wlid magazine

F A N T A S T I C 5 

P R E S E N T S 

W L I D L I F E

TRIDANDAPANI DHANUSH 

THADELA JAYA MANIKANTA 

DIVAKARUNI SAI VENKATA SARAVANA 

GONTLA YASWANTH 

MECHINENI VARSHITH

GIANT PANDA 

The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca, literally "black and white catfoot"; 

Chinese: pinyin: dà xióng māo, literally "big bear cat"), also known as panda 

bear or simply panda, is a bear native to south central China. It is easily recognized by 

the large, distinctive black patches around its eyes, over 

the ears, and across its round body. The name "giant 

panda" is sometimes used to distinguish it from the 

unrelated red panda. Though it belongs to the 

order Carnivore, the giant panda's diet is over 

99% bamboo. Giant pandas in the wild will occasionally eat 

other grasses, wild tubers, or even meat in the form of 

birds, rodents, or carrion. In captivity, they may receive 

honey, eggs, fish, yams, shrub leaves, oranges, or 

bananas along with specially prepared food. The giant 

panda lives in a few mountain ranges in central China, 

mainly in Sichuan, but also in neighboring 

Shaanxi and Gansu. 

Classification 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VUSTATUS 

Vulnerable 

POPULATION 

1,864 in the wild 

SCIENTIFIC NAME 

Ailuropoda melanoleuca 

HEIGHT 

Adults can grow to more than four 

feet. 

WEIGHT 

220–330 pounds 

HABITATS 

Temperate broadleaf and mixed 

forests of southwest 

For many decades, the precise taxonomic classification of 

the giant panda was under debate because it shares 

characteristics with both bears and raccoons. 

However, molecular studies indicate the giant panda is a 

true bear, part of the family Ursidae 

Subspecies 

Two subspecies of giant panda have been recognized on the basis of distinct cranial 

measurements, color patterns, and population genetics. 

 

The nominate subspecies Ailuropoda m. melanoleuca consists of most extant 

populations of panda. These animals are principally found in Sichuan and display 

the typical stark black and white contrasting colors. 

Author: T. Sai Dhanush

The Qinling panda, A. m. qinlingensis is restricted to the Qinling Mountains in 

Shaanxi at elevations of 1,300–3,000 m. The typical black and white pattern of 

Sichuan giant pandas is replaced with a dark brown versus light brown pattern. The 

skull of A. m. qinlingensis is smaller than its relatives, and it has larger molars. 

Description 

The giant panda has luxuriant black-and-white fur. Adults measure around 1.2 to 

1.9 m (4 to 6 ft) long, including a tail of about 10–15 cm (3.9–5.9 in), and 60 to 

90 cm (2.0 to 3.0 ft) tall at the shoulder. Males can weigh up to 160 kg 

(350 lb). Females (generally 10–20% smaller than males) can weigh as little as 

70 kg (150 lb), but can also weigh up to 125 kg (276 lb). Average adult weight is 100 

to 115 kg (220 to 254 lb). 

The giant panda has a body shape typical of bears. It has black fur on its ears, eye 

patches, muzzle, legs, arms and shoulders. The rest of the animal's coat is white. 

Although scientists do not know why these unusual bears are black and white, 

speculation suggests that the bold coloring provides effective camouflage in their 

shade-dappled snowy and rocky habitat. The giant panda's thick, wooly coat keeps 

it warm in the cool forests of its habitat. 

Diet 

The giant panda's diet is primarily herbivorous, consisting almost exclusively of 

bamboo. However, the giant panda still has the digestive system of a carnivore, as 

well as carnivore-specific genes, and thus derives little energy and little protein from 

consumption of bamboo. Its ability to digest cellulose is ascribed to the microbes in 

its gut. 

The giant panda is a "highly specialized" animal with "unique adaptations", and has 

lived in bamboo forests for millions of years. The average giant panda eats as much 

as 9 to 14 kg (20 to 30 lb) of bamboo shoots a day to compensate for the limited 

energy content of its diet. 

Behavior 

The giant panda is a terrestrial animal and primarily spends its life roaming and feeding 

in the bamboo forests of the Qinling Mountains and in the hilly province 

of Sichuan. Giant pandas are generally solitary. Each adult has a defined territory and a 

female is not tolerant of other females in her range. Social encounters occur primarily 

during the brief breeding season in which pandas in proximity to one another will 

gather. After mating, the male leaves the female alone to raise the cub. 


