3 facts about the tail of snow leopards: why they carry it in their teeth and how else they use it (4 photos)

The snow leopard, also known as the snow leopard, is also a predator from the cat family. This graceful animal has a very long tail. Often in photographs you can see a snow leopard carrying it in its teeth. Why is he doing this?





These mega-fluffy spotted cats live in the rocky mountains of Central Asia and love to climb higher in them, where it is safer and has a better view of the surrounding area. Snow leopards can be seen at altitudes ranging from 1,500 to 6,000 meters above sea level. However, meeting them is not so easy: there are only a few thousand of these amazing cats in the world.

Not much is known about the snow leopard due to the inaccessibility of its habitats. Many questions are also related to the tail of the snow leopard. For example, why is it so long? Why does the snow leopard carry it in its mouth?

Why such a long tail?

Snow leopards are not such large cats when compared with other predatory representatives of this family. They are smaller than the leopard and forest lynx, if you do not take into account their tail. The fact is that the tail of snow leopards is more than three-quarters of the length of the body, including the head. Not a single large predator from the cat family can boast of “such data.”



However, nature did not create it this way for beauty. The long tail helps snow leopards balance and maintain balance as they make their way along steep rocks and steep mountain slopes.

Why does he take his tail in his teeth?

Like our domestic cats, snow leopards love to sleep curled up in a ball. In this case, the snow leopard takes its tail in its teeth or places it on top of its muzzle. Despite the fact that snow leopards have a very thick and warm fur coat, it is not a bad idea to cover their nose while sleeping and resting. And female snow leopards also use their tail to warm their newborn offspring, covering their kittens with it. Snow leopards can also take their tail in their teeth while walking. The fact is that the snow leopard simply gets tired of constantly holding such a long, fluffy and heavy tail in the air. Therefore, sometimes it makes it easier for itself to move by carrying it in its mouth.





Polar bears don’t have such a gorgeous tail, but they look no less impressive. Not long ago, one photographer managed to photograph how they were in charge of an abandoned weather station.

Another application

So, snow leopards use their tail as a blanket and to balance themselves while moving along mountain slopes. However, that's not all. With its help, females teach little kittens the first skills of hunting. Kids love these kinds of games, and when they grow up, they can hunt their own tail from time to time when they get bored. Snow leopards have a playful disposition: they love to wallow in the snow and even ride down the hills. Kittens enjoy ambushing their brothers and sisters and attacking them at the most unexpected moments.



By the way, curiously, these wild and dangerous cats are capable of purring, just like our pets. But they don’t know how to growl.