also called ounce long-haired cat, family Felidae,
grouped with the lion, tiger, and others as one of the big,
or roaring, cats. The snow leopard inhabits the mountains
of central Asia and the Indian subcontinent,ranging from an
elevation of about 1,800 metres (about 6,000 feet) in the
winter to about 5,500 metres (18,000 feet) in the summer.
Its soft coat,consisting of a dense, insulating undercoat
and a thick outercoat of hairs about 5 cm (2 inches) long,
is pale grayish with dark rosettes and a dark streak along
the spine. The underparts, on which the fur may be 10 cm
(4 inches) long, are uniformly whitish. The snow leopard
attains a length of about 2.1 metre (7 feet) including the
0.9-metre- (3-foot-) long tail; it stands about 0.6 metre
(2 feet) high at the shoulder and weighs 23–41 kg
(50–90 pounds). It hunts at night and preys on various
animals,such as marmots, wild sheep, and domestic livestock.
Its litters of two to four young are born after a gestation
period of approximately 93 days.
The snow leopard has often been placed, with the other big
cats,in the genus Panthera. Because of certain of its
skeletal features, it has also been separated by some
authorities as the sole member of the genus Uncia. The snow
leopard is listed as an endangered species in the Red Data
Book.
also called mountain lion, cougar, panther (eastern U.S.) ,
or catamount (archaic) large brownish New World cat
comparable in size to the jaguar—the only other large
cat of the Western Hemisphere. The puma has the widest
distribution of any New World mammal, with a range
extending from southeastern Alaska to southern Argentina
and Chile. Pumas live in a variety of habitats, including
desert scrub, chaparral, swamps, and forests, but they
avoid agricultural areas, flatlands, and other habitats
lacking cover (vegetative or topographic).
Pumas living near the Equator are generally smaller than
those living farther north and south. Males in North America
average 62 kg (136 pounds), but rare individuals can exceed
100 kg; length is about 1.2 metres (4 feet), excluding the
0.75-metre (2.5-foot) tail. Females are somewhat shorter
and average about 42 kg. The specific name concolor
(“of one colour”) refers to the puma's fur, which is
uniformly brown on the back, sides, limbs, and tail. The shade
of brown varies geographically and seasonally from gray to
reddish brown, and some black pumas have been reported; facial
colour patterns are also variable. The underside is lighter.
The long tail is commonly tipped with black and usually held
close to the ground when the puma is walking.
