Observance: 

The annual observance of International Snow Leopard Day, also known as World Snow Leopard Day, takes place on October 23rd. This day gives us a chance to honor these wonderful spotted huge cats. In Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on October 23, 2013, a statement for the conservation of the snow leopard was adopted. This resolution was adopted by all 12 countries that are home to snow leopards. The resolution stressed the importance of taking swift and coordinated action to safeguard and restore snow leopard populations and habitat. International Snow Leopard Day was also announced to be commemorated on the 23rd of October every year; hence the first Snow Leopard Day was held on that date in 2014.

Today i.e., 23rd October 2021 marks the Eighth International Snow Leopard Day!

Importance:

Why is it so crucial to conserve the Snow Leopards, one might wonder? Well, that’s because in their natural habitat, snow leopards are top predators, preying on alpine sheep and goats. The ecological equilibrium would be upset if the snow leopard did not exist. As a result, safeguarding the snow leopard benefits the entire natural environment in these locations, as well as the people who depend on it.

Snow leopard habitats provide essential resources for local communities, such as food and medicine, as well as grazing for animals, wood for shelter, heat, and fuel, and water sources for millions of people downstream.

Purpose:

The major goal of this day is to highlight the importance of snow leopard conservation and promote awareness about this amazing animal, which is threatened by loss of prey and hunting. The day also underlines the need of taking steps to prevent poaching and coordinating efforts in terms of an environmental organization in the nations where snow leopards live.

Threats faced by Snow Leopards:

It's impossible to say how many snow leopards there are. Experts estimate that there are just 6,390 snow leopards in the globe, although this figure could be as low as 3,920. This elusive cat is threatened by a variety of factors, including poaching. Data is scarce in this area since many exchanges involving snow leopard parts take place in the dark. According to some estimates, between 2008 and 2016, one snow leopard was murdered and exchanged every day. The full scope of the problem, however, is thought to be far greater.

Apart from poaching, snow leopards confront a variety of other hazards that many people are unaware of:

  • Large-scale developments, like as mining, could, for example, ruin their mountain ecology.
  • Climate change also brings with it a slew of problems.
  • Central Asia, temperatures are rising in the highlands. From water supply to vegetation, this has an effect on the entire ecosystem.
  • Snow leopards are in perilous times, and an excellent approach to commemorate Snow Leopard Day is to become completely informed about the problems they confront.

Fun Facts about Snow Leopards:

  • Snow leopards are extremely shy and difficult to spot in the wild. These colossal cats are known as the "ghosts of the mountains" because of their extreme social isolation.
  • Snow leopards don't have the ability to roar, which may surprise you. They yowl, growl, and mew instead. Pruning, often called as chuffing, is something they do. When they blow air through their nostrils, they produce a non-threatening vocalization.
  • Snow leopards have been found living at 5,859 meters above sea level, according to WWF research. This is the greatest altitude at which big cats have ever been observed. This is around the same altitude as Canada's tallest peak.
  • The fur on a snow leopard's stomach is nearly five inches thick. This is to ensure that they can withstand the hard and freezing mountain climates.
  • Snow leopards have the ability to eat prey that is three times their own body weight.
  • The lengthy tail of these remarkable creatures is one of their most distinguishing features. Their tails can reach 90 percent of the length of their bodies.
  • Their strong legs enable them to leap up to 50 feet.

About the Author: Iman Haroon is presently a student of Bachelor of Environmental Science at Government College Women University, Sialkot. She's a green blogger who has volunteered to write for TENL in order to raise environmental awareness.