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Skins Of Endangered Snow Leopards Seized In Kashmir Two skins of the highly endangered snow leopards were seized from the possession of two poachers in Jammu and Kashmir (India) local police said. The skins of the endangered cats are worth thousands of dollars in the international market.Working on a tip-off, police made the seizure and arrested two people. 
Weighing up to 75kg (165lbs), the snow leopard has a thick, soft gray
coat with ringed black spots to help it camouflage itself against rocks.
Its tail is almost the same length as its body and helps maintain its
balance on the rugged mountain terrain. The cats are native to the remote
mountain ranges of central and southern Asia, where their population is
estimated to be around 7,000.
India has between 200 and 600 snow leopards, the third-largest population of the wild cats, of which around half inhabit Kashmir's Himalayan mountain range at altitudes of about 3,000 metres (9,800 feet). The cats, whose pelts command a high price on the international black market, are protected but wildlife groups say there have been no real conservation measures to help save the endangered animals. The degradation of their natural habitat, poaching for their furs, reduction of their prey due to hunting, and killings by local people in retribution for attacks on their livestock are some of the main threats, officials say. The accused pleaded innocent saying they killed the animals after it attacked their livestock. Click for
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