Instructions
Locate the snow leopard in the mountains of Central Asia. He inhabits harsh, remote environments.
Identify the snow leopard by his size. His average weight is between 77 and 121 pounds but very large males can weigh as much as 165 pounds. His head and body length is between 39 and 51 inches.
The snow leopard has a beautiful dense, woolly, whitish tan coat of fur with ringed, dark, ashy brown colored spots and rosettes. The fur on their belly is nearly five inches long to help keep them warm.
Look at the snow leopard's long, heavy tail, which is up to 40 inches in length, almost the length of their bodies. They use their long tails for balance and also to cover sensitive parts of their bodies and faces to help keep warm when resting or sleeping.
Snow leopards have big furry feet that act like snowshoes and help them walk on snow. The bottom of their paws, covered with fur, protect them against the snow and extreme cold temperatures.
The snow leopard has a relatively small head. The male snow leopard head is usually much wider and squarer than the female's.
How to Identify a Snow Leopard
The snow leopard is an endangered species found throughout the mountains of Central Asia. They are large cats native to high mountain ranges preferring the steep, broken terrain of cliffs and ravines. The male snow leopards are about 30 percent larger than the females; other than that, they look pretty much alike, making it difficult to tell them apart.