Transcript tara`s snow leopard

Snow Leopards
By Tara Phillips
Structural Adaptations
One structural adaptation of the snow leopard is its wide
feet. This is an important adaptation because their wide
feet keep the snow leopard from sinking into the snow.
Their feet’s padding protects them from sharp rocks.
A second structural adaptation is their thick fur. This is an
important adaptation because the long hair and thick
undercoat of wooly fur keeps the snow leopard warm.
A third structural adaptation is the snow leopards’
off-white fur. This is an important adaptation because
their off-white fur helps them blend into the snowy
surroundings and hide from hunters. It also helps them
stalk prey unseen.
• A fourth structural adaptation is the snow leopards’
long tails. This is an important adaptation because the
snow leopards wrap their tail around their bodies to
keep warm, and they also wrap their tails around their
faces so their nose doesn’t get frostbite. Their tails are
also used to help the snow leopards keep their
balance.
• A fifth structural adaptation is their large chests and
strong lungs. This is an important adaptation because it
helps the snow leopard breathe in the thin mountain
air. It lets them get the oxygen they need.
Behavioral Adaptations
• One behavioral adaptation of the snow leopard is
that it can quietly sneak up on their prey without
being heard. This is an important adaptation
because they can catch prey more easily if it
doesn’t expect them.
• A second behavioral adaptation is that the snow
leopard lives alone. This is an important
adaptation because it will make it harder for
hunters to find and kill the snow leopards if they
all live in different places.
• A third behavioral adaptation is the snow leopard
wrapping its tail around its face. This is an
important adaptation because if a snow leopard
wraps its tail around their face, their nose won’t
get frostbite.
• A fourth adaptation is in winter, the snow
leopards move down the mountain. This is an
important adaptation because they have to
follow the other animals down the mountain so
they can hunt the animals down and eat them.
Habitat
• The snow leopard lives in the mountains of
Central Asia.
• It lives in the countries of Central Asia including
China.
• The snow leopards are at home in steep rocky
places because it provides good cover and clear
views to help them sneak up on their prey.
• As they move about their home ranges, the cats
often travel along ridgelines and cliff bases, and
choose bedding sites near cliffs or ridges with
good views over the surrounding terrain.
Diet
• The snow leopard is a carnivore and typically
eats wild sheep and goats.
• It also eats hares, game birds, and marmots.
• Snow leopards will occasionally eat animals
three times their size.
• Snow leopards will sometimes eat grass and
twigs if there aren’t a lot of other animals
around.
• A food chain that the snow leopard could be a
member of is:
•
sun to
grass to
•
grass
wild sheep
•
wild sheep to snow leopard
Resources
• Snow Leopards: Hunters of the Snow and Ice
by Elaine Landau
• Snow Leopard Fact Sheet (on internet)
Fun Facts
• Unlike other big cats, snow leopards do not roar.
• Each leopard has its own pattern of spots. It is like a
fingerprint. No two patterns are the same.
• Snow leopards are the least aggressive of all big cats.
There are no known attacks by sow leopards on
humans.
• A snow leopard often wraps its tail around its face. This
protects its nose from frostbite.
• These cats can live for about twenty-one years in zoos.
No one is sure how long they can live in the wild.
• There are about six hundred of these cats in zoos
today.
Thank You
• I hope you learned a lot about snow leopards
from my report!