International Snow Leopard Day
This endangered species is commemorated on October 23rd, International Snow Leopard Day. It's also a day to learn more about the snow leopard and how to protect this elusive creature..
Despite being called snow leopards, these big cats are more closely related to a tiger than a leopard. Snow leopards live in alpine areas that are 18,000 feet in elevation, most in the Himalayas. The highest number of snow leopards in China and Mongolia are found in China and Mongolia. They also live in Nepal, India, Pakistan, Pakistan, and Russia.
These cats are named snow leopard because they are adapted well to the snow and cold. Their wide fur-covered feet act as natural snowshoes. Since few people get to see them, snow leopards are often referred to as "ghosts of the mountains." One reason for this is that they usually come out at dusk and dawn when it's still dark. Snow leopards are also well camouflaged, making them difficult to detect.
Snow leopard facts
- Their long hair is grey and yellow-tinged
- To stay warm, they have long, thick tails that they wrap around themselves
- They meow, yowl, or blow through their nose with their mouth closed, rather than roaring
- They can fly over 25 miles per night in one night
- They can leap nearly 30 feet, six times their body length
- These big cats have pale grey or greenish eyes. Green or greenish eyes are visible
Wild sheep account for A snow leopard's diet. However, wild sheep are also a food source for humans. With reduced numbers of wild sheep, snow leopards resort to killing livestock. This causes farmers and herders to kill snow leopards. One of the few numbers of snow leopards in the wild is a retaliatory killings. There could be as few as 4,000 snow leopards on today. Snow leopards are considered endangered due to their low numbers.
How to celebrate #snowleopardday.
On this day, conservation organizations and zooos around the world will hold activities to inform the public about the snow leopard. To participate: To participate: To participate: To participate: You must register: To participate:
- Find out if your local zoo has a snow leopard exhibit
- Watch videos online that feature snow leopards
- Donate to a conservation group that works to safeguard the endangered snow leopard
- Encourage your children to find their own surprising facts about snow leopards
With #SnowLeopardDay, we'll finally raise hopes for this day on social media.
International snow leopard day is the first international snow leopard day in history
The Bishkek Declaration was adopted during the first Global Forum on the Conservation of the Snow Leopard on October 23rd, 2013. In Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital, the forum was held. The 12 countries represented at the forum announced October 23rd International Snow Leopard Day in 2014, marking the one-year anniversary of the Bishkek Declaration.
