Compare and Contrast Snow Leopard and Cheater

Found mainly in Central Asia, scientifically referred to as Panthera uncia, snow leopards are undeniably one of the most beautiful animals within the cat species. Their bodies consist of four colors – namely, black, white, gray, and brown. In general, they have lean bodies, thick fur, long tails, and wide feet. Their tails play a twofold role – notably, bodily balance and covering. Snow leopards rely on their thick fur to withstand cold and dry seasons. Their lean bodies help them to move faster as well as make tremendous jumps – they can jump up to 15 meters. According to research, they mostly live in caves.

Snow leopards have an average height of two feet. Their length ranges from six feet to eight feet including their tails, which are about one meter long. In reality, without including their tails, their actual length ranges from 0.8m to 1.3m. Their weight ranges from 35-55kg. It is important to state that female snow leopards are about 30 percent lighter in comparison to males. Although their lifespan remains a mystery to many scientists, research reveals that they can live for more than 21 years.

Presently, as evidenced by research, there are about 8,000 snow leopards globally. Of this number, about 1,000 reside in zoos while the remaining 7,000 live in wild habitats. It is of great essence to state that no one knows the exact number of these animals due to their shy disposition.

It is likewise important to state their population is increasingly declining due to poaching.

Snow leopards, unlike other big cats, are locatable in specific altitudes. According to research, they are locatable within altitudes of between 9500 and 18000. In consequence, China, Afghanistan, Russia, India, and Kazakhstan remain the most likely places to locate these beautiful animals. China has the highest number of snow leopards, housing about 60 percent of the total global population.

Snow leopards mainly feed on wild goats and sheep. They likewise prey on small animals such as rats, hares, marmots and wild birds. These predators can kill animals of virtually any size. Studies indicate that they can kill animals with a weight of up to 200kg, which is almost three times their average weight. Snow leopards can consume large chunks of meal in a single day.

Snow leopards mainly dwell among ravines and rocky outcrops. Such environments make it easy for them to ambush naive animals. Their bodily colors alongside their preferred habitats make it almost impossible for other animals to detect their presence. Once they note a prey, they stealthily make unnoticeable moves before pouncing on the target. In most cases, they begin chasing the target once they are about 20-50 feet away. With their ability to jump up to 30 feet, it becomes almost impossible for the prey to escape.

Snow leopards are mostly active at dawn and dusk. For this reason, it is quite difficult to see them. In contrast to other cats, they cannot roar. Finally, they prefer solitude and only mate during breeding seasons. Their mating seasons falls between January and March. Females have a gestation period of 3-4 months. Once born, young cubs spend most of their time with their mothers

Cheetah

Scientifically known as Acinonyx jubatus, it is the fastest mammal on the planet earth. It has several bodily features that permit it to sprint more than most animals. First, it has a slender body, which allows it to move swiftly. Secondly, its slim waist and flexible spin allows it to sprint at incredible speed. Cheetahs have large nostrils, which permit large amounts of air to enter their lungs, in this way face little resistance as they sprint. Lastly, they have a long tail that aids them greatly in body balance. Their bodies consist mainly of four colors – namely, black, white, yellow, and tawny. They have small heads and tear-like black lines running from their eyes to mouth. Cheetahs belong to kingdom Animalia, phylum Chordata, class Mammalia, and genus Acinonyx.

Cheetahs have an average height of 2.5-3.0 feet. Their bodily length including their tail varies from 112cm-219cm. Without including their tail, that is head and body only, they have an average length of 112-135cm. Their weight ranges from 35-64kg, with females having a slightly lower weight in comparison to males. These mammals have a lifespan of 10-12 years and an average speed of about 96km/h. They are mostly available in Africa and Asia.

Cheetahs are perhaps one of the most sociable wild animals after lions. They are easily locatable in open savannah and rely on tall grasses to target their prey. Unlike some cats, they do most of their hunting in the morning – either during early morning hours or during late morning hours. Mostly, they take less than a minute to capture their target – at times; they take 20 seconds to subdue an animal.

Cheetahs kill their prey by violently knocking them down and subsequently biting their necks to suffocate them. After which, they drag the subdued to a hidden place wherein they feast on it immediately. One of the reasons behind their hasty feasting of killed animals is the fear of invasion from more aggressive predators such as lions. These mammals can survive for long without water – approximately 3-4 days. Uniquely, cheetahs love living in groups, mostly within their family circles. Once conceived, cubs reside with their mothers for up to two years. Within this duration, all the nurturing duties are solely for females. Cubs learn all life techniques from their mothers after which they begin to implement the learnt. Cheetahs mate throughout the year and their females have a gestation period of 3 months. Like other cats, the population of cheetahs is incredibly declining due to poaching.

Comparison between Snow Leopards and Cheetahs

These two animals are quite similar in many aspects. First, their bodily color is quite similar. They both have black spots with a whitish color under their bodies. They are slender and of about the same height, weight, and length. Perhaps the best to distinguish these two mammals is by relying on their facial anatomy. Cheetahs have a small head and have a tear-like black strip running from their eyes to mouth. Apart from having thick fur, snow leopards have slightly wider feet.

Conclusion

Snow leopards are able to survive in their preferred habitat due to their widely ranged bodily features. First, they have a thick fur that runs all over the body even unto the feet. The fur keeps them warm both in the day and night. Secondly, their fur color, which is a pattern of gray, white, black, and yellow, enables them to