Pandas communicate through vocalization and scent marking such as clawing trees 

or spraying urine. They are able to climb and take shelter in hollow trees or rock 

crevices, but do not establish permanent dens. For this reason, pandas do 

not hibernate, which is similar to other subtropical mammals, and will instead move 

to elevations with warmer temperatures. Pandas rely primarily on spatial 

memory rather than visual memory. 

Threats 

HABITAT LOSS 

China’s Yangtze Basin region, which holds the panda’s primary habitat, is the 

geographic and economic heart of this booming country. Roads and railroads are 

increasingly fragmenting the forest, which isolates panda populations and prevents 

mating. 

Forest destruction also reduces pandas’ access to the bamboo they need to survive. 

The Chinese government has established more than 50 panda reserves, but only 

around 61% of the country’s panda population is protected by these reserves. 

To stop it WWF was established. WWF was the first international conservation 

organization to work in China at the Chinese government's invitation. WWF’s main 

role in China is to assist and influence policy-level conservation decisions through 

information collection, demonstration of conservation approaches, communications 

and capacity building. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_panda 


QUETZAL 

Scientific classification 

Kingdom: 

Animalia 

Phylum: 

Chordata 

Class: 

Aves 

Quetzal, (genus Pharomachrus), any of 

five species of colorful birds belonging to 

the genusPharomachrus of the trogon family 

(Trogonidae). 

SUB SPECIES 

Order: 

Family: 

Trogoniformes 

Trogonidae 

All five species—the white-tipped quetzal (P. fulgidus), the crested quetzal (P. 

antisianus), the golden-headed quetzal (P. auriceps), the resplendent quetzal (P. 

mocinno), and the pavonine quetzal (P. pavoninus)—reside in the neotropics (Central 

America and South America). 

DESCRIPTION 

Quetzals are found from southern Mexico to Bolivia. The resplendent quetzal and the 

golden-headed quetzal are the only species found in Central America. The resplendent 

quetzal was the sacred bird of the ancient Mayas and Aztecs. Today the resplendent 

quetzal is the national emblem of Guatemala (whose monetary unit is the quetzal). The 


esplendent quetzal’s long blue-green plumes cover its tail, which shows white beneath, 

in flight. 

Its head, with a rounded hair like crest, and the upper part of its breast are gold-green. 

The bird’s back is blue with a gold-tinged mantle, and its belly is red. 

Adult quetzals are 33 to 40 cm (about 13 to 16 inches) long, but several species have 

tail feathers that extend much farther. For example, male golden-headed and crested 

quetzals have tail feathers that grow up to approximately 17 cm (6.7 inches) and 76 cm 

(roughly 30 inches), respectively, and male resplendent quetzals have tail feathers that 

may grow up to 90 cm (35 inches) in length. 

The Quetzal is shockingly colored birds common in western Mexico and Guatemala. 

Historically, they were sacred to the Mayan and Aztec people, who believed that the 

Quetzal was the God of Air, and they used their green tail feathers in spiritual 

ceremonies. The bird inhabits the cold mountain woods, and during the dry seasons, it 

perches at a height of nearly 10,000 feet! 

SOURCE: http://www.ba-bamail.com/content.aspx?emailid=21390 


NILGIRI TAHR 

The Nilgiri tahr (Nilgiritragus hylocrius) known locally as the Nilgiri ibex or simply ibex, is 

an ungulate that is endemic to the Nilgiri Hills and the southern portion of the Western 

Ghats in the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala in Southern India. It is the state animal of 

Tamil Nadu. Despite its local name, it is more closely related to the sheep of the genus 

Ovis than the ibex and wild goats of the genus Capra.The Nilgiri tahr is a stocky goat 

with short, coarse fur and a bristly mane. Males are larger than females and of darker 

color when mature. Both sexes have curved horns, reaching up to 40 centimeters (16 

in) for males and 30 centimeters (12 in) for females. Adult males weigh 80 to 100 

kilograms (180 to 220 lb) and stand about 100 centimeters (39 in) tall at the shoulder. 

