WINSTON WEEKLY©^[1]

January 26, 2025

Vol. 3, No. 4

SENSATIONAL SNOW LEOPARDS[2]

As this month’s “snow theme” ends, my thoughts turn to the sensational snow leopard. Only once did I have an opportunity to see one, and that was with my late mother. She and I traveled often from as early as I can recall until well into my teens for horse shows and training, although she always included experiences outside our normal routine. My encounter with a snow leopard was one such experience. Although my mother yearned to show me more zoo animals, she yielded to my fascination with an agile and mysterious snow leopard. After the visit, l incessantly asked my mother about snow leopards, wrote about snow leopards, and dreamt about snow leopards. As with many childhood obsessions, the snow leopard obsession eventually ended, but that day at the zoo remains a vivid memory.

Today one can celebrate World Snow Leopard Day, whether at Memphis Zoo’s Cat Country or in numerous other areas. Approximately 7,000 live in the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia, with China home to the largest population. Unlike other big cats, snow leopards cannot roar because of their narrow larynx and throat. They instead purr, chuff”, hiss, or growl. Their sounds provide an essential bond between mothers and cubs, with a litter typically between two to three cubs. Newborn cubs are adorably fluffy and small, often not larger than a pound of butter. They spend their first two months in a den and remain with their mothers for up to two years. Their adult weight varies between 50-120 pounds, with a lifespan of 15-18 years in the wild and up to 22 years in captivity. They can jump up to fifty feet in the air.

More closely related to lions than leopards, they are known as the “ghost of the mountain.” They prefer to sleep on broken rocks or cliffs that allow them to see over the terrain. They are most active at dusk and dawn and sleep up to 18 hours daily. Their paws serve as natural snowshoes.

THIS WEEK’S ACTIVITY

Explore how snow leopards are more closely related to lions, and how their time in captivity differs from their natural habitats. See if you can find the country that hosted the Inaugural Snow Leopard Forum in 2013, and why the country hosted the Forum.

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[1] A Sunday newsletter and blog by Alysen Bayles to be shared with the appropriate attribute.

[2] Resources: 10 Fun Facts About Snow Leopards, www.ultimatekiliminjaro.com; Snow Leopard Trust, www.snowleopard.org; Tyler Graddy, Snow Leopard-This Incredible Planet, 2022, Dylanna Publishing.