Snow leopard

Description:

These endangered cats live in Central Asia, where their thick fur and padded feet insulate them from the cold. They are endangered due to poaching for pelts and body parts, and because of vanishing habitat and declines in their prey.The Dalai Lama called on Tibetans to end their participation in the trade (http://www.snowleopardnetwork.org/blog/?...).

Habitat:

This leopard, Pena, lived at the Carolina Tiger Rescue facility where she died at the age of 15 years in 2006. She was born there before the facility stopped all breeding. She spent the summers mostly in her air-conditioned den as the weather was too hot for her. The facility will no longer rescue snow leopards for this reason.

Notes:

The photos are from 2006 and 2004.