Author: Varshith Mechineni

Adult males develop a light grey area on their backs and are thus called "saddlebacks" 

Conservation status 

Endangered 

Habitat and distribution 

Kingdom: 

Animally 

The Nilgiri tahr inhabits the open montage 

grassland habitat of the South Western Ghats 

montage rain forests ecoregion. At elevations from 

1,200 to 2,600 meters (3,900 to 8,500 ft), the 

forests open into grasslands interspersed with 

pockets of stunted forests, locally known as 

sholas. These grassland habitats are surrounded 

by dense forests at the lower elevations. The Nilgiri 

tahrs formerly ranged over these grasslands in 

large herds, but hunting and poaching in the 

nineteenth century reduced their population 

Phylum: Chordate 

Class: Mammalian 

Order: Artiodactyls 

Family: Bovidae 

Subfamily: Caprinae 

Genus: 

Nilgiritragus 


LION-TAILED MACAQUE 

CONSERVATION STATUS 

ENDANGERED 

Scientific name: Macaca 

silenus 

Lifespan: 20 years (In the 

wild) 

Mass: 2 – 10 kg (Adult) 

Tropic level: Omnivorous 

The hair of the lion-tailed macaque is black. Its 

outstanding characteristic is the silver-white mane which surrounds the head from the 

cheeks down to its chin, which gives this monkey its German name Bartaffe - "beard 

ape". The hairless face is black in color. With a head-body length of 42 to 61 cm and a 

weight of 2 to 10 kg, it ranks among the smaller macaques. The tail is medium in length 

at about 25 cm, and has a black tuft at the end that is similar to a lion's tail, although this 

tuft is more pronounced in males than in females. 

Gestation is approximately six months. The young are nursed for one year. Sexual 

maturity is reached at four years for females, and six years for males. The life 

expectancy in the wild is approximately 20 years, while in captivity is up to 30 years. 

The lion-tailed macaque is a diurnal rainforest dweller. It is a good climber and spends a 

majority of its life in the upper canopy of tropical moist evergreen forests. Unlike other 

macaques, it avoids humans. In group behavior, it is much like other macaques; it lives 

in hierarchical groups of usually 10 to 20 animals, which consist of few males and many 

females. It is a territorial animal, defending its area first with loud cries towards the 

invading troops. If this proves to be fruitless, it brawls aggressively. 

FOOD HABITS 

Lion-tailed macaque behavior is characterized by typical patterns such as arboreal 

living, selectively feeding on a large variety of fruit trees, large interindividual spaces 

while foraging, and time budgets with high proportion of time devoted to exploration and 

feeding. It primarily eats indigenous fruits, leaves, buds, insects and small vertebrates in 


virgin forest, but can adapt to rapid environmental change in areas of massive selective 

logging through behavioral modifications and broadening of food choices to include 

fruits, seeds, shoots, pith, flowers, cones, mesocarp, and other parts of many no 

indigenous and pioneer plants. In the forests of Kerala they were observed preying on 

nestling and eggs of pigeons. 

HABITAT 

This species is found in the Western Ghats Mountains of India. Their preferred habitat is 

primary tropical forest, which is a type of forest that has never been disturbed by 

humans. Specifically, they live high up in the trees, in the upper canopy of the forest. 

CONSERVATION 

A recent assessment for IUCN reports 3000-3500 of these animals live scattered over 

several areas in Kerala, Karnataka. The lion-tailed macaque ranks among the rarest 

and most threatened primates. Their range has become increasingly isolated and 

fragmented by the spread of agriculture and tea, coffee, teak and cinchona, construction 

of water reservoirs for irrigation and power generation, and human settlements to 

support such activities. They do not live, feed or travel through plantations. Destruction 

of their habitat and their avoidance of human proximity has led to the drastic decrease 

of their population. 

SOURCE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion-tailed_macaque 



THE SWAN 

Scientific name: Cygnini 

Family: Anatidae 

Kingdom: Animalia 

Order: Anseriformes 

Mass: Mute swan: 11 – 

12 kg, Black swan: 3.7 – 

9 kg, Whooper swan: 9.8 – 

11 kg 

Swans are the largest extant members of the waterfowl family Anatidae, and are among 

the largest flying birds. The largest species, including the mute swan, trumpeter swan, 

and whooper swan, can reach a length of over 1.5 m (59 in) and weigh over 15 kg 

(33 lb). Their wingspans can be over 3.1 m (10 ft). Compared to the closely related 

geese, they are much larger and have proportionally larger feet and necks. Adults also

have a patch of unfeathered skin between the eyes and bill. The sexes are alike 

in plumage, but males are generally bigger and heavier than females. 

