SNOW LEOPARD
(Far Eastern Leopard, Bornean Clouded Leopard)
Revisited
No.85 Issue 8/2011
Title
WWF Priority Species! Snow Leopard
Photos
Steve Winter
Snow Leopard
(Far Eastern Leopard, Bornean Clouded Leopard) An expert at navigating the steep and rocky alpine regions of Central Asia, the snow leopard is recognisable by its long tail and almostwhite coat, spotted with large black rosettes. There are up to 6,000 snow leopards in the wild across 12 countries, but their numbers are gradually declining, caused by hunting and habitat loss, among other reasons. Much of the population decline is attributed to hunting for the much-coveted fur and for bones, which are used in Chinese medicines.
An expert at navigating the steep and rocky alpine regions of Central Asia, the snow leopard is recognisable by its long tail and almost-white coat, spotted with large black rosettes. There are up to 6,000 snow leopards in the wild across 12 countries, but their numbers are gradually declining, caused by hunting and habitat loss among other reasons. Much of the population decline is attributed to hunting for the much-coveted fur and for bones, which are used in Chinese medicines.