Snow irbis. Snow leopard (irbis). On the brink of extinction

The irbis or snow leopard, also known as the snow leopard, is one of the most mysterious and least studied species of big cats. Studies have shown that the snow leopard has more in common with the tiger than with the leopard, and both species share a common ancestor.

The separation took place about 2 million years ago. In 2006, after a detailed genetic analysis, these cats were identified as a species of the panther genus.

Irbis lead a rather secretive lifestyle. They live in the Himalayas and on the Tibetan plateau in Central Asia at altitudes up to 7000 m above sea level. In summer, they are found at altitudes from 3,350 to 6,700 meters above sea level, where they are sometimes seen by climbers. These large cats live in forests, steppes and mountainous areas. In winter, they fall lower - up to 1,200 - 2,000 m above sea level.

The difficulty in observing and studying their way of life is due to the inaccessibility of their habitats and the large territory that they usually occupy.

Irbis are able to jump up to 15 m, helping themselves with their tail as a rudder.

Snow leopards, like most cats (with the exception of lions), are loners. In pairs, they unite only during the mating season. They are most active at dawn and dusk. In search of food, they cross their hunting grounds along certain routes. The irbis can move even in deep snow (up to 85 cm deep), but usually follows the paths trodden by other animals.

The snow leopard hunts in its chosen territory, and defends it fiercely in case other predators invade. The area occupied by each snow leopard, depending on the terrain, ranges from 12 to 40 km2.

Irbis can travel up to 40 miles in one night.

Irbis can jump up to 15 meters. surpassing in this even the cougar, which jumps a maximum of 12 meters.

The irbis has thick grayish fur on its back and white or creamy white on its belly. In some representatives of the species, the fur has a brown tint. Spots on the skin are black or dark brown. A distinctive feature of the appearance of the snow leopard is a thick and very long tail, up to 100 cm in length.

The snow leopard preys mainly on ungulates such as the mountain goat. Its diet also includes marmots, birds and small vertebrates. When the snow leopard is hungry, he may even climb into houses in search of food. Then his victims are domestic animals, large cattle and a bird. In addition to meat, the snow leopard sometimes eats small branches and grass.

Few snow leopards live in nature. In 1994, the population was estimated at 4,000 to 6,500 individuals. Today it is believed that it is 2,000 - 3,300 cats. About 600 snow leopards live in zoos. For example, in Poland they can be seen in the zoos of Gdansk, Krakow, Lodz, Opole, Plock, Poznan and Warsaw.

Populations:

Afghanistan - 100-200;
Butane - 100-200;
China - 2,000-2,500;
India - 200-600;
Kazakhstan - 180-200;
Kyrgyzstan - 150-500;
Mongolia - 500-1,000;
Nepal - 300-500;
Pakistan - 200-420;
Tajikistan - 180-220;
Uzbekistan - 20-50.

reproduction

Snow leopards form pairs only during the mating season. Females give birth to kittens in caves or rock crevices that are covered with moss and mother's hair. The cubs have darker fur than their parents, which allows them to better hide among the rocks.

Protection of the snow leopard population

The snow leopard is included in the list of animals that are under the protection of the International Society for the Protection of Animals.

Irbis sizes:

Body length 75 - 130 cm.
Tail length: 80 - 100 cm.
Height: 60 cm.
Weight: 27 - 55 kg (rarely up to 75 kg).
Life span: 16-18 years.

Do you know that …

The snow leopard can jump further than any other cat on earth - up to 15 meters.

The long tail of the snow leopard serves as a balancer during the jump.
The snow leopard has short and wide front legs that hold it well in the snow.
At the snow leopard hind legs longer than the front, which allows him to make long jumps.
The snow leopard also has wool on the soles of its paws.

Preserving the populations of the snow leopard (irbis) and the Altai mountain sheep (argali) in the Altai-Sayan ecoregion are the most important tasks for WWF. Both species are listed in the Red Book Russian Federation as endangered. The state of the populations of these species reflect the overall "health" of the ecosystem, so they can be called indicator species.

The snow leopard is the mysterious predator of Asia. Threats and solutions.

The snow leopard (irbis), a mysterious and enigmatic animal, is still one of the most understudied feline species in the world. Very little is known about the biology and ecology of this rare predator, and its abundance within the modern range is determined very conditionally. For many Asian peoples, this beast is a symbol of strength, nobility and power, the folklore of Asia is full of stories and legends about this elusive predator. Few people manage to see the snow leopard in wild nature, much more often you can find traces of his life - scrapes, bullies of a predator on trees, wool, excrement, urinary points on stones.

