Snow leopards face growing prey scarcity across their mountain range as livestock competition and unsustainable hunting reduce wild ungulate populations. Prey depletion forces snow leopards into conflict with herders and threatens individual welfare.
Individual snow leopards in prey-depleted landscapes face chronic nutritional stress, increased energy expenditure, and higher conflict exposure. Animals that attack livestock risk being killed, trapped, or poisoned. Conservation programs that restore prey populations - by reducing livestock encroachment and protecting wild ungulates - provide welfare benefits for snow leopards without requiring any direct intervention with the cats themselves. Community livestock insurance schemes reduce retaliatory killings significantly.