Isn't the Affimals community great? Furry?
It's turning us all into the animal I'm currently writing about for the next volume of Affimals... the snow leopard. The distribution of these rare and majestic cats is just about as spotty as their fur, as they sit -- and purr -- on top of the world in 12 countries across Central Asia, including China, India, Mongolia, and Kyrgyzstan. These short-faced leopards, like those of myth and marble, disappear into the mountains at 15,000 to 18,000 feet, their cloud-light eyes looking down upon sheep and yak herders, few of whom have ever seen them.
Snow leopards solitary. So there has never been a need for a word for a group of them (like a herd, or gaggle, or pride). They're also very quiet, giving soft mews to mom, and other sounds that disappear into the Himalayan winds. They do communicate, however, in near silence, leaving scratch marks and scents that survive where few can. Somehow they manage to hear each other's calling and get the message... something soft, beautiful, and powerful is with you.
Thank you for being my fellow snow leopards.
The book, Affimals: Affirmations + Animals, has only been available but a few days. But somehow, we're managing to find each other... some of us from halfway around the world. I realize it can be a challenge to get your paws on the book right now. So you get a big "chuff" (that's a leopard's version of purr, "prusten" in German) from me. And hopefully, it will be more widely available soon.
Until then... keep enjoying the top of your mountain.
WHERE TO FIND AFFIMALS....
http://www.abebooks.com (USA)
http://www.abebooks.de (Germany... also check other AbeBooks worldwide)
http://www.amazon.de (Germany)
http://www.amazon.co.jp (Japan)
http://www.buchhandel.de (Germany)
(Book language: English)
ALL ABOUT SNOW LEOPARDS
(with photos -- including cubs!! -- great info, and ways to help them)...
Snow Leopard Trust
http://www.snowleopard.org/
