The snow leopard is white to smoky gray, with yellow tinged fur and dark gray to black rosettes and spots. The long, thick tail is used for balance and insulation when wrapped around the body and face at rest. The snow leopard is a very agile predator. Its long and powerful hind limbs help it leap up to 10 m, which is 6 times its body length.
The snow leopard weighs about 35 to 55 kg; males are heavier than females. The beautiful cat measures about 1.8 to 2.3 m in length from head to tail and stands 60 cm at its shoulder. The tail alone is almost 1 meter long.
Extremely fragmented populations are found in the harsh, remote, mountainous areas of central Asia, with the majority of snow leopards located in the Tibetan region of China. They favor elevations between 3’000 to 4’500 meters and steep, rocky terrain.
The photograph was taken at Basel Zoo.