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| Johansson, ™.; Nyam, E.; Lkhagvajav, P.; Shanti Alexander, J.; Samelius, G. | |
| Predation Patterns and Hunting Behavior of Snow Leopards: Insights from an Ibex Hunt | |
| 2023 Snow Leopard Reports (2): 6-9 | |
The hunting behaviours of the snow leopard (_Panthera uncia_) are poorly understood. In this note, we describe the successful hunt of an adult male ibex (_Capra sibirica_) by a known male snow leopard. The hunt started in a mountain slope close to three large boulders and progressed downhill for 115 m until it concluded at the bottom of a drainage. By comparing the habitat where the ibex was killed to the kill sites of 158 ibex and 17 argali (_Ovis ammon_) that were killed by GPS-collared snow leopards, we demonstrate that the majority (62%) of these were kills occurred in drainages. We propose that in successful hunts, snow leopards commonly ambush from above, causing prey individuals to typically flee downhill. Thereby the prey maintain their momentum and it is not until they are slowed down upon reaching the bottom of the drainage that the snow leopards are able to subdue them. |
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