HABITAT 

The Northern Hemisphere species of swan have pure white plumage but the Southern 

Hemisphere species are mixed black and white. The Australian black swan (Cygnus 

atratus) is completely black except for the white flight feathers on its wings; the chicks of 

black swans are light grey. The South American black-necked swan has a white body 

with a black neck. 

DESCRIPTION 

Swans' legs are normally a dark blackish grey color, except for the two South American 

species, which have pink legs. Bill color varies: the four subarctic species have black 

bills with varying amounts of yellow, and all the others are patterned red and black. 

Although birds do not have teeth, swans have beaks with serrated edges that look like 

small jagged 'teeth' as part of their beaks used for catching and eating aquatic plants 

and algae, but also mollusks, small fish, frogs and worms. The mute swan and blacknecked 

swan have lumps at the base of their bills on the upper mandible. 

SOURCE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swan 

Author: Saravana.D

THE DODO BIRD 

The dodo (Raphus cucullatus) is an extinct flightless bird that was endemic to 

the island of Mauritius, east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. The dodo's 

closest genetic relative was the also extinct Rodrigues solitaire, the two forming 

the subfamilyRaphinae of the family of pigeons and doves. The 

closest living relative of the dodo is the Nicobar pigeon. A white dodo was once 

thought to have existed on the nearby island of Réunion, but this is now thought 

to have been confusion based on the Réunion ibis and paintings of white dodos. 

DESCRIPTION 

Sub fossil remains show the dodo was about 1 meter (3 ft 3 in) tall and may have 

weighed 10.6–17.5 kg (23–39 lb) in the wild. The dodo's appearance in life is 

evidenced only by drawings, paintings, and written accounts from the 17th 

century. Because these vary considerably, and because only some illustrations 

are known to have been drawn from live specimens, its exact appearance in life 

remains unresolved, and little is known about its behavior. Though the dodo has 

historically been considered fat and clumsy, it is now thought to have been welladapted 

for its ecosystem. It has been depicted with brownish-grey plumage, 

yellow feet, and a tuft of tail feathers, a grey, naked head, and a black, yellow, 

and green beak. It used gizzard stones to help digest its food, which is thought to 

have included fruits, and its main habitat is believed to have been the woods in 

the drier coastal areas of Mauritius. One account states its clutch consisted of a 

single egg. It is presumed that the dodo became flightless because of the ready

availability of abundant food sources and a relative absence of predators on 

Mauritius. 

The first recorded mention of the dodo was by Dutch sailors in 1598. In the 

following years, the bird was hunted by sailors and invasive species, while its 

habitat was being destroyed. The last widely accepted sighting of a dodo was in 

1662. Its extinction was 

Not immediately noticed, and some considered 

it to be a mythical creature. In the 19th century, 

research was conducted on a small quantity of 

remains of four specimens that had been 

brought to Europe in the early 17th century. 

Among these is a dried head, the only soft 

tissue of the dodo that remains today. Since 

then, a large amount of sub fossil material has 

been collected on Mauritius, mostly from 

the Mare aux Songes swamp. The extinction of 

the dodo within less than a century of its 

discovery called attention to the previously 

unrecognized problem of human involvement 

in the disappearance of entire species. The 

dodo achieved widespread recognition from its role in the story of Alice's 

Adventures in Wonderland, and it has since become a fixture in popular culture, 

often as a symbol of extinction and obsolescence 

SOURCE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodo 


EXTINCT 

Extinction 

status: Extinct Encyclopedia 

of Life 

Mass: 13 – 

23 kg Encyclopedia of Life 

Scientific name: Raphus 

cucullatus 

Family: Columbia 

Author: Saravana.D

THE WHITE RHINO 

The white rhinoceros is the largest of the five living species of rhinoceros. By 

mean body mass, the white rhinoceros falls behind only the three extant species 

of elephant as the largest land animal and terrestrial mammal alive today .It 

weighs slightly more on average than a hippopotamus despite a considerable 

mass overlap between these two species. It has a massive body and large head, 

a short neck and broad chest. The head and body length is 3.7 to 4.5 m (12.1 to 

14.8 ft) in males and 3.4 to 3.65 m (11.2 to 12.0 ft) in females, with the tail adding 

another 70 cm (28 in) and the shoulder height is 170 to 186 cm (5.58 to 6.10 ft) in 

