Reproduction
Snow leopards give live birth to their offspring usually
in a fur coated den around the spring or summer mon
ths.
The gestation period
varies between 93 to 110 days. The mating season occurs typically in the late
winter months between December and March, during this time and when the mother
is caring for her cubs marks the only times snow leopards are not alone. The
mating season is dictated by the harsh winter conditions. Since food is scarce
and difficult to obtain during the winter snow leopards wait to mate until late
winter which allows them the have cubs during the spring or summer when food is
more plentiful. After the male and female mate the male has no other role in the
reproduction process. A female snow leopard’s liter can range from one to five
cubs; however, the average is two to three cubs. It has been reported that snow
leopards in zoos can have as many as seven cubs; this is unusual and if seven
cubs w
ere
born in the wild it is likely not all cubs would survive due to the mother being
unable to find enough food to support all the cubs and herself. When the baby
cubs are born they have a full coat of fur and are blind for about a week.
However they are helpless until they are six weeks old; during this time they
sleep and drink their mother’s breast milk. When cubs are born they weigh
between .71 pounds to 1.56 pounds (or 320 to 708 grams) each, after they are
born they typically gain around .11 pounds (or 48 grams) a day. It takes both
males and females about two years to reach sexual maturity at this time, if they
have not already, they will leave their mother and begin life by themselves. A
mature snow leopard’s weight is usually between 77 pounds (35 kilograms) and 121
pounds (55 kilograms); however a very large male can weigh as much as 165 pounds
(75 kilograms) and a petite female can weigh 55 pounds (25 kilograms). A wild
snow leopard’s life span usually lasts 8 to 10 years; while a snow leopard in
captivity can live to 18 years old.
How to get a snow
leopard mate?
Whe
n trying to attract a mate during the late winter months
the female snow leopards will spray rocks or protruding objects with urine which
informs the nearby males that it is mating season. This is not the only
technique snow leopards employ when
What is the
relationship like between a mother and her cubs?
After a female snow leopard gives birth to her cubs she
nurses them until they are able to
follow her around outside of the den. Cubs
will follow their mother watching her travel her favorite paths and capture
food. While following their mother baby cubs will play with each other and their
environment, they are very playful and curious creatures at a young age; however
they must be careful and the mother snow leopard keeps a close on them since
they are vulnerable and may become prey to a larger animal. By nine months old
cubs begin to mark their favorite areas this way when they leave their mother
around 18 or 24 months they will have established territory of their own.