Decreasing Population of Snow Leopards

The Snow Leopard’s population is decreasing, quickly. Snow Leopards are categorized, as endangered, on the IUCN scale since the last count in 2008. I fear if we don’t do something, quick, they could fall to critically endangered. With only 5000-7000 snow leopards left in the wild, and with around 600-700 snow leopards in captive. Even worse, only 2500-3500 can reproduce. For the last 20 years they have been placed, as endangered, on the IUCN scale, even after multiple counting. The IUCN, is a group that evaluate the number, of each plant and animal, species. How the chart works, is quite simple, it goes from left to right. The first category of the chart is “Not Evaluated” that means the IUCN does not have enough data. After that is least concern that means they are well populated Snow leopards, are very elusive figures and the, exact, number is unknown.

Humans hunt the Snow Leopard for their luxurious pelt. Humans, also, hunt the Snow Leopard for their bones and organs, for medical reasons. Another, threat is the loss of food, especially in the winter when the animals are hibernating, and that can drive the snow leopards to the farmers livestock and of course there reaction to the leopard is killing/severely hurting the poor creature. But, as little as I like to admit it they do have a reason why, most of those farmers depend on their livestock to feed their household. One of the more rare threat is mining, the miners use toxic chemicals to mine and that can get in the snow leopards drink water which will slowly kill them.

One of the most interesting facts I learned, was that the snow leopard can jump up to 15 meters. They use that skill when hunting because of the rocky terrain. First they find an animal, from their ...

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...through 12 countries

High mountains in asia, which runs through 12 countries Most snow leopards actually will run away unless you attack or threat them. But if they have cubs they will be more vicious.

Dusk and dawn

Works Cited

http://worldwildlife.org/species/snow-leopard

http://www.snowleopard.org/learn/cat-facts/prey

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/595280/Tien-Shan/47931/Animal-life

©2014 Encyclopaedia Britannica, inc

http://www.iucnredlist.org/search

http://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/snow-leopard

snow leopard" World Book Online InfoFinder. World Book, 2014. Web. 21 Mar. 2014.

http://www.defenders.org/snow-leopard/basic-facts

http://snowleopardconservancy.org/kids/text/ideas.htm

http://traveltips.usatoday.com/climate-central-asia-59757.html

http://snowleopardblog.com/about/snow-leopard-experts/