Snow leopards are elusive apex predators of high mountain ecosystems facing threats from habitat loss, prey depletion, and retaliatory killing. Their welfare depends on conservation of intact mountain landscapes.
Snow leopard welfare in increasingly fragmented mountain landscapes is compromised by prey scarcity, retaliatory conflict, and climate-driven habitat loss. Animals ranging across vast territories face increasing encounter rates with humans and domestic livestock. Community-based conservation programmes that compensate herders for livestock losses and provide corrals reduce retaliatory killing while improving both snow leopard and livestock welfare. These programmes are among the most effective interventions for this elusive species.