Animal - Snow Leopard, big cat - Marwell Zoo, Winchester - postcard c.1970s

Postcard
• Picture / Image:  Snow Leopard at Marwell Zoological Park, Winchester, Hampshire
• Publisher:  Marwell / Beric Tempest
• Postally used:  no
• Stamp:  n/a
• Postmark(s): n/a
• Sent to:  n/a
• Notes / condition: 

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Text from the free encyclopedia WIKIPEDIA may appear below to give a little background information (internal links may not  work) :

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The snow leopard (Panthera uncia syn. Uncia uncia) is a large cat native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia. It is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species because as of 2003, the size of the global population was estimated at 4,080-6,590 adults, of which fewer than 2,500 individuals may reproduce in the wild.^[1]

Snow leopards inhabit alpine and subalpine zones at elevations from 3,000 to 4,500 m (9,800 to 14,800 ft). In the northern range countries, they also occur at lower elevations.^[3]

Taxonomically, the snow leopard was classified as Uncia uncia since the early 1930s.^[2] Based on genotyping studies, the cat has been considered a member of the genus Panthera since 2008.^[1][4] Two subspecies have been attributed, but genetic differences between the two have not been settled.^[1]

The snow leopard is the National Heritage Animal of Pakistan.^[5]

Snow leopards are slightly smaller than the other big cats but, like them, exhibit a range of sizes, generally weighing between 27 and 55 kg (60 and 121 lb), with an occasional large male reaching 75 kg (165 lb) and small female of under 25 kg (55 lb).^[6][7] They have a relatively short body, measuring in length from the head to the base of the tail 75 to 130 cm (30 to 50 in). However, the tail is quite long, at 80 to 100 cm (31 to 39 in), with only the domestic-cat-sized marbled cat being relatively longer-tailed.^[8][9] They are stocky and short-legged big cats, standing about 60 cm (24 in) at the shoulder.^[10]

Snow leopards have long, thick fur, and their base color varies from smoky gray to yellowish tan, with whitish underparts. They have dark grey to black open rosettes on their bodies, with small spots of the same color on their heads and larger spots on their legs and tails. Unusually among cats, their eyes are pale green or grey in color.^[8][9]

Snow leopards show several adaptations for living in a cold, mountainous environment. Their bodies are stocky, their fur is thick, and their ears are small and rounded, all of which help to minimize heat loss. Their paws are wide, which distributes their weight better for walking on snow, and have fur on their undersides to increase their grip on steep and unstable surfaces; it also helps to minimize heat loss. Snow leopards' tails are long and flexible, helping them to maintain their balance, which is very important in the rocky terrain they inhabit. Their tails are also very thick due to storage of fat and are very thickly covered with fur which allows them to be used like a blanket to protect their faces when asleep.^[9][11]

The snow leopard has a short muzzle and domed forehead, containing unusually large nasal cavities that help the animal breathe the thin, cold air of their mountainous environment.^[8]

The snow leopard cannot roar, despite possessing partial ossification of the hyoid bone. This partial ossification was previously thought to be essential for allowing the big cats to roar, but new studies show the ability to roar is due to other morphological features, especially of the larynx, which are absent in the snow leopard.^[12][13] Snow leopard vocalizations include hisses, chuffing, mews, growls, and wailing.

Snow leopards were only reclassified as a member of the Panthera genus (big cats) following a genetic study by Mr Brian Davis, Dr Gang Li and Professor William Murphy in 2009. This study showed that Snow leopards actually evolved alongside tigers and not leopards as previously thought.

Both the Latinised genus name, Uncia, and the occasional English name ""ounce"" are derived from the Old French once, originally used for the European lynx. ""Once"" itself is believed to have arisen by back-formation from an earlier word ""lonce"" – the ""l"" of ""lonce"" was construed as an abbreviated ""la"" (""the""), leaving ""once"" to be perceived as the animal's name. This, like the English version ""ounce"", became used for other lynx-sized cats, and eventually for the snow leopard.^[14][15]

The snow leopard is also known in its native lands as ""wawrin p?ang"" (Pashto: ?????? ??????), ""shan"" (Ladakhi), ""irves"" (Mongolian: ?????), ""bars"" or ""barys"" (Kazakh: ????? ['b?r?s]), ""ilbirs"" (Kyrgyz: ??????), ""barfani chita"" (Hindi, Urdu: ?????? ????) and ""him tendua"" (Sanskrit, Hindi: ??? ???????).

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, the origin of the word panthera is unknown. A folk etymology derives the word from the Greek p?? pan (""all"") and ther (beast of prey) because they can hunt and kill almost anything. It was proposed to have come ultimately into Greek from a Sanskrit word meaning ""the yellowish animal"" or ""whitish-yellow"". The Greek word p?????, pánther, referred to all spotted Felidae generically.

type=printed

animal subject=snow leopard

period=post-war (1945-present)

postage condition=unposted

number of items=single

size=continental/ modern (150x100 mm)

county/ country=hampshire