Threatened snow leopards found in Afghanistan

[xchrom]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_AFGHANISTAN_SNOW_LEOPARDS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-07-15-07-07-10

BANGKOK (AP) -- A healthy population of snow leopards, elusive big cats threatened across the mountain ranges of Central Asia, has been found in one of the few peaceful areas of Afghanistan, a wildlife group said.

Camera traps documented the secretive, usually solitary animals at 16 locations across the Wakhan Corridor, a long panhandle in northeastern Afghanistan free from the insurgency that plagues most of the country, the World Conservation Society said in a statement seen Friday.

Listed as globally threatened, only some 4,500 to 7,500 snow leopards exist, scattered across a dozen nations in the high mountain ranges of Central Asia. The cats are poached for their pelts and killed by shepherds guarding their flocks upon which the leopards sometimes prey.

The sleek, fuzzy-tailed leopards are also captured for the pet trade, while an increasing demand for their penises and bones in China, where some believe they enhance sexual performance, has also led to their decimation.

[hobbit709]

1. Let's hope they stay safe.

Beautiful cats, them and Siberian Tigers.

[Rhiannon12866]

2. Wow, they sure are beautiful.

I love the big cats, but anybody who would want one for a pet is both cruel and insane and, as for the others, that's unspeakable. ;(