Snow leopards prefer to ambush prey from above, using broken terrain to conceal their approach, and can leap as far as 14 meters (46 ft). They will actively pursue prey down steep mountainsides, using the momentum of their initial leap to chase animals for up to 300 metres (980 ft). They kill with a bite to the neck, and may drag the prey to a safe location before feeding. They consume all edible parts of the carcass, and can survive on a single bharal for up to two weeks before hunting again.
Snow leopards also eat smaller animals, especially in the summer months. Small prey include marmots, pikas, hares, other small rodents, and game birds like the Tibetan snowcock and chukor partridge.
In some areas, snow leopards also consume notable amounts of plant material, particularly during the mating season. The cats may do this to obtain specific nutrients that they need at that time of year.
Snow leopards are opportunistic predators and will take livestock (such as sheep, goats, horses, or young yaks) when domestic animals encroach into their range or when their natural prey becomes unavailable due to competition with livestock, hunting and poaching, or other causes. In some areas, snow leopards have been known to enter into corrals and kill many sheep and goats at once. Predation on domestic livestock may increase in winter, when the snow leopard's natural prey are less available and hunting is difficult because of deep snow.
Snow leopards prefer to ambush prey from above, using broken terrain to conceal their approach, and can leap as far as 14 meters (46 ft). They will actively pursue prey down steep mountainsides, using the momentum of their initial leap to chase animals for up to 300 metres (980 ft). They kill with a bite to the neck, and may drag the prey to a safe location before feeding. They consume all edible parts of the carcass, and can survive on a single bharal for up to two weeks before hunting again.
Snow leopards also eat smaller animals, especially in the summer months. Small prey include marmots, pikas, hares, other small rodents, and game birds like the Tibetan snowcock and chukor partridge.
In some areas, snow leopards also consume notable amounts of plant material, particularly during the mating season. The cats may do this to obtain specific nutrients that they need at that time of year.
Snow leopards are opportunistic predators and will take livestock (such as sheep, goats, horses, or young yaks) when domestic animals encroach into their range or when their natural prey becomes unavailable due to competition with livestock, hunting and poaching, or other causes. In some areas, snow leopards have been known to enter into corrals and kill many sheep and goats at once. Predation on domestic livestock may increase in winter, when the snow leopard's natural prey are less available and hunting is difficult because of deep snow.
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