Snow leopards are perfectly built for life on steep, cold, rocky terrain. Their paws are wide and act like snowshoes, stopping them from sinking into deep snow. Their tails are so long and fluffy — nearly as long as their whole body — that they can wrap them around their nose and mouth like a scarf when they sleep in the cold.
These cats are expert climbers and can leap up to 15 metres in one jump — about the length of three parked cars. They hunt blue sheep and ibex by sneaking up on them along cliffsides and mountain ridges. Because they move silently and prefer rocky shadows, they are extremely hard to spot even for experienced researchers.
Snow leopards are special to the people of Tajikistan and the Pamirs. Conservation rangers and local communities work together to protect them, because their numbers are small. Camera traps hidden in the mountains take photos when a snow leopard walks past — giving scientists a way to count them without disturbing them.