Snow Leopard

1. Snow Leopard By: Rahul Malhotra

2. Species profile Taxonomy: Kingdom – ANIMALIA Phylum – CHORDATA Class - MAMMALIA Order - CARNIVORA Family - FELIDAE • Scientific/common names: • Scientific Name: • Panthera uncia Common names: • English - Snow Leopard, Ounch • French - Irbis, Léopard Des Neiges, Once, Panthère Des Neiges • Spanish - Leopardo Nival, Pantera De La Nieves

3. Species profile • Geographic Range Species is found in: • restricted to high mountains of Central Asia • Including Altai, Tian Shan, Kun Lun, Pamir, Hindu Kush, Karakorum, and Himalayan ranges • based on elevation analysis, there is a estimated potential range at over 3 million km • There was evidence of snow leopard occupation in 1.83 million km • Countries which the snow leopard is located: • Native: • Afghanistan; Bhutan; China (Gansu, Nei Mongol - Presence Uncertain, Qinghai, Sichuan, Tibet [or Xizang], Xinjiang, Yunnan - Regionally Extinct); India (Himachal Pradesh, Jammu-Kashmir, Sikkim, Uttaranchal); Kazakhstan; Kyrgyzstan; Mongolia; Nepal; Pakistan; Russian Federation; Tajikistan; Uzbekistan

4. Species Profile • Habitat: • -closely associated with alpine and sub-alpine ecological zones • -steep terrain well broken by cliffs, ridges, gullies and rocky outcrops • -In Mongolia and Tibet there may have flat or rolling terrain • -In Sayan mountains of Russia and parts of Tien Shan in China, they are found in open coniferous forest • -Occur at elevations of 3000-4500 m • in northern range limit they are found at lower elevations like 900-2500 m • -Low temperatures and high aridity makes habitat among least productive range land systems in terms of graminoid biomass • Type of System: • Terrestrial

5. Species profile • Population: • The total estimate of snow leopards in the world is 4,080-6,590 • Afghanistan: 100-200? • Bhutan: 100-200? • China: 2,000-2,500 • India: 200-600 • Kazakhstan: 180-200 • Kyrgyzstan: 150-500 • Mongolia: 500-1,000 • Nepal: 300-500 • Pakistan: 200-420 • Russia: 150-200 • Tajikistan: 180-220 • Uzbekistan: 20-50 Past Decade's Trend: Low (decreasing)

6. Major Threats • Three major threats: • Poaching • habitat and prey loss • Lack of awareness, policy, and implementation Poaching: • -Poaching of Snow leopards started off as a illegal way to make a lot of money • -hunted illegally for their pelts • -Especially in Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and Russia • -used for coats and other garments • -Snow leopard's bones and other body parts were also used to make traditional Asian medicine • -Live cats sometimes captured from wild • used for private animal collection in Central Asia • -Many poachers are local people where snow leopards are located • -Live on a few dollars a day • -Poaching to them is a source of income to help them feed their families

7. Habitat and Prey lost: • started with humans expanding their livestock and leaving less food for snow leopard's prey • Humans push further into mountainous areas with livestock • this causes the Snow Leopard's habitat to be degraded and fragmented • overgrazing damages the mountain grasslands • leaves less food for the wild sheep and goats • these are the snow leopard's main prey • both legal and illegal hunting for meat and trophies is depleting prey populations • Situation also increases conflict with local people • snow leopards are most likely to kill domestic livestock • when natural prey is limited Lack of awareness, policy and implementation: • Conservation programs depend on support of local people in snow leopard area • many herders struggle to provide for their families • have a little extra time • energy to devote to protecting other species • many snow leopard range country governments are focused on economic development • providing basic services to citizens • difficult for them to make environmental protection a policy priority • Lack of money to enforce laws and protected area boundaries • difficulty of catching poachers in the snow leopard's remote and rugged habitat make effective protection • makes it more difficult to secure

9. Classification map Snow leopards Phylum is Chordata • Characteristics of Phylum Chordata include : • Bilateral symmetry • body segmentation • endoskeleton • complete digestive system • ventral heart • Closed blood system • tail at some stage of development

10. All birds, reptiles, and amphibians are also part of the Chordata phylum. • all Birds: • All birds have feathers • born out of hard-shelled eggs • feathers on a bird's wings and tail overlap • helps bird fly all reptiles • all have scaly skin • cold blooded • born on land all amphibians • born in water • breath through gills when born • develop lungs and live on land once grown up

