Template:Infobox UnitThe Snow Leopard is a Treasure Guardian appearing in Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties. It is a big cat, and fairly powerful predator; but not quite as powerful as their big cat cousins the Lion and Tiger. Two Monks or one Explorer are enough to eliminate them but they can cause great damage to units.
They are found in Himalayas, Mongolia, and the mountainous variant of the Silk Road. Unlike other treasure guardians, there is no pet version of the Snow Leopard and they can only be tamed by War Chiefs.
History
| “ | Scientific Name: Uncia uncia/Panthera uncial Approx. Size: 7 ft. long, 165 lb. Diet: Ibex, bharal, markhor, urial, boars, marmots, hares, game birds, small rodents Despite the name, the snow leopard is actually more closely related to the cheetah, sharing the latter’s round skull, long legs, and large, counter-balancing tail. Recognizable by its beautiful dusty gray coat that turns white in winter, the snow leopard is in fact an intermediate between the “big cats” and smaller species. Its lack of a cartilaginous hyoid apparatus proves this, as it prevents the snow leopard from being able to roar, a defining trait of lions, tigers, leopards, and jaguars. The snow leopard lives in the mountainous regions of Asia, in Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, and Russia, as well as in other nations. During the summer, the snow leopard lives above the tree line at altitudes up to an astonishing 18,000 feet. Its long tail helps to stabilize its movement along rugged and rocky mountain terrain. When winter begins, the leopard descends to an altitude of about 2,000 feet to hunt for prey in the snow-draped forests. The leopard’s large paws act like snowshoes on the fallen snow, displacing the weight and allowing the cat to move quickly through the trees. It can also use its tail as a covering with which it can warm its face or paws. | ” |
| —In-game history section | ||
Gallery
An in game Snow Leopard
3 Snow Leopards guarding treasure in Mongolia
The Snow Leopard's history portrait
