Sci-Five | The Hindu Science Quiz: On Snow Leopards

Snow Leopard also called Panthera uncia is a big cat in the genus Panthera native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia.

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Snow leopards are sometimes called the “ghost of the mountains” because of their elusive nature. In addition to being very shy, the colouring of their coats makes them difficult to see against the snowy, rocky environment they live in. They are also solitary creatures and are very rarely spotted in pairs or groups.

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Snow leopards are most active at dawn and dusk, which is called a “crepuscular activity pattern” by scientists.

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Gifted with an unusually long tail, a snow leopard’s tail can grow to be 80-105cm long, which is thought to help with balance, as well as wrap around its body for added warmth.

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Like most leopards, snow leopards have spots which are called rosettes. These spots are unique to each snow leopard like fingerprints and help scientists and conservationists identify individual leopards.

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