PANTHERS
(Endangered)
Dedicated to my cousin, Kirsty!
Panther's are endangered cat's which weigh between 90-150 pounds, with a
head/body about 48 inches total and a tail of about 24 inches long. The otherwise known as a leopard except it's colouring is pure black. These are large,
graceful cat's with long lithe bodies and coats of solid black. They are solitary cat's
except around mating season and have an aggressive nature. They produce 1-4 babies, each
weighing in at around 1 pound. Gestation occurs for about 97 days. The mother's care
for their babies for about 2 years when she is ready again to mate. The Panther hunts
by night around twilight and by day in the late afternoon and early morning from the
ground or from silently dropping on their prey from trees. Seeking large or small game
of almost any type, they need large remote tracts with adequate prey cover and reduced
levels of disturbance. They need lots of wild land to hunt their main food source, the
white tailed deer but will also feast on wild hog, raccoon's etc.
SNOW LEOPARD
(Critically Endangered)
The Panthera uncia is also known as the Snow Leopard or Ounce. This is one of the rarest of the big cats and one of the least studied. The can be found in the high mountains of central Asia, the northern slopes of the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush mountains and the Pamirs. In the summer, the Snow Leopard is found in alpine meadows. In winter, it follows its prey to lower elevations. The cat is especially active in early morning and late afternoon. These animals are solitary, but not unsocial. They sometimes share their space with other snow leopards. They live above the tree line, above the point where other predators venture. The snow leopard can not roar, but has several vocalizations. Life span in captivity is 17-19 years.
The Snow Leopard is smaller than the common leopard with a body length around 3-4 ft., the tail 30-35". They weigh anywhere from 65-100 lbs. This beautiful leopard's coat is smoky gray, spotted with black rosettes. It has a densely furred tail and icy green eyes. The long tail acts as a muffler against the cold as well as a balancing device. The snow leopard has enormous paws that work like snow shoes to help it walk over snow.
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