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Irbis day
23 October 2020
News

Every year on October 23, the International Day of the Irbis, or Snow Leopard, is celebrated. The holiday was established in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, at the World Forum for the Conservation of Snow Leopards in 2013.

The snow leopard (irbis) is an inhabitant of the mountains of South Siberia, Central Asia and the Himalayas. It can be found at altitudes up to 6000 m. The feline predator has a long flexible body and a very long tail. Its paws are relatively short, the head is small. Its mass reaches 55 kg. Irbis is not afraid of frost and winds, its wool is high, thick and soft, its length reaches 55 mm in height.

Irbis is an amazing and little studied animal. This is due to the inaccessible mountain habitats. It wanders widely in its domains, which can reach 1000 square kilometers. This mysterious animal is mainly nocturnal, but if necessary, it can be awake in the daytime. The predator feeds on mountain ungulates and marmots. The snow leopard is a loner and finds a mate only for the mating season. The female can give birth once every two to three years.

Today the snow leopard lives in twelve states: Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. And everywhere the snow leopard is on the verge of extinction, it is listed in the International Red Book.

The Snow Leopard Day holiday was created to draw attention to the endangered species and to preserve the snow leopard.