Camera trap networks in high-altitude Central Asian ranges are transforming snow leopard conservation by providing population data and welfare insights without the stress of capture and handling.
Camera trap monitoring represents an ethical advance in wildlife research - providing rich behavioral and welfare data without the acute stress of live capture, chemical immobilization, and handling. Individual snow leopards photographed by cameras can be monitored over years, documenting aging, injury recovery, reproductive success, and conflict. Welfare threats visible in camera images include mange, injury from traps, and body condition decline. The non-invasive approach respects animal welfare while generating the data needed to protect the species.