The snow leopard is listed in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and has the status of a rare or endangered species in all 12 countries where it lives: Russia, Mongolia, China, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Bhutan.

According to WWF experts, there are about 70-90 snow leopards in the Russian part of the Altai-Sayan ecoregion, while there are no more than 4,000 rare predators on the planet.

Camera traps in Tuva captured the charismatic predator © Alexander Kuksin

Journalists are rarely taken to these places. Even trained people find it difficult to walk on the "land of the snow leopard" © M. Paltsyn

Snow leopard trail in the Argut river valley, Gorny Altai, March 2012 © Sergey Spitsyn

Festival "Land of the Snow Leopard" in Tuva © T. Ivanitskaya

What is WWF doing to save the snow leopard?

Back in 2002, WWF Russia experts prepared and approved by the Ministry natural resources Russian Federation. The document was developed taking into account the very limited experience of studying and protecting the species in Russia. The number of snow leopards in Russia, according to the Strategy, was estimated by WWF experts at 150-200 individuals, however, as shown by further studies in snow leopard habitats in 2003-2011. , the actual abundance of the species in Russia is at least two times lower and is unlikely to exceed 70-90 individuals. An updated version of the Strategy, taking into account the experience of work and new realities, was approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation in 2014.

In Russia, the snow leopard lives at the northern limit of its modern range and forms only a few stable groups in the optimal habitats - the mountains of the Altai-Sayan ecoregion. The number of snow leopards in Russia is only 1-2% of the world population of the species. The survival of the snow leopard in our country largely depends on the preservation of the spatial and genetic links of its Russian groups with the main population core of the species in Western Mongolia and, possibly, in Northwestern China.

In 2010, WWF moves to a new stage of work and, in cooperation with numerous partners, begins monitoring snow leopard populations with the help of modern methods research: photo and video traps. This method made it possible to clarify the boundaries of the habitat of groups and the abundance of the species. Disappointing conclusions were drawn from a study of the snow leopard group in the Argut River valley in the Altai Republic, previously considered the largest in Russia. The camera traps recorded only the lynx, despite the fact that the conditions for the existence of the snow leopard on the Argut are ideal: high mountains, rocky gorges, the presence of the largest group of Siberian mountain goats in Russia in 3200-3500 individuals - the main food of the snow leopard in the Altai-Sayan mountains. Surveys of local residents revealed the fact of the almost complete destruction of the snow leopard group on the Argut in the 70-90s of the twentieth century, when loop fishing flourished in the mountains. The task of WWF was to preserve the surviving remnants of the group and gradually restore its numbers.

Support for anti-poaching activities is becoming one of the priorities of WWF. In the same year, at the initiative of WWF, a search dog was trained to work in the Altai mountains in order to search for and identify traces of the life of the snow leopard. German Shepherd Eric, who became an assistant to specialists in the field.

In 2012, employees of the Altai Biosphere Reserve and WWF managed to get the first photographic evidence of the snow leopard habitation: cameras recorded a female and a male, who received the names Vita and Kryuk. In addition to photomonitoring to account for and study the elusive predator in collaboration with scientists from the Institute of Ecology and Evolution named after. A. N. Severtsov RAS (IPEE RAS), scientists use the method of DNA analysis of the collected traces of the life of the snow leopard (excrement, wool, etc.), SLIMS and other modern methods ...

In 2011, in Altai, in order to divert the local population from poaching, illegal collection of wild plants or logging in the region, the WWF and Citi Foundation Program was launched to improve the quality of life of local residents and create sustainable income from sustainable businesses. Through training seminars, exchange of experience, and provision of microgrants and microcredits for the local population, WWF and Citi aim to develop legal small businesses in the field of rural tourism and ecotourism in the habitats of the Altai mountain sheep and snow leopard, the production of souvenirs and felt products, and improve performance livestock quality, etc.

In 2015, with the support of Pernod Ricard Rouss, WWF specialists for the first time tested the method of involving former hunters in environmental projects. Having passed a special training and received cameras for monitoring the snow leopard, residents receive a reward for the fact that the snow leopard continues to be recorded by camera traps, remains alive and well. There are already six people, including hunters from families of hereditary leopard hunters, who have been trained to work with cameras and participate in WWF raids, helping inspectors with information, forces and participating in expeditions.

