Snow Bars Irbis photo and description of the animal, red book, food and habitat

Snow Bars or Irbis is one of the most beautiful representatives of predators who chose the mountain by the natural environment. Habits, color everything in this beast is fine, which, in fact, played a cruel joke. Humanity in order to fish and benefits, at one time almost completely exterminated this animal. At the moment, the snow leopard is entered in the Red Book and is under strict security.

Appearance

In its appearance, Irbis is very similar to the Far Eastern leopard. However, the main difference is in the fur in the snow leopard it is longer and softer. The tail is also quite long almost like a body. The color of the fur is brownish-gray, with ring-shaped spots across the back. The length of the snow leopard is about 170 centimeters, and weight ranges from 50-70 kilograms. It should be noted that males are always heavier and more than females.

The snow leopard does not change its color, depending on the territory of residence, unlike other predators. However, some scientists say that there are several subspecies that distinguish between the shade of fur and size. But, there is still no exact data on this subject.

The safety of the species

Today, the territories on which this predator lives under strict security. But, despite such events, there are still hunters and cattle breeders who kill the animal only in order to get fur.

In addition, in the natural environment, also not without human help, there are a lot of threats for the animal. For example, the deterioration of ecology in nature, due to the development of mountain and mining industry. In addition, a decrease in feed objects is extremely negative to reduce the number of species.

According to statistics, only for the period from 2002 to 2016, the number of this beast in Eurasia decreased almost three times. However, there is also positive thanks to the implementation of some environmental objects, recently the predator population began to grow. So, the state of affairs has improved significantly due. The protected area is located in Altai.

The threat of extinction of the species is also due to the fact that due to negative circumstances (shooting, poor ecology, lack of feed), the number of females has significantly reduced. At the moment, they live only in some foci, and therefore the reproduction of the species still remains under threat.

Reproduction

Unlike its relatives from the genus of predators, the snow leopard propagates quite slowly, and in one pregnancy the female leads no more than three kittens.

The wedding period of this animal begins in the spring the male attracts the female purr (they cannot be taken away from them). After the female is fertilized, the male leaves her. In the future, the parent nevertheless cares about their offspring and quite often they go to the whole family to hunt.

Pregnancy lasts 95-110 days. Before the start of labor, the female sets up the den in a secluded place, which will be fully protected from outsiders. It is noteworthy that the future mother lines the floor in her home with her own wool she just wipes off shreds.

Kittens are born in weight about half a kilogram, completely deaf and blind. The first month of life, they feed exclusively with mother’s milk. In the fishing, the mother goes only in short intervals, when the newborn sleeps. Around the middle of the season, the kids are already adults enough to walk with their mother to hunt. Completely adults, and therefore capable of reproduction, they become in the 2-3th year of life.

Habitat

As mentioned earlier, the snow leopard is the only type of predator that lives only in the mountains. Irbis equips the den in the caves, crevices of the rocks and in the like.

It should be noted that the beast leads a fairly distant lifestyle, although females bring up and take care of their children for a long time. On the territory of one male can simultaneously live up to three females, and this number of them is considered optimal. At the moment, this proportion, unfortunately, is not respected.

It is noteworthy that the owner of the territory can bypass his territory several times a day, and only on the same route. He marks it in various ways, and unwanted guests quickly removes from his possessions quite quickly.

It should be noted that, despite the formidable appearance, the snow leopard is quite friendly. He will not enter the battle if there is no good reason for this. The animal is quite good to train, tamed predators willingly contact a person.

In the wild, Irbis does not pose a direct threat noticing a person, he will simply leave. But, in a particularly hungry time, cases of attacks were recorded for the animal.