<< back to Asia-Pacific projects
Partners for Wildlife
SNOW LEOPARD TRUST
The Snow Leopard Trust is working to protect:
Snow leopard (Panthera uncia)
This large cat species is found across 12 nations in Central Asia. Estimated population is 3,500-7,000 individuals living in highly fragmented habitat. The species had been eradicated from parts of its historic range and is suspected to have declined by at least 20% over the past two generations due to critical threats. About 75% of its current range lies outside of protected areas. International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listing is Endangered.
Habitat:
Alpine and sub-alpine ecological zones. Snow leopards prefer broken, rocky terrain with vegetation that is dominated by shrubs or grasses and usually avoid dense forest. They generally occur between elevations of 3,000 to 4,500 meters (9,842-14,763 feet) , except within their northern range limit where they are found at lower elevations of 900 to 2,500 meters (2,952-8,202 feet). Much of snow leopard habitat is very dry, with less than 300 mm of annual precipitation.
Critical threats to wildlife:
- Conflict with local communities when snow leopards prey on livestock
GET THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE FIELD
Woodland Park Zoo has lent assistance by testing camera trap equipment that was then used in the field in Asia to track wild snow leopards.
Snow leopards are incredibly elusive animals whose habitat is spread over thousands of square miles of rugged terrain in Central Asia.
Snow Leopard Enterprises, founded by the Snow Leopard Trust, has created markets for goods created by people in snow leopard areas, making the need to poach to earn money less necessary.