LET IT SNOW!

The weather outside may be frightful, but a winter coat is delightful, Tom Jackson discovers how wild animals stay cosy in the cold.

At this time of year, nights are long and the days are short, very cold and (fingers crossed) snowy. Everyone is wrapping up in thick coats and scarves to keep out the cold, which is exactly what animals are doing too. High up in the Himalayas, snow leopards are changing the way they look, and live, so they are better prepared for the winter. Meanwhile, reindeer are migrating to warmer parts of the world, and other animals are settling down for a long sleep until spring arrives. Let’s meet these winter warmers and find out what they’re doing to beat the cold.

A changing scene

The snow leopard makes its home among the high mountains of central and east Asia. In summer, this hunter is well camouflaged. Its dusty-grey fur with darker rosette markings helps it blend in with the rocky slopes as it creeps slowly towards its prey. You could walk by a few metres away and never see the stealthy beast. However, that is close enough, because the mighty snow leopard is capable of the mightiest leaps in the animal kingdom. The big cat can cover 15 meters in one bound as it launches an attack. Don't worry, though, you are not on the menu. The 1.3-metre-long beast is not a manhunter. Instead it preys on mountain goats, deer, wild sheep, and smaller creatures like pikas (the cuter cousin of the rabbit) and squirrels.