Wildlife

Snow Leopard Conservation and Welfare

Snow leopards face habitat loss, retaliatory killing by herders, and illegal wildlife trade, with fewer than 4,000 remaining in the wild.

Key Facts

Fewer than 4,000 snow leopards remain in the wild
They range across 12 countries in Central Asia
Snow leopards are killed in retaliation for livestock predation
Their bones and skins are traded illegally for traditional medicine
Climate change is shrinking their alpine habitat

Welfare Considerations

Snow leopards killed in retaliatory hunts often suffer from trap injuries or slow death from snares. Those caught for the illegal trade face extreme confinement stress before death. The loss of prey species due to poaching forces snow leopards into human-livestock conflict areas, creating cycles of retaliatory killing. Captive snow leopards in inadequate zoo facilities experience significant welfare harms.

What You Can Do

Support Snow Leopard Trust and similar organizations
Donate to livestock insurance programs that reduce retaliatory killing
Oppose illegal wildlife products including traditional medicine with snow leopard parts
Advocate for habitat connectivity across Central Asian borders