Snow Leopard

The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is one of Earth's most mysterious and beautiful large cats. Found across the mountain ranges of Central Asia — including the Himalayas, Karakoram, Hindu Kush, and Altai — it inhabits elevations from 3,000 to 5,500 meters. Snow leopards are perfectly adapted to their extreme environment. Their thick, pale spotted fur provides camouflage and insulation. Their large paws act as snowshoes. Their long, heavy tails help with balance on rocky terrain and can be wrapped around their bodies for warmth. So elusive are snow leopards that they were once called the "ghost of the mountains." Camera traps have revolutionized our ability to study them. In the wild, a single individual may patrol a territory of over 1,000 square kilometers. An estimated 4,000-6,500 snow leopards remain in the wild. They are threatened by habitat loss, climate change, poaching for their fur and bones, and conflict with herders whose livestock they occasionally prey upon.