Catie

= __Endangered Species Project__ =

1. My Endangered Species and its Enviroment Snow leopards are medium sized cats, weighing between 60-120 pounds. Their scientific name is **// Panthera uncia //**, the same genus as most large cats (// Panthera // ). Body length ranges from 39-51 inches, and their tails can be almost as long as their bodies. They have thick, smoky-gray fur patterned with dark gray open rosettes. In the mountains they blend perfectly with the rocky slopes, making them practically invisible. They mate in the late winter and 1-5 (generally 2 or 3) cubs are born 90-100 days later. The cubs remain with their mother for 18-22 months until they becaume independent and have to fend for them selves. Snow leopards are carnivors, and are on the top of the foodweb. They live in the snow mountain range that goes through central china. Scientist estimate that there are 3000-7500 snow leopards left in the wild and they know that there are approximately 600 in zoos all around the world. Some of their threats are: Poaching, loss of habitat, and loss of prey.

2. Foodweb If the snow leopard were to be taken out of the food web, then all the organisms like the Bharal, Ibex, Argali sheep, Yak, and the Marmot would increase in population. The organisms, like Moss, Shrubs, Birch trees, Sal trees, Evergreens, and Himalayen Balsams, that are eaten by the organisms listed above would decrease in size, because of all of the extra organisms eating them.

3. Special Adaptions Well developed chest, short forelimbs with large paws for walking on snow, long hind-limbs for learping, long flexible tail for balancing, enlarged nasal cavity, long fur with wooly undergrowth, thick furry tail for wrapping around body and face.

4. Population Size The main method on determining the population size of the snow leopard, is indirect object. Some of the factors that affect the population size of the population are: Poaching, loss of habitat, and loss of prey.

Works Cited //http://www.defenders.org///‌//wildlife_and_habitat///‌//wildlife///‌//snow_leopard.php//. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2012. //http://www.snowleopard.org///‌//catfactsclassroom///‌//catfacts///‌//prey//. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2012. //http://www.snowleopard.org///‌//external_files///‌//media///‌//Snow-Leopard-Fact-Sheet.pdf//. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2012. “the snow leopard fact sheet.” //Www.snowleopard.org//. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2012