DISCOVER
Silent. Elusive. Majestic.
Fewer than 7,000 remain in the wild
Guardians of the Himalayas
The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is one of the world's most elusive and enigmatic big cats. Known as the "Ghost of the Mountains," it roams the rugged peaks and alpine meadows of Central Asia at altitudes of 3,000 to 5,500 metres above sea level.
Perfectly adapted to the extreme cold, their thick fur — patterned with dark rosettes and spots — provides both insulation and camouflage against the rocky, snow-dusted terrain. Their wide, fur-covered paws act as natural snowshoes, and their extraordinarily long tails serve as balance aids and warm blankets during rest.
Snow leopards inhabit some of the most remote and inhospitable landscapes on Earth — from the Hindu Kush and Karakoram ranges to the vast Tibetan Plateau and the Altai Mountains of Mongolia and Russia.
They favour steep, broken terrain with rocky outcrops and ravines, where they can ambush prey such as blue sheep (bharal) and Siberian ibex. A single snow leopard's home range can span up to 1,000 square kilometres, yet they move through it like phantoms — rarely seen, even by the people who share their mountains.
Hunted for their luxurious fur and body parts used in traditional medicine. An estimated 220–450 are killed each year.
Mining, infrastructure, and expanding livestock grazing are fragmenting snow leopard habitat across their range.
Rising temperatures are pushing the treeline higher, shrinking alpine habitat and disrupting prey availability.
Retaliatory killings occur when snow leopards prey on livestock — sometimes the only income source for mountain communities.
Conservation efforts are making a difference. Organisations like the Snow Leopard Trust, Panthera, and the Global Snow Leopard & Ecosystem Protection Programme (GSLEP) are working with local communities to protect these cats and their habitats.
Community-based conservation programmes — including livestock insurance, predator-proof corrals, and eco-tourism — are reducing human-wildlife conflict while providing sustainable livelihoods for mountain communities.
Camera trap networks and GPS collar studies are revealing the secrets of snow leopard behaviour, helping scientists identify critical corridors and design more effective protection strategies.
Every action counts. Support snow leopard conservation.
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