The snow leopard is a predator that does not recognize state borders. The well-being of this species directly depends on the connection of Russian groups with snow leopard groups in neighboring Mongolia and China. Therefore, the development of transboundary environmental cooperation is a priority task for WWF in the region. Joint research, exchange of experience, scientific, environmental and educational activities with WWF Mongolia and colleagues from other environmental structures in Mongolia are carried out annually and quite effectively. Joint projects with colleagues from Kazakhstan include the creation of protected natural areas and support for joint environmental activities.

Camera trap in the Chibit tract

Sergey Istomov fixes snow leopard tracks

Irbis on Tsagaan-Shibeta, Tuva © A. Kuksin

What remains of the master of the mountains

What to do next

Today, the main threat to the snow leopard in the region remains illegal fishing with wire loops. An inconspicuous noose is set by a poacher on an animal path along which animals move, and, tightening as the animal moves, becomes a deadly trap. Cheap loops are often thrown by poachers, and they remain alert for many years, threatening animals with death. According to WWF experts, there are only a few cases of purposeful hunting of the snow leopard in the region. More often, the loops are installed on other types of animals, in particular, on the musk deer, whose musk gland is an excellent and expensive trophy, which is valued on the eastern market of medicines and potions. Musk deer poaching is a big threat to the snow leopard.

In conditions of insufficiently efficient equipment and a small number of employees of state structures for the protection of wildlife, WWF provides logistical support for operational activities in the habitats of rare and endangered species. Particular attention is paid to the fight against loop fishing.

Work in the Republic of Tyva has its own characteristics. In the region with the highest livestock population in the Siberian federal district shepherds live in the highlands almost side by side with the snow leopard. The decline in the number of wild ungulates, climate change are the reasons forcing the snow leopard to attack livestock, which is a source of life for pastoralists. Shooting or trapping a snow leopard by local residents in retaliation for attacking livestock is a big threat to the predator in Tuva. To reduce conflict situations, WWF takes various steps. Thus, a scheme was tested to compensate shepherds for livestock lost as a result of an attack by a snow leopard, and measures are being taken to foster a special attitude towards a rare predator among local residents. In 2010, a simple but effective measure to reinforce vents in sheltered livestock pens with netting prevented snow leopard attacks on livestock and saved the lives of many predators.

Today, about 19% of key snow leopard habitats and 31% of argali habitats in Russia have the status of protected natural areas. WWF plans to expand the network of protected areas or improve the status, as well as the quality of protection of management and existing protected areas. The number of the group in the valley of the Argut River is growing - photo and video traps record the habitation of females with kittens here, a new habitat of the snow leopard has been found on the Chikhachev Ridge. In 2015, for the first time, an online information system was developed for snow leopard specialists, which will collect all available information on each snow leopard encountered in Russia and Mongolia - from frames from automatic cameras to meeting points and features of each snow leopard.

International cooperation between Russia, Mongolia and Kazakhstan should develop, ensuring the conservation of animals that do not recognize state borders.

WWF will continue to take a comprehensive approach and work in partnership with multiple partners. This will optimize resources and ensure the long-term conservation of these species in Altai and the Sayan Mountains.

Snow leopards - large predators from the cat family. They are often included in the big cat group, which includes the tiger, lion, jaguar, puma, and leopard.

Snow leopard (Uncia uncia).

The appearance of this beast indicates a great resemblance to a leopard. Indeed, these animals are similar in size and posture (the body length of a snow leopard is slightly more than a meter, weight 25-40 kg). The snow leopard has the same spotted coloration, but nevertheless they are completely different animals.

The main distinguishing feature of the snow leopard is relatively short legs with wide soft snowshoe paws and a very long and thick tail.

The main coat color of the snow leopard is light gray (white on the belly), and the spots are dark gray, the fur of these animals is long and very thick. All these signs indicate that snow leopards live in harsh conditions with cold winters and can jump well.

