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| Dr. Tom McCarthy with snow leopard cub (courtesy of Panthera Snow Leopard Trust) |
When I can, I love to investigate firsthand. But, when that isn't possible, I track down experts who have been able to study animals in amazing wild places. Then I can share the stories talking to those experts inspire--like Snow School. I discovered that story about snow leopard cubs growing up from interviewing Dr. Tom McCarthy who has spent many years climbing the high, rugged mountains of Pakistan in order to learn about the life and behavior of snow leopards. That's it--shown in red on this globe.
The setting for story is the Hindu Kush Mountains in that country. That high mountain habitat is one of the harshest on Earth. It requires the cats to be able to chase fast prey downhill over very rocky terrain.
Even during his many years studying snow leopards Dr. McCarthy shared that he only had a chance to watch a few downhill chases as snow leopards caught prey. He said, “Once, I was lucky enough to see a mother have two cubs with her while she hunted.”
Dr. McCarthy guessed the cubs were in training. Snow leopard cubs spend two years with their mothers learning to survive on their own. That inspired me to wonder what lessons snow leopard cubs need to learn in order to be successful in the extreme conditions of their home habitat.
For one thing, as soon as they’re big enough, snow leopard cubs travel with their mother. That way they get a close look at the features of their environment. And they learn the shortest, safest routes to take.
The snow leopard’s habitat is really a high desert with very steep terrain. When these cats hunt, they have to chase down prey animals, like ibex, capable of running down steep, rocky slopes without falling. And they have to pounce at just the right moment to stop their prey without going over a cliff.
Snow leopards do have some natural built-in advantages. One is a very long tail. Dr. McCarthy reports that a snow leopard’s tail is all muscle and that it’s heavy. He said, “It must even be heavy for the snow leopard. In snow, I’d see a mark where a cat would start to drag its tail after every two or three steps. So holding up its long tail must be tiring.”
Having such a long tail is worth the effort, though, when the snow leopard starts to run. It swings its tail back and forth and that helps it stay balance while twisting and turning. To get a feel for how its tail helps a snow leopard stay balanced, try this. Stand on one foot with your hands at your sides. Then repeat standing on one foot but this time stretch out your arms and move them forward and backward.
Snow leopards also have big feet that act like snowshoes, helping them walk on top of fluffy snow. In fact, Dr. McCarthy reported a snow leopard’s feet leave very round footprints because their feet are about as wide as they are long (about four to five inches in both directions.)
These cats also have a lot of fur around their toes and the pads of their feet to shield them from the ice and snow. Like housecats, snow leopards have retractable claws. They put these out to help them climb and to stop themselves from skidding.
Dr. McCarthy reported that once a snow leopard catches prey it needs a safe place to eat—safer than on a steep mountainside. Dr. McCarthy said, “I’ve watched a snow leopard drag a big goat that weighs as much, if not slightly more, than the cat does. And it drags this prey uphill.”
Imagine pulling something that weighs as much as you do. Now, imagine doing it the way a snow leopard does. This cat bites to grab its prey. Then it drags this weight between its legs. This is another behavior snow leopard cubs learn by being copycats, doing what their mother does.
You might be surprised to learn that snow leopards usually only get a chance to catch big prey about once a week. So when it does, the cat is likely to stay by its prey and eat as much as 25 pounds of meat a day for two to three days.
Can you guess what snow leopards do after such big meals? You’re right! They sleep. Like lions, tigers, and housecats, snow leopards sleep most of the day to save their energy for hunting.
