Subspecies of Snow Leopard in zoos

J

Jurek7

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
I noticed that HMW lists two subspecies of Snow Leopard, uncia and uncioides. And met the opinion, that there can be more, because cat's range in Asian mountain ranges is very fragmented.

I wonder what subspecies are snow leopards in zoos, and if there are plans for pure-bred lines?
 
I doubt that too many zoos (if any) are aware which subspecies they have. Snow Leopards have been breeding in captivity for many years and I suspect most are a cocktail of the two. Even ISIS doesn't distinguish the two in its listings.

:p

Hix
 
Well, it would be interesting to make a study of subspecies of Snow Leopards! Wild sheep and marmots which live together with them evolved into many subspecies or species. Possibly snow leopards did the same?

I wonder about zoo population? At least zoos in former Eastern Block states likely got their snow leopards from animals originally wild-caught in Russia. So it may be possible to have this pure-bred lineage.
 
If they know exactly where the animals were caught, and they haven't imported and bred them with unknown provenanced animals, then there maybe a true ssp. bloodline. But the majority of zoos of the world with snowleopards would most likely not have that information and I would imagine there has been alot fo mixing of bloodlines.

Having said that, if russia wasn't allowing their leopards to leave during the Cold War, and the Studbook can determine that the majority of Leopards in the west came from Southern China or Tibet, then it's possible that the bloodlines have been kept pure.

:p

Hix
 
What is HMW?

I follow cats and I am not aware of any consensus that there are different subspecies of snow leopards. I am not saying there may not be, I am just saying if there are it is a new or developing finding and by no means universally established. Certainly not to the point of zoos splitting cats.
 
@AD - I agree with jbnbsn99 - get it. Volume 1 is on carnivores and has some of the best photos of cats I have ever seen anywhere.

:p

Hix
 
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