Recently, many forums are sharing extremely cute photos of a snow leopard. This is a cheetah with a “noble” appearance, enough to make everyone look at it. Yet he still holds his tail.

His cute appearance is only part of it. What makes the photo so viral is the touching story that goes with it, that this snow leopard was raised in captivity, and as a baby he often sucked on his mother’s tail. When he grows up, the mother leopard is no longer there, and the baby leopard cannot forget his childhood habits, so he behaves like that.

The story touches the hearts of netizens, so it is not surprising that the photo series has achieved great popularity. But from a scientific perspective, is it really like that?

The truth behind the snow leopard’s super cute tail-sucking habit

Snow leopard – the name alone is enough to tell us that it lives in areas covered with snow, with temperatures often below zero. Therefore, scientists have hypothesized about their habit of sucking their tails, that leopards do so to protect their mouths and noses from too cold temperatures.

Nature has given the snow leopard a fluffy tail that is both long and warm, so placing it in its mouth is enough to provide the necessary heat to protect its nose.

However, many people who come here will have a question. In fact, the set of photos above is from a leopard kept in a reserve – where the temperature is much warmer than its natural habitat. So why do snow leopards still have this behavior in captivity?

The answer is actually very simple: it’s because of their instinctive characteristics. Like many other animals, snow leopards are accustomed to living in harsh cold environments. Therefore, putting their tails in their mouths seems to have become their instinct, and they do so without too much question.

Another, somewhat cuter, theory is that the snow leopard is just a big cat after all. Cats often have strange habits, like tail biting, for example. It’s all just for fun.