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A wild snow leopard triggers a DSLR sensor camera high up in mountains of Ladakh in the Indian Himalayas.
A wild snow leopard triggers a DSLR sensor camera high up in mountains of Ladakh in the Indian Himalayas. © Sascha Fonseca / WWF-UK

Mysterious Felines - New study reveals more snow leopard data

It is estimated that the global population of snow leopards in the wild is around 4,000 individuals. Snow leopards are sparsely distributed across 12 countries in Central Asia, from southern Russia down to the Tibetan plateau, including Mongolia, China, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal and India.  

Elusive by nature and inhabiting the remote, lofty peaks of central and south Asia, the snow leopard is famously mysterious. It’s the least studied big cat in the world, and research projects have covered only 22% of its global range.

India’s borders contain roughly 10-15% of that global population of snow leopard, with a recent survey bringing the country’s population estimate to 718.  

Snow leopard in snowy landscape
img_snow_leopard_mountains © naturepl.com / Reinhard / ARCO / WWF

Surveys help inform vital conservation work

Surveys like India's recent one help understand where snow leopards are found and how many there are – and help assess the abundance of their natural prey.

This information is vital for developing conservation strategies to combat threats such as habitat loss, poaching and conflict with local communities. By monitoring them, we can identify emerging pressures and understand the impacts of climate change on this big cat’s delicately balanced ecosystem. 

Snow leopard. Wild {Panthera uncia} Ladakh, India
A wild snow leopard in Ladakh, India. © Francois Savigny / naturepl.com / WWF

Working with communities.

Between 2015-2019, WWF worked with local communities in Leh and Kargil in India to deploy 100 predator-free corral pens across 21 villages of the Leh and Kargil districts.

These corral pens protect livestock in local villages and consequently protect snow leopards by reducing the likelihood of the animals hunting in populated areas, reducing the resulting cases of human-snow leopard conflict. 

Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia), Naltar Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan.
A snow leopard in snow. © Muhammad Osama / WWF-Pakistan

Health at high altitudes

The good news is that as apex predators at the top of the food chain, the 718 snow leopards found in the survey act as indicators of the health of their high-altitude habitat—including natural prey—meaning fewer big cats may venture into populated areas.

In fact, local herders report fewer attacks on livestock when species, such as marmots that make up nearly a fifth of snow leopard diets, are abundant in the area.

Thank you

Thanks to supporters like you, work to understand the world of these vulnerable big cats and how to best protect them can continue to move forward.
Snow leopard walks around tree
Snow leopard walks around tree © Muhammad Osama / WWF-Pakistan
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