Snow leopards inhabit some of the most climate-sensitive ecosystems on Earth. Rising temperatures are altering their prey base, vegetation, and the human pressures they face.
Climate change creates a squeeze effect on snow leopards, with habitat quality declining at lower elevations as treeline rises while human pressure increases as communities move to higher ground. Individual snow leopards in areas of intensifying human-wildlife conflict face higher mortality risk from retaliatory killing. Prey species — blue sheep, ibex, and argali — are also affected by changing vegetation and increased livestock competition, reducing the prey availability that snow leopard individual welfare depends on. The interaction of multiple climate-driven stressors creates compounding welfare challenges that are difficult to address through single-issue conservation approaches. Integrated programs addressing climate resilience in herder livelihoods, prey conservation, and snow leopard-specific protection are needed for holistic welfare improvement.