Residents in south western Poland are living in fear of a mysterious predator blamed for attacking and killing livestock, it has been reported during the last several days of March 2009.

The animal is thought to be a rare snow leopard. It’s has been sighted numerous times around Opole and has even been recorded on a mobile phone camera by a resident of Biala village.

At another location, a driver informed the police that a big cat had jumped over his moving car while chasing a deer.

Unless it is an escaped pet and they are extremely rare in zoos let alone as privately captives, this is probably not a “snow leopard.”

The snow leopard (Uncia uncia or Panthera uncia) is a moderately large cat not found in Europe, but is native to the mountain ranges of Central Asia, especially famous as a great cat of the Himalayan mountain ranges. Of the dozen countries known to have snow leopard populations, these are Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

The geographic distribution stretches from the Hindukush in eastern Afghanistan and the Syr Darya through the mountains of Pamir Mountains, Tian Shan, Karakorum, Kashmir, Kunlun, and the Himalaya to southern Siberia, where the range covers the Russian Altai mountains, Sajan, Tannu-Ola mountains and the mountains to the west of Lake Baikal. In Mongolia it is found in the Mongolian and Gobi Altai and the Khangai Mountains. In Tibet, the snow leopard is found up to the Altyn-Tagh in the North, according to quick reference points in Wikipedia.

Thanks to Gavin Joth for the heads up.

The need is great, the bank is empty, there are no savings, the museum is weeks from foreclosure because the IRS bill had to be paid. That’s the way it is on April 7th, and there’s lots more, but most people just won’t believe it. Ask questions with your donation, if you want. If you can help in anyway, please do…