Indeed, the range of these animals is located exclusively in the mountainous and cold regions of Asia - snow leopards live in the Himalayas, Tibet, the Pamirs, Altai and Tien Shan. Everywhere they prefer to inhabit the highlands with vast areas of bare rocks and descend into the valleys and dense forests only in winter. The upper limit of habitat can reach up to 6000 m above sea level. Like all cats, snow leopards are hermits living alone. They are sedentary and migrate only in the vertical direction: in summer they rise to the mountains, in winter they descend to the foothills. These animals settle in caves, less often they make shelter in some kind of windbreak. There are cases when snow leopards rested even in abandoned nests of vultures. The nature of these animals to match the environment - severe, but calm. There are rarely skirmishes between them, because snow leopards live separately and each individual occupies a vast territory, so questions about borders do not arise.

Snow leopard bypasses the territory.

Snow leopards prey primarily on ungulates - mountain goats and sheep, but on occasion they can be content with smaller prey - birds, rodents. The snow leopard tracks down its prey using a sharp sense of smell and masking coloration, which makes it invisible against the background of stones. Approaching, he overtakes prey with several large jumps. This is where a long tail is needed for movement, because it acts as a balancer! A leopard can drag a dead victim for a long distance.

Snow leopards use permanent hunting trails.

The mating season for snow leopards living in the Pamirs and Altai is in February-March, and in Tibet and the Himalayas, animals mate all year round. The mating song of the snow leopard resembles a rough and at the same time gentle meow.

A pair of snow leopards.

Pregnancy lasts 3 months. The female brings 3-5 cubs. For the first month, the kittens sit in the den without getting out, then they begin to explore the outside world with great care. Young accompany their mother for almost a year, comprehending the difficult art of hunting in the highlands. Life expectancy for such a large animal is relatively short: in nature, snow leopards barely live up to 12-14 years, although in zoos they live up to 20 years.

Snow leopard kittens peek out from the den.

In nature, snow leopards have practically no enemies, except for starvation. It is the harsh living conditions that naturally limit the number of these animals. The only real enemy of leopards is man. Despite the rarity of snow leopards, they have always been a desirable hunting trophy, the fur of these animals is highly valued. Now hunting for snow leopards is prohibited everywhere, but there are still cases of poaching. In captivity, these animals are also rare, because not all zoos can afford such a rare exhibit.

Usually this beast is called a snow leopard or a snow leopard. The Russian merchants took the name "irbis" from the Turkic language, slightly changing it (in the Turkic language, this cat is called "irbiz").

In Tuva it is called irbish, in Semirechye - ilbers, to the east of Alma-Ata in the regions bordering China - irviz, i.e. its many names in languages different peoples they sound almost the same.

For a long time, the snow leopard was considered a relative of the leopard, but when genetic studies were carried out, it turned out that the snow leopard is most closely related to the tiger.

Appearance

Relatively large cat. The body is strongly elongated and squat, slightly raised in the region of the sacrum. The length of the body with the head is 103-130 cm, the length of the tail itself is 90-105 cm. The height at the shoulders is about 60 cm. The males are somewhat larger than the females. The body weight of males reaches 45-55 kg, females - 22-40 kg.

The coat is high, very thick and soft. It provides protection from cold, harsh environmental conditions. In terms of fur density, the irbis differs from all big cats and is more similar to small ones.

The general background of the color of the fur is brownish-gray without any impurities of yellow and red. The main color of the coat on the back and upper part of the sides is light gray or grayish, almost white, with a smoky coating. Scattered over the general light gray background are rare large ring-shaped spots in the form of rosettes, inside which there may be an even smaller spot, as well as small solid spots of black or dark gray. The general color of the main background of winter fur is very light, grayish, almost white, with a smoky coating, more noticeable on the back and on the top of the sides. This coloration perfectly camouflages the beast in natural environment his dwellings - among the dark rocks, stones, white snow and ice. The general background of summer fur is characterized by a lighter, almost white color and sharp outlines of dark spots. Smoky coating of fur is less pronounced in summer than in winter.

The snow leopard, unlike other big cats, cannot growl. "Purring" occurs both when inhaling and exhaling - like in small cats.

Irbis Habitat

The range of the snow leopard covers the territory of 13 countries: Russia, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Mongolia, China, Kyrgyzstan, India, Burma, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan. Animals prefer life in the slopes of gorges, high in the mountains up to 5 thousand above sea level. Therefore, snow leopards are considered exclusively mountain predators.

Previously, the family of snow leopards occupied an area of 8-12 square meters. km., today it has quadrupled due to a catastrophic decrease in the number of animals.

It would seem that the range is quite large - live and multiply, but ... the numbers show the opposite. For example: only five to seven individuals live in Khakassia; the same number - on the Ukok plateau; at the junction of Altai and Western Sayan (Mongun-Taiga) only four snow leopards live.

