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The beautiful and exotic snow leopard has been listed as endangered species since 1972, but a glimmer of hope is now peaking through for these embattled mountain cats. After a 3-year assessment of population decline rates, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has upgraded the status of the snow leopard to 'vulnerable.'
"The wild cat species still faces a high risk of extinction in the wild and is likely still declining," conservationist Tom McCarthy stated. "Just not at the rate previously thought." These big cats are heavily hunted for their thick skin and bones, leading to a rapidly decreasing adult population in the wild. While the world should still be extremely worried about the status of these rare animals, we can at least celebrate their new condition as a small victory in the fight for their survival.
Snow leopards are native to Central Asia and are therefore considered important symbols of native culture in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and parts of Russia. Scroll down to celebrate these beautiful cats in all of their glory, and vote for the photos that make you wish you could adopt one.
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#1
Vlad Horobet 7 years ago
This is the reason they are endangered... Leopard in the back is like : "god damn it moon moon, not again..."
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#2
Henrique Kenzo 7 years ago
They're no longer endangered? Great! Now let's keep it that way, please. o_o
#3
Vlad Horobet 7 years ago
I'm a hunter. I caught the fluffy danger noodle that was following me.
#4
Sara Otterstätter 7 years ago
It's without a doubt a very cute leopard cub. But it's not a snow leopard, may be one of several leopard subsecies like African, Asian or Persian leopard.
#5
Vlad Horobet 7 years ago
How i sleep during the weekends knowing that is no alarm clock to wake me up to go to work.
#6
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CatShatBrix 7 years ago
Once again, the wise eyes of the mother leopard stares solemnly into the wilderness...
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What do you think ?
ugaas wiilhoog 7 years ago
Let's hope the men and women keeping these magnificent creatures away from harm continue their good work up they still have some way to go.
Ed Mo 7 years ago
I don't understand why they're being removed from the endangered species list if their population is still in decline. A slower rate of decline is encouraging but this only stalls the inevitable unless greater conservation is enacted.
Marion Friedl 7 years ago
Yep they´re still poached for their fur, plz read my comment above!!! :(
Load More Replies... Marion Friedl 7 years ago
So pawsome, but snow leopard # 3 must be in some zoo, there´s a fence in front of him, the others´re in their natural habitat, but in my opinion they´ve been removed from the endangered animals list too soon, poachers still kill them for their fur, in China some people pay thousands of $$ for one, to make a coat out of them, to lay them on the floor as "carpets" or to hang them on the wall, I think it needs a lot more efforts to protect them for real!!! 💖💖💖
Emily Softley 7 years ago
I agree with you totally on the need to protect this gorgeous species, but I believe the 'endangered' category is down to the number remaining in the world, rather than those actually in danger from hunting, poaching etc.
Load More Replies...
Leiah 7 years ago
No it's not lovely news. This just means less protection for the species! Probably lobbied by some people higher up who indirectly profit from the fur trade!!!
Load More Replies...
Eulalie Grace 7 years ago
This "upgrading" of snow leopards from endangered to threatened has me very uneasy. In the past few years, too many species have been upgraded, like the Florida panther, manatees, and the Giant Panda. If these animals were making a comeback - KEEP THEM LISTED. Don't un-do all the hard work of recovery. These pictures were all taken in zoos as finding a snow leopard in the wild is quite a rare thing. Upgrading any animal is a mistake. I wonder who's behind their re-listing.
AnnieLaurie Burke 7 years ago
Readers should know that not all conservation organizations find the science sufficiently robust to support re-listing.
Sherrie Glendening 7 years ago
Why do humans want to destroy beautiful animals for their fur? A fur coat will never be as beautiful as when it's on the animal that is born with it.
madcow 3417 7 years ago
This just in: The Trump administration has celebrated this achievement by issuing hunting licenses for snow leopards. I know they're not in the US, but I can't think of an Asian government despicable enough for this joke.
Alayna DeMarco 7 years ago
With a hunting license, the number of snow leopards hunted is tightly controlled to prevent them from going extinct. In addition, most of the money spent on a license is going to conservation projects.
Load More Replies...
ugaas wiilhoog 7 years ago
Let's hope the men and women keeping these magnificent creatures away from harm continue their good work up they still have some way to go.
Ed Mo 7 years ago
I don't understand why they're being removed from the endangered species list if their population is still in decline. A slower rate of decline is encouraging but this only stalls the inevitable unless greater conservation is enacted.
Marion Friedl 7 years ago
Yep they´re still poached for their fur, plz read my comment above!!! :(
Load More Replies... Marion Friedl 7 years ago
So pawsome, but snow leopard # 3 must be in some zoo, there´s a fence in front of him, the others´re in their natural habitat, but in my opinion they´ve been removed from the endangered animals list too soon, poachers still kill them for their fur, in China some people pay thousands of $$ for one, to make a coat out of them, to lay them on the floor as "carpets" or to hang them on the wall, I think it needs a lot more efforts to protect them for real!!! 💖💖💖
Emily Softley 7 years ago
I agree with you totally on the need to protect this gorgeous species, but I believe the 'endangered' category is down to the number remaining in the world, rather than those actually in danger from hunting, poaching etc.
Load More Replies... Leiah 7 years ago
No it's not lovely news. This just means less protection for the species! Probably lobbied by some people higher up who indirectly profit from the fur trade!!!
Load More Replies... Eulalie Grace 7 years ago
This "upgrading" of snow leopards from endangered to threatened has me very uneasy. In the past few years, too many species have been upgraded, like the Florida panther, manatees, and the Giant Panda. If these animals were making a comeback - KEEP THEM LISTED. Don't un-do all the hard work of recovery. These pictures were all taken in zoos as finding a snow leopard in the wild is quite a rare thing. Upgrading any animal is a mistake. I wonder who's behind their re-listing.
AnnieLaurie Burke 7 years ago
Readers should know that not all conservation organizations find the science sufficiently robust to support re-listing.
Sherrie Glendening 7 years ago
Why do humans want to destroy beautiful animals for their fur? A fur coat will never be as beautiful as when it's on the animal that is born with it.
madcow 3417 7 years ago
This just in: The Trump administration has celebrated this achievement by issuing hunting licenses for snow leopards. I know they're not in the US, but I can't think of an Asian government despicable enough for this joke.
Alayna DeMarco 7 years ago
With a hunting license, the number of snow leopards hunted is tightly controlled to prevent them from going extinct. In addition, most of the money spent on a license is going to conservation projects.
Load More Replies... 
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