SPECIES
Snow leopard
Panthera uncia
A ghost of the high mountains, adapted to cliffs, thin air and long silent distances.
Powerful hind legs, broad paws and a long balancing tail help it negotiate steep broken terrain.
Snow leopards hunt wild mountain ungulates such as bharal and ibex; prey loss can bring livestock conflict.
High mountain landscapes across Central and South Asia.
Where does a snow leopard live?
High mountain landscapes across Central and South Asia.
Worth knowing
- Adaptation Powerful hind legs, broad paws and a long balancing tail help it negotiate steep broken terrain.
- Ecological role Snow leopards hunt wild mountain ungulates such as bharal and ibex; prey loss can bring livestock conflict.
- Home High mountain landscapes across Central and South Asia.
How it survives
Powerful hind legs, broad paws and a long balancing tail help it negotiate steep broken terrain.
A ghost of the high mountains, adapted to cliffs, thin air and long silent distances.
Why relationships matter
Snow leopards hunt wild mountain ungulates such as bharal and ibex; prey loss can bring livestock conflict.
Where it lives
High mountain landscapes across Central and South Asia.
Pressures and responses
Prey depletion, habitat pressures, retaliatory killing and a warming mountain climate.
Support community-led livestock protection, prey recovery and connected mountain landscapes.
Sources
- Wikipedia species-account reference, not independently claim-verified — Panthera uncia
- GBIF — Panthera uncia accepted taxon
- Panthera — Are snow leopards endangered?
- Snow Leopard Trust — Wild prey competes with livestock
- Snow Leopard Trust — A solitary cat
- World Wildlife Fund — Retaliation after livestock losses
Records of where it has been seen come live from GBIF; observed interactions from GloBI. Draft — not yet reviewed by a person.