The largest and at the same time the least studied group of snow leopards lives on the North and South Chuya ridges - scientists counted about thirty to forty individuals there.

The most stable group lives in the Sayano-Shushensky Biosphere Reserve - there are about fifteen individuals there. In general, one hundred and fifty, maximum - two hundred snow leopards remained on Russian territory. And the number is decreasing every year.

Food, hunting

The main hunting time for the snow leopard is twilight. Snow leopards feed on artiodactyls (rams, goats, wild sheep, etc.), as well as mice and hares. Despite its attachment to the house, the snow leopard can wander quite far in the process of searching for prey. At one time, an adult snow leopard can eat 2-3 kg of meat.

But snow leopards never attack people, even when they are wounded. The snow leopard treats the neighborhood with people very calmly. He can live side by side with hunters or cattle breeders, and they will not even suspect his presence.

A conflict between a snow leopard and a person arises only if the snow leopard begins to lack food, then he can easily switch to livestock.

social behavior

Adult snow leopards are territorial animals, leading a predominantly solitary lifestyle (but family groups are also found), although females raise kittens for quite a long period of time. Each snow leopard lives within the boundaries of a strictly defined individual territory. However, it does not aggressively defend a territory from other members of its species. The habitat of an adult male may be overlapped by individual habitats of one to three females.

reproduction

The mating season is in March-April. The birth of cubs occurs 1 time in two years. The pregnancy of a female snow leopard is about 100 days. From 1 to 5 cubs are born. Newborns weigh about 500g and are born with closed ear canals and are blind. Up to 4 months, kittens eat mother's milk. Complementary feeding with meat begins at the age of 2 months, and already at six months the babies go hunting with their mother. By the age of three, snow leopards reach sexual maturity.

Security

At present, the number of snow leopards is catastrophically small.

In all countries where the range is located, the snow leopard is under state protection, but it is still threatened by poaching. The snow leopard is a rare, scarce, endangered species. It is listed on the IUCN Red List (2000) as "endangered" (the highest protection category is EN C2A). In the Red Book of Mongolia (1997), the species was given the status of “very rare”, in the Red Book of the Russian Federation (2001) - “endangered species at the limit of the range” (category 1).

Or the irbis is an endemic of Central and Central Asia. This is the only representative of large cats permanently residing in the highlands.

Approximately 200 years ago, snow leopards were found on the territory of Russia from the Altai Mountains to the sources of the Lena River. However, mass extermination led to the fact that the number of animals has decreased so much that today the snow leopard is listed in the Red Book.

Countries where the snow leopard lives

The habitat of the snow leopard passes through the territory of the following countries: Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, China, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Myanmar, Bhutan. The total area of the places where the snow leopard lives is 1,230,000 km².

Often in these countries, the snow leopard inhabits mountainous regions. Geographically, the range stretches from the Gindokush mountains, which in Afghanistan passes through the Karakorum, Pamir, Tien Shan, Himalayas, Kashmir and Kunlun mountains. On the territory of Mongolia, the snow leopard was seen in the Khangai mountains, as well as in the Mongolian and Gobi Altai. In the Tibetan Plateau, it was found up to the Altunshan mountain range.

From 3-5% of the world population of the snow leopard lives on the territory of Russia. Here it is found in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, Khakassia, Tyva and the Altai Republic, Tunkinsky and Kitoysky Holtsy.

Snow leopard habitat

The main habitats of the snow leopard are rocky mountains. In summer, they stay near the snow line at an altitude of 3600-4000 m above sea level. Climbers and Nepalese Sherpas claim to have met these animals at an altitude of 5500-6000 m. This is the only feline that lives so high. Although in some areas, the snow leopard descends to a height of 600-1200 m. This happens in the Dzhungar and Talas plateaus. Severe frosts force him to go down so low. In the Trans-Baikal Gobi, the snow leopard is even found in rocky oases, which are even lower. The snow leopard has to go down so low because the main food, mountain goats and rodents, move to this belt.

The favorite places of the snow leopard in the highlands are areas with small open plateaus, narrow valleys and gentle slopes with alpine vegetation. Often these areas alternate with rocky gorges and scree rocks. The mountain ranges on which snow leopards usually live are characterized by steep slopes and deep gorges. On a flatter area, where there are bushes and stone screes, the animal finds shelter for itself.