Snow Leopards
September 1, 2009 9:17 AM   Subscribe

Out of the Shadows: The elusive Central Asian snow leopard steps into a risk-filled future.

(No, not that Snow Leopard.)
posted by homunculus (27 comments total) 4 users marked this as a favorite
 
Man, way to preempt a lot of perfectly good jokes with that [more inside].
posted by GuyZero at 9:26 AM on September 1, 2009


These are absolutely my favorite animal ever.
posted by Never teh Bride at 9:38 AM on September 1, 2009


I love the large cats in general, although I prefer the leopards to the tigers and lions. These are really beautiful, and there are SO few of them on the planet. Thank goodness they can reproduce in zoos.
posted by hippybear at 9:39 AM on September 1, 2009


There sure has been a lot of links to National Geographic lately, for some reason.
posted by smackfu at 9:40 AM on September 1, 2009


I saw one of these at the zoo, once. After reading they can jump over 30 feet (20 feet horizontally), I nervously eyed the enclosure. It seemed constructed well enough, lots of netting above, but I decided to go look at something else. But they have my respect.
posted by weston at 9:46 AM on September 1, 2009 [1 favorite]


You're a kitty!
posted by longdaysjourney at 10:05 AM on September 1, 2009 [3 favorites]


I just watched the Discovery segment on snow leopards a few nights ago and hadn't stopped thinking about them. The NatGeo piece is wonderful.

As an aside, I was staggered to learn that the photographer was climbing around mountains with a 1200mm lens. This is what they look like.
posted by swerve at 10:16 AM on September 1, 2009


I love snow leopards, they're so beautiful, definitely my favorite of the big cats. I'm glad my zoo has one, but I'm disappointed that whenever I go it's usually sleeping in some tucked away corner where I can't see it.
posted by Shesthefastest at 10:20 AM on September 1, 2009


I'm glad my zoo has one, but I'm disappointed that whenever I go it's usually sleeping in some tucked away corner where I can't see it.

that's what cats of all sizes do.
posted by birdherder at 10:22 AM on September 1, 2009 [1 favorite]


Tease it with a piece of string.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 10:24 AM on September 1, 2009


omg these are one of my fav animals of all times. soooooooo incredibly gorgeous. I can barely stand to think about how tragically few they are at this point, and so terribly endangered. I want to snorgle with one really bad!!!!
posted by supermedusa at 10:37 AM on September 1, 2009


Don't forget Peter Matthiessen's book about tromping around the Himalayas with George Schaller looking for snow leopards, The Snow Leopard. Some meditation stuff in there, too.
posted by one_bean at 10:39 AM on September 1, 2009 [1 favorite]






Lately, I keep seeing "snow leopard" everywhere and getting excited for a second thinking it's about the big cat, only to be disappointed when it's just another Mac link.

They're one of my favorite animals and have been for a long time now, since I was a little kid visiting them at the Bronx Zoo. They've recently moved into a new habitat at the Central Park Zoo, and I've yet to go, but this is a good reminder.
posted by cmgonzalez at 10:57 AM on September 1, 2009


Despite knowing the chance was ridiculously small, I could not help but be disappointed after a field season in Ladakh without seeing one. Something about walking through mountains completely alone for twelve hours a day seemed to give me an inflated sense of isolation that was always broken by (just like in the National Geographic link) coming across a shrine.

Everyone I ever spoke to in India was so proud of their snow leopards. I thought it was pretty uplifting, especially considering most of the people I had the pleasure to talk to were nomadic herders. Glad to see they're getting some press.
posted by six-or-six-thirty at 12:05 PM on September 1, 2009


They've been my favorite too since seeing them at the Bronx Zoo as a kid! I was lucky enough to see one in the Central Park Zoo last month, sleeping right up against the glass.
posted by superkim at 12:05 PM on September 1, 2009


Since we're talkin' leopards, behold the gorgeous clouded leopard.
posted by Mister_A at 12:11 PM on September 1, 2009 [1 favorite]




That link to the snow leopard hunting the ibex(?) was better than any "extreme skiing" video I've ever seen.
posted by not_on_display at 12:38 PM on September 1, 2009


not_on_display: the entire Planet Earth series is full of moments like that. Pick up the DVD or Blu-ray set and be amazed.
posted by hippybear at 12:55 PM on September 1, 2009 [1 favorite]


Here's the follow-up to the [more inside] link: 56 Redesigns of the Snow Leopard Box

Man, way to preempt a lot of perfectly good jokes with that [more inside].

Hey, don't let me stop you. Have at it!
posted by homunculus at 1:23 PM on September 1, 2009


nthing the Planet Earth suggestion, if you enjoy hi=rez hi-drama footage of wild animals in their most elusive natural environments it cannot be improved upon. the entire series is fascinating and beautiful.
posted by supermedusa at 1:48 PM on September 1, 2009


Yes, Planet Earth is amazing.

Obligatory complaint that they dropped Attenborough from the US soundtrack. Who decided to do that?
posted by taliaferro at 10:55 AM on September 2, 2009


I was at Woodland Park Zoo a few years ago. While standing near the snow leopard enclosure I saw it shift into hunt mode. The leopard had zeroed in on a child slowly rambling by with her parents. The scene lasted for a couple minutes and the girl never had a clue something wanted her for dinner.
posted by deborah at 2:11 PM on September 2, 2009 [2 favorites]


Baby Snow Leopard Star of Tokyo Zoo
posted by homunculus at 8:33 AM on September 8, 2009




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