11. Consequences Consequences if the snow leopard becomes extinct: -Without snow leopards, there would be less consumption of herbivores -this would cause a surplus in herbivores -Less carnivores would be in the food chain to consume these animals -more sheep, goats and other animals will be used for illegal uses by humans -needed to keep a balance of herbivores and carnivores in the world -Herbivores might overpopulate

12. Personal Response In my opinion, biodiversity is very important to this world and it helps keep a balance in the huge amounts of ecosystems all over the world. There are many reasons why biodiversity is important to everything around us and the entire earth. One reason is because biodiversity increases all ecosystem productivity. This includes all species in an ecosystem, no matter what size they are or how big of a role they have. Biodiversity teaches us of how different species can survive in their specific ecosystems. It helps us discover new species and teaches us new things about the world's ecosystems. Without biodiversity, many people would not have a job because many science jobs are related on researching and trying to find new information of ecosystems all around the world. Everyone can learn what is going on in their world and they can learn about how new/old species interact with their surroundings, habitat, climate, etc. Without biodiversity, many of the species living today would not be living and this would make the earth lose balance of nature. In biodiversity, many species rely on other species to survive and continue to live their lives. An example is the snow leopard. The snow leopard needs a secure place to live and they need their prey to survive. Since they are not receiving these things through biodiversity, they are becoming extinct. Humans depend on all plans and animals to live their lives. An example of that is how one quarter of all prescription medicines in he U.S. have some sort of ingredients from plants. The more diverse a ecosystem, the easier it is to get these plants. There are also direct ways humans benefit from biodiversity through a diverse ecosystem. These include plants, clean water/air, and provides oxygen. There are many more ways biodiversity can help humans. One way is for plants to absorb greenhouse gases and help stop/stabilize global warming. Lastly, biodiversity is beautiful so it should be enjoyed. That is why I think biodiversity is important.

13. Stop the illegal poaching! Save the Habitat! HELP SAVE THE SNOW LEOPARD NOW AT http://www.snowleopard.org/ Save a snow leopard and save the balance of all animals around the world. Create Awareness! Donate now and save hundreds of snow leopards lives today! Without them the balance of all animals around the world will not be in place.

14. WORK CITED The classification of living things . (n.d.). faculty.weber.edu. Retrieved April 6, 2003, from faculty.weber.edu/bdattilo/fossils/notes/classification.html Animal diversity web. University of Michigan : University Of Michigan, Museum Of Zoology, 1995. Print. Key Facts on Biodiversity . (n.d.). UN Inter-Agency Affairs. Retrieved October 17, 2011, from http://www.nyo.unep.org/action/10f.htm Jackson, R., Mallon, D., McCarthy, T., Chundaway, R.A. & Habib, B. 2008. Panthera uncia. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. From Version 2011.1. www.iucnredlist.org Threats — Snow Leopard Trust . (n.d.). Saving Snow Leopards for 30 Years — Snow Leopard Trust . Retrieved October 17, 2011, from http://www.snowleopard.org/catfactsclassroom/catfacts/threats Prey — Snow Leopard Trust . (n.d.).Saving Snow Leopards for 30 Years — Snow Leopard Trust . Retrieved October 18, 2011, from http://www.snowleopard.org/catfactsclassroom/catfacts/prey Snow Leopards, Snow Leopard Pictures, Snow Leopard Facts - National Geographic. (n.d.). Animals - Animal Pictures - Wild Animal Facts - Nat Geo Wild - National Geographic. Retrieved October 18, 2011, from http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/snow-leopard/ Snow Leopard,Snow Leopard Animal,Snow Leopard Wild Animal. (n.d.). Indian Tiger, Indian Tiger Welfare Society (ITWS), Tigers in India, Tiger Animal, Save Tigers. Retrieved October 20, 2011, from http://www.indiantiger.org/wild-cats/snow-leopard.html Animal Kingdom Class Definitions, Mammal, Reptile, Amphibian, Bird, Fish, Insect, Arachnid, Facts, Information, About, News. (n.d.). Animal Pictures, Wildlife Photography, Nature Photos, Stock Photography, High Resolution, Stock Photos, Pictures, Bug, Insect, High Res, High Rez, Photography, Pics, Pix. Retrieved October 20, 2011, from http://www.critterzone.com/magazineresource/animal-kingdom-class-definitions.htm