Snow Leopard

The snow leopard’s habitat range extends across the mountainous regions of 12 countries: Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.  The snow leopard prefers steep, rugged terrain with rocky outcrops where prey can be sparse, a reason these cats require an enormous amount of space to roam.  Male leopards require up to 80 square miles, whereas females have ranges of up to 48 square miles.

The three most important prey species for snow leopards are the blue sheep (also known as bharal), the Asiatic ibex (a large wild goat), and the argali sheep. The cats also feed on smaller mammals, such as marmots, pikas, and hares.  Availability of wild prey is the most important factor that determines if an area is suitable for the cats.

Poaching, habitat loss, decline in natural prey species, and retaliatory killings by locals when the cats prey on livestock are the main threats to the snow leopard’s survival.

Snow leopards are not only killed for their beautiful fur, but also for their bones and other body parts that are used in traditional medicine. Increased human intrusion into mountain ecosystems from the construction of highways, ski resorts, and other infrastructure projects pose a huge threat to snow leopards, causing habitat fragmentation and disturbances.

The climate crisis, perhaps the greatest long-term threat, is another contributing factor to dwindling populations. Rising temperatures in the mountains affect the entire ecosystem, threatening to further shrink the species’ alpine habitat and make it unusable.

Thanks to advances in technology, scientists and researchers have narrowed knowledge gaps about the snow leopard. Camera traps in particular have allowed for a more comprehensive understanding of snow leopard distribution and ecology across its range.  Anti-poaching programs, community education, establishment of protected areas, and development of community-led snow leopard conservation strategies are among measures that have been introduced to protect the big cats.

A number of international organizations dedicated to snow leopard conservation have been established, among them the Snow Leopard Network and Snow Leopard Conservancy.

The snow leopard is one of Kazakhstan’s rarest animals and a national symbol. Populations are scattered, stretching from high, rugged mountain range habitats in the east (administrative regions of East Kazakhstan and Almaty) to the south (administrative regions of Zhambyl and South Kazakhstan), complicating getting an accurate population count. Estimates place the number of snow leopards in Kazakhstan at 140-180 individual cats. The snow leopard has been included in the Republic of Kazakhstan’s Red Book since its first edition, published in 1978.

Non-governmental, state scientific, and government organizations share responsibilities for conserving Kazakhstan’s snow leopard population. Specifically, these include the Kazakhstan Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity (NGO); (2) Institute of Zoology (under the Ministry of Education and Science), and (3) the Committee of Forestry and Wildlife (under the Ministry of Agriculture). Ongoing work has achieved some success, notably in reducing poaching and illegal trade of snow leopards, which flourished in Kazakhstan in the 1900s and early 2000s.

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is also involved in Kazakhstan’s snow leopard conservation and has developed a landscape management plan—a successful method of biodiversity conservation—for the cat’s key habitats in the country. In collaboration with the Institute of Zoology, UNDP has studied the boundaries of potential habitats for the snow leopard and its prey base. UNDP is also engaged in identifying best methods and equipment for monitoring snow leopards and its prey species, decisions that are critical for obtaining accurate data on the animals and state of ecosystems.