the male and 160 to 177 cm (5.25 to 5.81 ft) in the female. The male, averaging 

about 2,300 kg (5,070 lb) is heavier than the female, at an average of about 

1,700 kg (3,750 lb).The largest size the species can attain is not definitively 

known; specimens of up to 3,600 kg (7,940 lb) are considered reliable, while 

larger sizes up to 4,500 kg (9,920 lb) have been claimed but are not verified. On 

its snout it has two horn-like growths, one behind the other. These are made of 

solid keratin, in which they differ from the horns of bovids (cattle and their 

relatives), which are keratin with a bony core, and deer antlers, which are 

solid bone

The white rhinoceros or square-lipped rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) is 

the largest extant species of rhinoceros. It has a wide mouth used for grazing 

and is the most social of all rhino species. The white rhinoceros consists of 

two subspecies: the southern white rhinoceros, with estimated 19,682–21,077 

wild-living animals in the year 2015, and the 

much rarer northern white rhinoceros. The 

northern subspecies has very few remaining 

individuals, with only two confirmed left in 2018 

(two females; Fatu, 17 and Najin, 27), both in 

captivity. Sudan, the world's last known male 

northern white rhinoceros, died in Kenyaon 19 

March 2018. 

Source: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_rhinocer 

os 

Conservation status: Near 

Threatened (Population 

increasing) Encyclopedia of 

Life 

Lifespan: 40 – 50 years 

Scientific 

name: Ceratotherium simum 

Tropic 

level: Herbivorous Encycloped 

ia of Life 

Mass: Male: 2,300 kg, 

Female: 1,700 kg 

Height: Male: 1.7 – 1.9 m (At 

Shoulder), Female: 1.6 – 

1.8 m 

AUTHOR: T.Jaya Manikanta

THE CALIFORNIA CONDOR 

Conservation 

status: Critically Endangered 

(Population 

increasing)Encyclopedia of 

Life 

Mass: 9 – 11 kg Encyclopedia 

of Life 

Family: Cathartidae 

Scientific name: Gymnogyps 

Californians 

Kingdom: Animalia 

The California condor (Gymnogyps 

Californians) is a New World vulture, the 

largest North American land bird. 

This condor became extinct in the wild in 1987 

(all remaining wild individuals were captured), 

but the species has since been reintroduced to northern Arizona and southern 

Utah (including the Grand Canyon area and Zion National Park), the coastal 

mountains of central and southern California, and northern Baja California. 

Although other fossil members are known, it is the only surviving member of 

the genus Gymnogyps. The species is listed by the IUCN as critically 

endangered. 

DESCRIPTION 

The plumage is black with patches of white on the underside of the wings; the 

head is largely bald, with skin color ranging from gray on young birds to yellow 

and bright orange on breeding adults. Its 3.0 m (9.8 ft) wingspan is the widest of 

any North American bird, and its weight of up to 12 kg (26 lb) nearly equals that 

of the trumpeter swan, the heaviest among native North American bird species. 

The condor is a scavenger and eats large amounts of carrion. It is one of the 

world's longest-living birds, with a lifespan of up to 60 years.

Condor numbers dramatically declined in the 20th century due to poaching, lead 

poisoning, and destruction. A conservation plan was put in place by the United 

States government that led to the capture of all the remaining wild condors which 

was completed in 1987, with a total population of 27 individuals. These surviving 

birds were bred at the San Diego Wild Animal Park and the Los Angeles Zoo. 

Numbers rose through captive breeding and, beginning in 1991, condors were 

reintroduced into the wild. Since then, its population has grown, but the California 

condor remains one of the world's rarest bird species: as of 2017 there are 463 

condors living wild or in captivity. 

The condor is a significant bird to many Californian Native American groups and 

plays an important role in several of their traditional myths. 

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_condor 

AUTHOR: T.Jaya Manikanta

WHITE TIGER 

The white tiger or bleached tiger is a pigmentation variant of the Bengal tiger, 

which is reported in the wild from time to time in the Indian states of Madhya 

Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal and Bihar in the Sunder bans region and especially in 

the former State of Rewa. [1] Such a tiger has the black stripes typical of the Bengal 

tiger, but carries a white or near-white coat. 

Variation 

The white Bengal tigers are distinctive due to the colour of their fur. The white fur 

caused by a lack of the pigment pheomelanin, which is found in Bengal tigers with 

orange colour fur. When compared to Bengal tigers, the white Bengal tigers tend to 

grow faster and heavier than the orange Bengal tiger. They also tend to be 

somewhat bigger at birth, and as fully grown adults. White Bengal tigers are fully 

grown when they are 2–3 years of age. White male tigers reach weights of 200 to 

230 kilograms and can grow up to 3 meters in length. As with all tigers, the white 

Bengal tiger’s stripes are like fingerprints, with no two tigers having the same pattern. 

