On International Snow Leopard Day, recent reporting highlights how innovative science and community-centered conservation are enabling snow leopards to coexist with humans in Asia’s mountains. These big cats face threats from climate change, declining wild prey, and retaliatory killings by herders.
A 2025 government survey indicated approximately 397 snow leopards in Nepal. Research also revealed that snow leopards, common leopards, and Himalayan wolves share habitats in Nepal’s Lapchi Valley, primarily by preying on different species. Wild blue sheep are a significant food source for snow leopards, and maintaining these populations is crucial to preventing predation on livestock.
Conservationists emphasize addressing the needs of herding families who lose livestock to snow leopards. Human-wildlife conflict can erode trust from local communities.
Source: Mongabay