Journey to the heart of the Himalaya as we celebrate our official expansion into Nepal. Through interviews with our newest colleagues, Dr. Tulshi Laxmi Suwal and Sanjan Thapa, discover how a new community-centered partnership is turning the snow leopard into a symbol of local pride and conservation leadership.
In the mountain valleys of northern Pakistan, a snow leopard lived a long life. He hunted and roamed freely. He survived the most dangerous years an apex predator can face in a human-dominated landscape. And then, at roughly 12 years of age, he died quietly in a forested area above the village of Wakht, in Chitral’s Garam Chashma valley.
Over twenty years ago, a journey to Kenya’s Southern Rift planted a seed that would change the Cincinnati Zoo’s approach to conservation forever. It was there that David Jenike, now the Zoo’s Director, first met John Kamanga, the Co-Founder of SORALO, a community-led conservation organization based in Kenya that represents 30 Indigenous Maasai communities. Their vision is simple but powerful: a healthy, intact landscape that sustains pastoralist communities and wildlife alike.
What have the collared individuals been up to since we last saw them? We’re currently tracking seven GPS-collared cats and one ibex roaming Mongolia’s Tost Mountains. They are part of our long-term monitoring program, which has followed 45 individual snow leopards across generations since 2009, giving us unique insights into the lives of these endangered predators and their prey.
It’s that time of year again in the high mountains of Central Asia. No, not Valentine’s Day but something similar in the big cat world. It’s snow leopard mating season. And a bit more than three months later comes snow leopard cub season. How does the mythical ghost of the mountain compare to other big cats when it comes to love and family? We asked Senior Scientist Dr. Örjan Johansson and Assistant Director of Science Dr. Gustaf Samelius to share some of their insights into snow leopard mating habits and reproduction.
In the vast, arid landscapes of southern Mongolia, the delicate balance between nature and human survival is shifting. New research highlights how climate change and different land uses affect the Gobi’s life-sustaining ecosystem services—and how the people living there perceive these growing threats.
Despite the challenges 2025 threw our way, one thing is clear: snow leopard conservation is gaining momentum. From groundbreaking scientific discoveries to life-saving community programs, we reached major milestones that once seemed impossible. And none of it would have happened without your support. Read on to see what you made possible.
In the high mountains of Mongolia’s Tost Nature Reserve, our researchers have been tracking snow leopards through one of the most demanding periods of their lives: the weeks before and after females give birth. What they discovered reveals remarkable maternal behaviors and preparation.
Are you more of a Dagina or a Presnel? Is The Dude your dude, or has Tsetsen wandered through your heart? Take the quiz and find our which Snow Leopard Icon matches your vibe.
Right now, in the remote peaks of Mongolia, cameras are quietly documenting moments most people will never witness: wild snow leopards roaming through their mountain kingdoms. Each image—triggered by motion as a cat passes by—tells part of a larger story about survival, behavior and what it takes to protect one of Earth’s most elusive big cats.