The stripes of the tiger are a pigmentation of the skin; if an individual were to be 

shaved, its distinctive coat pattern would still be visible. 

For a white Bengal tiger to be born, both parents must carry the unusual gene for 

white colouring, which only happens naturally about once in 10,000 births. Darkstriped 

white individuals are well-documented in the Bengal tiger subspecies 

(Panthera Tigris Tigris) as well as having been reported historically in several other 

subspecies. Currently, several hundred white tigers are in captivity worldwide, with 

about one hundred being found in India. Their unique white colour fur has made 

them popular in entertainment showcasing exotic animals, and at zoos. 

DESCRIPTION 

The White Tiger is a large and powerful animal that can weigh up to 300kg and 

reaches more than 3 meters in length. Unlike the white variations found in 

other animal species, the White Tiger is not an albino as they still carry some 

form of pigment that creates their fur colour, as some individuals are known to 

retain an orange tinge to their white coloured fur. Like other Tiger species, the 

White Tiger has black or dark brown stripes that run vertically along its body, the 

pattern of which is unique to both the Tiger species and the individual. Along with

the change in fur colour, the gene carried by the White Tiger's parents also 

means that they have blue eyes rather than the green or yellow coloured eyes of 

normal Bengal Tigers. Despite the beauty of the White Tiger's fur, it does in fact 

give these individuals a disadvantage as they are not so easily camouflaged into 

the surrounding jungle. 

Habitat 

The White Tiger would once have been found throughout much of India and the 

surrounding countries but their range has decreased dramatically, particularly 

over the past 100 years or so. Today the Bengal Tiger is found in small pockets 

of its natural habitat in India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh, and although 

populations are severely declining, they remain the most 

numerous Tiger species in the world. They are found in a variety 

of habitats including tropical forests, mangrove swamps and moist jungles that 

generally support dense vegetation and have a good source of fresh water. 

Although the White Tiger could once be found in the wild, it is very rare for the 

gene carrying parents to actually mate, and with the rapidly declining numbers 

of Bengal Tigers throughout their natural range, the chances of 

White Tigers being produced are becoming less every day. 

White Tiger Behaviour and Lifestyle 

Like other Tiger species, the White Tiger is a solitary animal as this allows 

this large predator to sneak up on prey more effectively in the dense 

jungle. Although the White Tiger is not nocturnal, they do the majority of 

their hunting at night as this also helps them to hunt more successfully. 

White Tigers have incredible hearing and sight which, along with their 

stealth, helps them when hunting in the jungle in the dark. Each Tiger 

occupies a large territory that is marked by urine and claw marks on trees, 

and can be up to 75 square miles in size. Despite the fact that they are 

solitary animals except for during the mating season, male 

White Tiger territories can overlap with those of a number of females', 

particularly in areas which are high in prey. Male White Tigers will 


ENDANGERED 

Kingdom: 

Phylum: 

Class: 

Order: 

Family: 

Genus: 

Scientific Name: 

Animalia 

Chordate 

Mammalian 

Carnivore 

Felidae 

Panthera 

Panthera Tigris Tigris

however, defend their patch fiercely from other males who may be trying to 

steal their spot. 

White Tiger Diet and Prey 

In the same way as other Tiger species, the White Tiger is a 

carnivorous animal meaning that it only hunts and eats 

other animals in order to gain the nutrition that it needs. The White Tiger is an 

apex predator in its environment, hunting its prey by stalking it stealthily in the 

darkness of night. The White Tiger primarily hunts large, 

herbivorous animals including Deer, Wild Boar, Cattle and Goats that feed 

both in the jungle and on its outskirts. The White Tiger has a number of 

adaptations to help it to both catch and kill its prey, including being strong and 

powerful, incredibly fast, and having long and sharp claws and teeth. With 

growing Human settlements pushing the White Bengal Tiger into smaller and 

smaller pockets of its historical range, they are also commonly known to hunt 

and kill livestock, with entrances into villages also becoming increasingly 

common. 

