Watch These Snow Leopards Sprint Around Their Enclosure as They Get Zoomies Just Like a Pet

It’s incredible to see what snow leopards get up to in their enclosure when they think no one is looking! Not only do they pounce on each other looking very similar to domestic cats but they also get the zoomies! They race around the area jumping on and off the toys heading in no particular direction. It’s great to see them having such fun!

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Where Do Snow Leopards Normally Live?

The scientific name for snow leopards is Uncia uncia and they are found over a large geographical area throughout the high mountain ranges of central Asia. You can spot them across the entire Himalayan mountain system as well as in Nepal, Bhutan, and the Siberian region of Russia. Around 60 percent of their range occurs in China.

The terrain that suits them best is steep and rocky and is close to natural vegetation. You can spot them resting on cliffs and major ridge lines. During the winter months, they often migrate to lower elevations following their prey. These animals don’t tend to like dense forest cover or cultivated fields and are more likely to be spotted in open coniferous forests. However, they are also found in barren habitats, grasslands, and alpine meadows.

How Do Snow Leopards Normally Behave?

Obviously, the snow leopards in this clip are in captivity. In the wild, snow leopards are crepuscular which means that they are most active during dawn and dusk. They are also highly mobile and move their bedding sites multiple times during the day. However, they tend to remain in one area of their home range for several weeks and then move to another. In this clip, you see some young snow leopards who are enjoying each other’s company. As adults, however, they lead solitary lives and only get together during the mating season. They actively avoid each other and mark their territories with scrapes, feces, and scent sprays.

The other thing that you will note from this clip is how agile these animals are. They have large paws and elongated hind legs which makes them very good at jumping and climbing. They need this because they like to rest in elevated locations. You can see that their enclosure contains plenty of objects that they can climb up on. This allows them to replicate how they would behave in the wild. They like to stalk and ambush prey from above and the young leopards in this clip are probably practicing their hunting skills at the same time as having fun!