Scientific Name -- Uncia uncia/Panthera uncial
Approx. Size -- 7 ft. long, 165 lb.
Diet -- Ibex, bharal, markhor, urial, boars, marmots, hares, game birds, small rodents

Despite the name, the snow leopard is actually more closely related to the cheetah, sharing the latter's round skull, long legs, and large, counter-balancing tail. Recognizable by its beautiful dusty gray coat that turns white in winter, the snow leopard is in fact an intermediate between the "big cats" and smaller species. Its lack of a cartilaginous hyoid apparatus proves this, as it prevents the snow leopard from being able to roar, a defining trait of lions, tigers, leopards, and jaguars.

The snow leopard lives in the mountainous regions of Asia, in Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, and Russia, as well as in other nations. During the summer, the snow leopard lives above the tree line at altitudes up to an astonishing 18,000 feet. Its long tail helps to stabilize its movement along rugged and rocky mountain terrain. When winter begins, the leopard descends to an altitude of about 2,000 feet to hunt for prey in the snow-draped forests. The leopard's large paws act like snowshoes on the fallen snow, displacing the weight and allowing the cat to move quickly through the trees. It can also use its tail as a covering with which it can warm its face or paws.