Snow Leopard ( Uncia uncia )

1. Snow Leopard( Uncia uncia ) Endangered Species Brought To You By Student Sample

2. Why Its Important • The extinction of the snow leopard is extremely close. With out this species the whole food chain of Central Asia would be thrown into disarray. For centuries the snow leopard has been hunted for its valuable skin and its many other body parts. The leopard’s bones are still valued for traditional Asian medicine. Without this creature the steeps in Central Asia that they habituate would be overrun with rodents and troublesome predators and the entire fur market would suffer.

3. Evolutionary History • The complete taxonomy of the snow leopard is { Animalia, Chordata, Mammalia, Carnivora, Felidae, Panthera, uncia.} • Genetic drift may have caused the color of the coat of my species to be different. In response to their new color the leopards found a region where it suited them. • The phylogenetic tree of my species can be found by clicking here.

4. Population • In 2002 the world population, was estimated at 4,500 to 7,500. At 2009 the total population is a rough estimate of 4,080-6,590. National Geographic say the population could be as little as 3,500 in total. In reality the population is falling considerably each year. • Two thousand were thought to be in China as of 2002. In Ladakh, the estimate was less than 200. In Nepal the estimate was 350-500 in 2002. In Siberia as of 1988 there were an estimated 600. In 1989-90 the estimated Mongolian population of snow leopards was 1,000.

5. Pressures Pressures Against the Snow Leopard • Loss of it prey through people hunting the snow leopard’s prey. This is called, “prey base depletion”. • Conflict with farmers and herders who retaliate and kill the snow leopard because it attacks their livestock . • The dreaded Chinese medicine market. This really is a horrible destroyer of the big wild cats. It is like cancer is to people. It gradually destroys. It is the illegal trading in body parts. • Poaching for Chinese medicine mentioned above and the pelts (skin and fur). This is grouped under, “illegal trade”. • Poor conservation management. • Human to human conflict. The habitat of the snow leopard unfortunately is within those areas in which people are fighting each other. • In 1985 Mongolia earned more than $1m from organized hunting of the snow leopard. A single snow leopard was valued at $11,200 . • Over the period 1992-1993 in the former Soviet Union prices of snow leopard skins rose dramatically to $500-2,000 and enormous sum for local people. The demise of communism and the rise of capitalism had a very detrimental effect on the snow leopard. These answer the question, why are snow leopards endangered?

6. Future? The snow leopard may survive the 6th mass extinction. It’s possible that the animals that survive all the pressures are the strongest and they may even get to the point where they have to move even higher into the mountains. If they did the leopards would have to acclimate to the frigid temperatures and build a resistance to a scarcity of food. Also, the evolution of a more open diet would help them a lot. The ability to subsidize the all protein diet with occasional plants might help them survive.

7. What You Can Do To Help With your funding I can help this most beautiful of species. With these funds I can extend the reach of wildlife parks and hire more conservationists to aid in protecting the animals from poachers. Stricter laws will be lobbied for by the politicians we contract, for the few who try to kill this species. All of this may turn around the declining population and get this species back on track.