White Tiger Conservation Status 

The White Tiger is a Bengal Tiger which is a species listed by the IUCN 

as Endangered and therefore severely threatened in its 

surrounding environment. Estimates of around 100,000 Tigers found in the 

jungles and mangrove swamps of Asia were made at the beginning of the 

1900s, but today there are thought to be less than 8,000 Tigers in the wild, 

with around 2,000 of these being Bengal Tigers. There are no White Tiger 

individuals known to be found outside of captivity. 

SOURCE: https://a-z-animals.com/animals/white-tiger/ 

AUTHOR: G. Yaswanth


VULNERABLE (but at risk) 

Kingdom: 

Phylum: 

Class: 

Order: 

Suborder: 

Family: 

Animalia 

Chordate 

Mammalia 

Carnivore 

Feliformia 

Felidae 

SNOW LEOPARD 

The snow leopard or ounce (Panthera uncia) is a 

large cat native to the mountain ranges 

of Central and South Asia. It is listed as Vulnerable on 

the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species because the 

global population is estimated to number less than 

10,000 mature individuals and decline about 10% in 

the next 23 years. As of 2016, the global population 

was estimated at 4,678 to 8,745 mature individuals. 

The snow leopard inhabits alpine and subalpine zones at 

elevations from 3,000 to 4,500 m (9,800 to 14,800 ft), 

ranging from eastern Afghanistan to Mongolia and 

western China. In the northern range countries, it also 

occurs at lower elevations. 

Taxonomically, the snow leopard was initially classified in 

the monotypic genus Uncia. Since 2008, it is considered 

a member of the genus Panthera based on results 

of genetic studies. Two subspecies were described 

based on morphological differences, but genetic 

differences between the two have not been confirmed. It 

is therefore regarded a monotypic species. 

Subfamily: 

Genus: 

Pantherinae 

Panthera 

Characteristics

The snow leopard's fur is whitish to gray with black spots on head and neck, but 

larger rosettes on the back, flanks and bushy tail. The belly is whitish. The fur is thick 

with hairs between 5 and 12 cm (2.0 and 4.7 in) long. Its body is stocky, short-legged 

and slightly smaller than the other cats of the genus Panthera, reaching a shoulder 

height of 56 cm (22 in), and ranging in head to body size from 75 to 150 cm (30 to 

59 in). Its tail is 80 to 105 cm (31 to 41 in) long. Its eyes are pale green or grey in 

colour. Its muzzle is short and its forehead domed. Its nasal cavities are large. It 

weighs between 22 and 55 kg (49 and 121 lb), with an occasional large male 

reaching 75 kg (165 lb) and small female of under 25 kg (55 lb). 

The snow leopard shows several adaptations for living in a cold, mountainous 

environment. Its body is stocky, its fur is thick, and its ears are small and rounded, 

features that help to minimize heat loss. Its broad paws well distribute the body 

weight for walking on snow, and have fur on their undersides to increase their grip on 

steep and unstable surfaces; it also helps to minimize heat loss. Its long and flexible 

tail helps to maintain balance in the rocky terrain. The tail is also very thick due to fat 

storage, and is very thickly covered with fur, which allows the cat to use it like a 

blanket to protect its face when asleep. 

The snow leopard cannot roar, despite possessing partial ossification of the hyoid 

bone. This partial ossification was previously thought to be essential for allowing 

the big cats to roar, but new studies show that the ability to roar is due to 

other morphological features, especially of the larynx, which are absent in the snow 

leopard. Snow leopard vocalizations include hisses, chuffing, mews, growls, and 

wailing.

Distribution and habitat 

The snow leopard is distributed from the west of Lake Baikal through 

southern Siberia, in the Kunlun Mountains, in the Russian Altai 

mountains, Sayan and Tannu-Ola Mountains, in the Tian Shan, 

across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan to the Hindu Kush in 

eastern Afghanistan, Karakoram in northern Pakistan, in the Pamir Mountains, and in 

the high altitudes of the Himalayas in India, Nepal, and Bhutan, and the Tibetan 

Plateau. In Mongolia, it is found in the Mongolian and Gobi Altai Mountains and 

the Khangai Mountains. In Tibet, it is found up to the Altyn-Tagh in the north. 

Potential snow leopard habitat in the Indian Himalayas is estimated at less than 

90,000 km 2 (35,000 sq mi) in the states of Jammu and 

Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh, of which 

about 34,000 km 2 (13,000 sq mi) is considered good habitat, and 14.4% is protected. 

