被誉为“雪山之王”的雪豹，能在寒冷高山上生存的原因找到了......

神秘高贵的雪豹如何在寒冷的高山上生存，原来“雪山之王”的每个身体特征都成为它们的“护身符”。

图片来源：国家林草局

它们短小的耳朵能减少热量的散失。宽大的鼻腔空间，让空气进入肺部前实现加热。

能够张开超过70度的颌骨，使它们可以轻松吃下岩羊、麝角羚和白唇鹿等较大猎物。

Their short ears reduce heat loss. A shallow nasal cavity warms the air before it reaches the cat’s lungs. Their jaws can open wider than 70 degrees, making it easier for them to eat larger prey, including bharal, ibex and white-lipped deer.

图片来源 ： 国家林草局

作为“易危”物种，雪豹在中国的数量至少有4500只，约占全球总数的一半以上。

Listed as a vulnerable species, there are at least 4,500 snow leopards in China, making up more than half the species’ global population.

图片来源 ： 国家林草局

长而浓密的尾巴，长度和身体相当。尾巴还可以充当毯子或围巾，在雪豹躺下时覆盖住口鼻。雪豹皮毛比人类毛发密集20倍。中国是雪豹的主要栖息地，它们生活的地区占地约110万平方公里。雪豹分布的自然栖息地为海拔2000至5000米的山区。

A long, thick tail is roughly the same length as its body. The tail can also act as a blanket or scarf, covering the animal’s mouth and nose when it lies down. Snow leopard fur is 20 times denser than human hair. China is home to the animal’s key habitat, which comprises about 1.1 million square kilometers. The snow leopard’s natural habitat is in the mountains, at altitudes between 2,000 meters and 5,000 meters.

图片来源 ： 国家林草局

雪豹被视为高山生态系统的晴雨表。当它们的种群数量下降时，意味着当地生态系统可能正面临压力或遭受破坏。

Snow leopards are regarded as barometers of high mountain ecosystems. When the population declines, it likely indicates that the local ecosystem is under pressure or being damaged.

图片来源 ： 国家林草局

雪豹的核心分布区仍保持着较高程度的自然状态，得益于国家公园和自然保护区等保护地的庇护作用，它们的种群数量持续增长，但其边缘分布区依然存在人为干扰，致使栖息地破碎化和植被退化，同域分布的猎物种群数量下降，使其栖息地承载力下降。

The snow leopard’s core distribution areas still retain their natural state to a high degree, thanks to shelter provided by national parks and nature reserves, according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration. Challenges persist, though, such as habitat fragmentation, degradation of vegetation and declines in prey populations. Snow leopards continue to face threats to their survival because problems resulting from human activities persist on the edges of their distribution areas, leading to declines in prey populations and reducing the number of snow leopards each habitat can support, it said.

图片来源 ： 国家林草局

还有一个值得关注的问题，雪豹栖息地内采用围栏等硬切割方式管理放牧草场，对雪豹的捕食和移动扩散等正常活动有一定影响，甚至造成局部区域雪豹种群隔离。

Management practices, such as fencing off grazing areas, can affect the normal movement patterns of snow leopards and their prey, and even result in populations becoming isolated in certain regions, the administration added.

文字：李弘扬 赵欣莹 罗家媛（实习生）