The snow leopard (Uncia uncia), also known as the ounce, or irbis, is a large cat that ranges over highland habitats in Central Asia. It occurs from Turkistan and northern Afghanistan in the western part of its range, through the Kashmir region of Pakistan and India, to southern Mongolia, extreme southwestern China, and Tibet. The snow leopard is sometimes referred to as Panthera uncia, which indicates affinity with other large cats, such as the tiger, African lion, and mountain lion, which are also named in the genus Panthera.

The snow leopard has an adult body length of 29–51 in (75–130 cm) and a tail of 27–39 in (70–100 cm). It stands 20–25 in (50–65 cm) at the shoulder, and has a body weight of 77–155 lb (35–70 kg). Its pelage is characterized by dense, long hair and a woolly underfur. The underbelly is whitish, while the upper parts of the animal are a creamy...