In the beginning of the 1990s, the Indian snow leopard population was estimated at 

roughly 200–600 individuals living across about 25 protected areas. In summer, 

snow leopards usually live above the tree line on mountainous meadows and in 

rocky regions at altitudes from 2,700 to 6,000 m (8,900 to 19,700 ft). In winter, they 

come down into the forests to altitudes around 1,200 to 2,000 m (3,900 to 6,600 ft). 

Snow leopards prefer rocky, broken terrain, and can travel without difficulty in snow 

up to 85 cm (33 in) deep, although they prefer to use existing trails made by other 

animals. 

Global warming has caused the tree line to be increased in altitude, resulting in the 

decrease of wild prey that depends on the plants for food. 

Ecology and behaviour

The snow leopard is solitary, except for females with cubs. They rear them in dens in 

the mountains for extended periods . 

An individual snow leopard lives within a well-defined home range, but does not 

defend its territory aggressively when encroached upon by other snow leopards. 

Home ranges vary greatly in size. In Nepal, where prey is abundant, a home range 

may be as small as 12 km 2 (5 sq mi) to 40 km 2 (15 sq mi) and up to five to 10 animals 

are found here per 100 km 2 (39 sq mi); in habitats with sparse prey, though, an area 

of 1,000 km 2 (386 sq mi) supports only five of these cats. However, a new study 

lasting from 2008 to 2014 indicates their ranges are much greater than believed; a 

male snow leopard requires a territory of around 80 square miles, while females 

require up to 48 square miles of territory. Taking this data into account, it is 

estimated that 40 percent of the 170 protected areas in place are smaller than the 

space required supporting a single male snow leopard. This study also says the 

leopards defend their territory. 

Like other cats, snow leopards use scent marks to indicate their territories and 

common travel routes. These are most commonly produced by scraping the ground 

with the hind feet before depositing urine or scat, but they also spray urine onto 

sheltered patches of rock. 

Snow leopards are crepuscular, being most active at dawn and dusk. They are 

known for being extremely secretive and well camouflaged. 

Hunting and diet

The snow leopard is a carnivore and actively hunts its prey. It is an opportunistic 

hunter and also eats carrion. It can kill animals two to four times its own weight, such 

as Himalayan blue sheep, Himalayan tahr, markhor, argali, horse, and camel. It 

prefers prey ranging in weight from 36 to 76 kg (79 to 168 lb), but also hunts smaller 

mammals such as marmot, pika and vole species. 

Snow leopards prefer to ambush prey from above, using broken terrain to conceal 

their approach. They will actively pursue prey down steep mountainsides, using the 

momentum of their initial leap to chase animals for up to 300 m (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 two 

weeks before hunting again. Annual prey needs appears to be 20–30 adult blue 

sheep 

The snow leopard is capable of killing most animals in its range, with the probable 

exception of the adult male yak. It also eats a significant amount of vegetation, 

including grass and twigs. Snow leopards have been recorded to hunt in pairs 

successfully, especially mating pairs. 

The diet of the snow leopard varies across its range and with the time of year, and 

depends on prey availability. In the Himalayas, it preys mostly on Himalayan blue 

sheep and Siberian ibex. In the Karakoram, Tian Shan, Altai and Mongolia's Tost 

Mountains, its main prey consists of Siberian ibex, Thorold's deer, Siberian roe 

deer and argali. [37][39] Other species hunted when available include red panda, wild 

boar, langur monkey, snow cock and Chukar partridge. 

Where snow leopards prey on domestic livestock, they are subject to conflict with 

humans. However, even in Mongolia, where wild prey has been reduced, and 

interactions with humans are common, domestic livestock, mainly domestic sheep, 

comprises less than 20% of snow leopard diet. Herders kill snow leopards to prevent 

them from taking their livestock. [ The loss of prey animals due to overgrazing by 

domestic livestock, poaching, and defence of livestock are the major drivers for the 

decreasing population of the snow leopard. The snow leopard has not been reported 

to attack humans, and appears to be the least aggressive to humans of all big cats. 

As a result, they are easily driven away from livestock; they readily abandon their 

kills when threatened, and may not even defend themselves when attacked.

Threats 

The major threat to snow leopard populations is poaching and illegal trade of skins 

and body parts. In China, 103 to 236 animals are poached every year, in Mongolia 

between 34 and 53, in Pakistan between 23 and 53, in India from 21 to 45, and in 

Tajikistan 20 to 25. Poaching is linked to prey declines and livestock depredation. 

Source: https 

AUTHOR :G.Yaswanth

wlid magazine

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