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=**Snow Leopard**=

Diet
Snow Leopards usually eat sheep and goats, but it also eats small animals like rodents, hares, and game birds. They're also known for eating livestock like horses, sheep, yaks, and goats. They usually eat livestock during the winter, due to food shortage. However, they also eat certain types grasses, twigs, and other vegetation. When the snow leopard eats, it usually takes around 3 - 4 days to consume an animal. The snow leopard defends the dead animal, since it is the snow leopards meal, from scavengers like vultures and ravens. Snow leopards usually hunt big animals around every 8 -10 days.

**Reproduction**
The mating season for the snow leopard is usually around January to the middle of March. Around this time, both male and female leopards will be seen hunting together. The female usually mates around the end of the winter. The female makes a nest after mating with a male for the cubs. The female gives birth to about 2 - 4 cubs. The gestation period is 3 to 3 and a half months, or 93 - 110 days. When the female gives birth, it usually is in a rocky den.

Habitat
Snow leopards usually live in the Himalayas, Russia, and Mongolia. In the Himalayas they are 3,000 - 5,400 meters above sea level, while in Russia and Mongolia, they are in lower altitudes of 1,000 meters. Around where they are is very cold and only a few shrubs grow. Terrains, cliffs, rocky outcrops, and ravines is the snow leopards' preferred area. Snow leopards like being in those habitats since it provides cover, and clear views, so they can stalk on their prey. Snow leopards usually have a large home range from other snow leopards, prey is sometimes scarce. It is usually over 1,000 km, but even so, they aren't as territorial as other animals.

**Features**
Snow Leopards are around 2 feet and 6 millimeters high up to the shoulders. Their length is about 6 - 7.5 feet, which includes their 40 inch tail. They usually weigh up to about 77 - 120 Ibs, or 35 - 55 kg. The females are usually 30% smaller than males. The lifespan of the snow leopard is hard to determine due to the fact of their harsh habitat they live in. However it is said that they usually live up to around 21 years old when they are held in captivity.

**Threats**
The snow leopard is endangered it's listed on the IUCN red list of threatened species as globally endangered.


 * Poaching**

Snow Leopards are know for their beautiful fur, which are highly valued in Central Asia. Apparently in Asia, their bones are part of a traditional medicine. Sometimes, other people just catch for their own uses and add them to "collections."


 * Loss of Habitat and Prey**

Since farmers live around the area snow leopards live in, the livestock usually eats wild grass. This makes it harder for the snow leopards prey to eat grass, so wild goats and sheep numbers are reduced. Hunters also target the snow leopards' usual prey.


 * Mining**

Mining activities usually involve dangerous chemicals so they can blow up an area and get more minerals easier. This usually is dangerous to the snow leopard and it's prey, forcing them to migrate to another area.


 * ​Groups that are helping snow leopards**

Snow leopard trust is an organization that is trying to help snow leopards. They are trying to persuade people into donating, adopting, and help the snow leopards. Snow Leopard Conservancy are pulling people together to help the snow leopards.


 * What you can do to help the snow leopards**

You can donate money to various organizations that are trying to help the snow leopards. You can also adopt some to help them. You can join organizations and start fundraisers to help them.

media type="custom" key="23063340" =Bibliography=

http://www.defenders.org/snow-leopard/basic-facts http://www.snowleopard.org/learn/cat-facts/prey http://www.felineconservation.org/fcf/snow_leopard_key_statistics.htm http://www.snowleopard.org/learn/cat-facts/habitat http://www.snowleopard.org/learn/cat-facts/threats-and-protections