Why Do Snow Leopards Survive in Cold and High Conditions? 为什么雪豹能在高寒条件下生存？

Why do the mysterious snow leopards survive in the cold mountains？ It turns out that every physical feature of the “King of the Snowy Mountains” helps them with the cold.

Listed as a vulnerable species， there are about 4，500 snow leopards in China， making up more than half the species’ global population.

Their short ears reduce heat loss. A shallow nasal cavity warms the air before it reaches the cat’s lungs. Their jaws can open wider than 70 degrees， making it easier for them to eat larger prey， including bharal and white-lipped deer. Their long， thick tail is roughly the same length as its body. The tail can also act as a blanket or scarf， covering the animal’s mouth and nose when it lies down. Snow leopard fur is 20 times denser than human hair.

China is home to the animal’s key habitat， which comprises about 1.1 million square kilometers. The snow leopard’s natural habitat is in the mountains， at altitudes between 2，000 meters and 5，000 meters. Snow leopards are regarded as barometers of high mountain ecosystems. When the population declines， it likely indicates that the local ecosystem is under pressure or being damaged.

The snow leopard’s core distribution areas still retain their natural state to a high degree， thanks to shelter provided by national parks and nature reserves， according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

Meanwhile， snow leopards continue to face threats to their survival because of problems resulting from human activities persisting on the edges of their distribution areas， leading to declines in prey populations and reducing the number of snow leopards.

神秘的雪豹为何能在寒冷的高山上生存？原来“雪山之王”的每个身体特征都能成为它们的“护身符”。

作为易危物种，雪豹在中国的数量大约有4 500只，约占全球总数的一半以上。

它们短小的耳朵能减少热量的散失，较浅的鼻腔空间可在空气到达肺部之前将其加热。能够张开超过70度的嘴使它们可以轻松吃下岩羊和白唇鹿等体型较大的猎物。它们有长而浓密的尾巴，长度和身体相当。雪豹的尾巴还可以充当毯子或围巾，在它们躺下时覆盖住口鼻。雪豹皮毛的密集程度是人类毛发的20倍。

中国是雪豹的主要栖息地，它们活动的区域占地约110万平方千米。雪豹的自然栖息地为海拔2 000至

5 000米的山区。雪豹被视为高山生态系统的晴雨表。当它们的种群数量下降，就意味着当地生态系统可能正面临压力或遭受破坏。

国家林业和草原局表示，得益于国家公园和自然保护区的庇护，雪豹的核心分布区仍保持着较高程度的自然状态。

与此同时，雪豹的生存仍然面临着威胁，因为其分布区的边界依然受人为因素干扰，所以导致猎物和雪豹数量的减少。