving on to another area. This is one of the few felines to have a marked peak in births, in May. Litters, averaging two kittens, are raised by the mother until around 18 to 22 months. The Snow Panther is strongly associated with mountain habitats, with a preference for steep, rocky ravines. It is found in the high mountain valleys of Central Asia, Central Siberia and the Altai, up to an altitude of 5,500 m. It is listed as a "vulnerable species" on the IUCN Red List. The wild population is estimated at between 4,500 and 8,700 individuals. It is still poached for its fur and bones, and killed in retaliation when it attacks domestic animals. Conservation associations help shepherds build protective enclosures if they agree not to kill predators. The Snow Panther is a feline whose character is considered particularly peaceful and calm, both in captivity and in the wild. In captivity, several testimonials describe it as very docile, bonded to its keeper and as the gentlest of the large carnivores. In the wild, Snow Leopard attacks on humans are extremely rare. Two cases have been recorded. On July 12, 1940, in the Maloalmaatinsk Gorge near Almaty, an enraged Snow Panther seriously injured two men by attacking them during the day. The second recorded case, again near Almaty, is an attempted attack on a passer-by in winter by a very old, toothless and emaciated individual. When attacking livestock, the Snow Panther easily abandons its prey, even when only protected by a child armed with a stick. Scientists have collected several reports of the panther failing to defend itself in confrontations with humans, even resulting in the cat's death. One Soviet account tells of a shepherd who caught a Snow Panther by the tail while eating in his sheepfold, dragged it outside and then stoned it with the help of other villagers without the carnivore fighting back. According to Helen Freeman of the Snow Leopard Trust, this gentle behavior may be correlated with the very rare contact between humans and Snow Leopards, whose instincts do not alert them to danger. The Snow Leopard is active both day and night, although its peak hours are early in the morning and late at night. In areas relatively undisturbed by human activity, it is more active during the day, while in more urbanized areas, particularly where it preys on livestock, it hunts by night and very discreetly. The Snow Leopard follows the seasonal movements of its prey: it moves down into the valleys and coniferous forests in winter, and up into the mountains in summer. It makes its home in a rock crevice and seems to remain faithful to its usual shelters. To get around in the snow, the Snow Leopard prefers to use existing tracks, such as those left by wild or domestic animals, or even by humans, as one scientist reported a Snow Leopard following the tracks left by his skis. The Snow Leopard can travel in very deep snow, up to 85 cm. In the Tien Shan region, researchers followed a ten-kilometre trail where the snow was so deep that the paw prints sank 43 cm and the feline's belly left a furrow. To cover its territory, the Snow Leopard prefers steep slopes, ravines and river gorges. It avoids wide-open spaces wherever possible. In Mongolia's Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park, a young male released in the steppe covered between thirty and forty kilometers, probably in a single night, to reach a more mountainous area. In areas where plateaus and plains are more common, the scientific community suggests that lower relief, such as hills or small mountains 20 to 65 km away, serve as a corridor to reach the mountain ranges preferred by the Snow Leopard. Apart from the female accompanied by her cubs, the Snow Leopard is a solitary cat. Young from the same sibling may briefly stay together after leaving their mother. The Snow Panther mainly hunts ungulates such as the Great Bharal (Pseudois nayaur), Siberian Ibex (Capra sibirica), Markhor (Capra falconeri), Urial (Ovis vignei) and Argali (Ovis ammon). Cattle make up a significant proportion of the diet, depending on the region. It also hunts smaller mammals such as the Himalayan Marmot (Marmota himalayana), musk deer and pikas, and birds such as the Chukar Partridge, pheasants and grouse. Carrion is also part of the diet. Vegetables form an important part of the diet. |
English (United Kingdom)