What is it about?
We dissected the forelimbs of two adult snow leopards (donated to science following medically necessary euthanasia) and documented and described the muscular adaptations to their lifestyle. We found that the forelimbs showed a combination of adaptations to various pressures and activities including leaping, head-first descent on rocky cliffs, pouncing, climbing across rocky terrain, hunting large prey, rapid pursuit, and navigating deep snow.
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Why is it important?
These findings expand on the limited information on this rare and elusive species and can assist in future conservation and husbandry efforts.
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Functional Adaptations in the Forelimb of the Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia), Integrative and Comparative Biology, March 2021, Oxford University Press (OUP),
DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab018.
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