You’ve probably heard us say that there may be as few as 4,000 snow leopards left in the wild today. But what about a million years ago? New research from a study between Stanford University, Snow Leopard Trust and other collaborators suggests that snow leopards have had a consistently low population for at least the last nine hundred thousand years – and that could spell trouble for their future.
Findings from a new study have upended long-held assumptions about snow leopard eating habits. The results? Bigger is (almost) always better.
When our team recently visited five wild snow leopard cubs in their dens in Mongolia, the news made waves around the world. But this rare event isn’t just headline worthy—it’s scientifically important for the survival of the species. Since 2008, we’ve only visited snow leopard dens five other times. Each discovery provides vital data about reproduction in these elusive cats. Read on to find out why these moments matter so much for snow leopard conservation.
A new paper by Snow Leopard Trust scientists shows how dispersing young snow leopards can navigate and travel long distances in flat terrain in search of territories. It also reveals what triggers them to set out and how fences and linear infrastructure can disrupt their movements.
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.
The Pallas’s cat is a small cat species that lives throughout the steppes and mountain grasslands of Asia. Sometimes referred to as ‘the grumpiest cat in the world’ because of its looks, it’s one of the least studied wild cats.
When do snow leopards hunt their prey? When do they rest? While these questions may seem tangential to conservation, a better understanding of snow leopard activity patterns can help inform our conservation efforts to protect the species and prepare for any threats on the horizon. Read on to learn more about the days and nights in the life of a snow leopard.
Snow leopard habitats are traditionally thought to have a low risk of disease prevalence and outbreaks. In a newly published paper, Snow Leopard Trust scientists and their collaborators draw attention to the increasing risk of disease outbreaks, which, unless managed proactively, can threaten wildlife as well as people.
Graduate student and researcher from Snow Leopard Conservation Foundation Otgontamir Chimed confirms the occurrence of the Pallas’s cat in Mongolia’s largest protected area. Yet, its range has shrunk in recent decades.
A recently published paper by SLT researcher Chagsaldulam Odonjavkhlan (Chagsaa) explores what allows similar herbivore species, a wild goat and a wild sheep, to coexist with little or no competition over resources. Her research examines the mechanisms of coexistence between two snow leopard prey species, the ibex and the argali.
