Video by joelsartore / This beautiful snow leopard millerparkzoo calls the mountains of Central Asia home. With thick hair, insulated paws, and a long tail that aids in balance and acts as a blanket against frigid temperatures, this cat is well suited for life in the snowy mountains where it acts as a top predator. Blue sheep and mountain ibex are common prey, but these cats will also settle for smaller creatures like marmots, hares, and game birds. This species has also been known to take domestic animals, which can lead to retaliatory killing by herders. Such killings are thought to be one of the main reasons behind this big cat’s decline, coupled with illegal poaching for pelts and body parts that are traded and used in traditional Chinese medicine. To see more species featured in the Photo Ark, follow me joelsartore. #snowleopard #PhotoArk #savetogether