This groundbreaking study by our Pakistan team, led by Program Director Dr. Muhammad Ali represents more than a decade of collaborative effort involving students from Quaid-i-Azam University, Snow Leopard Foundation staff, three provincial wildlife departments and the Federal Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination.
Why the Numbers Matter
The snow leopard is a flagship species of the greater Himalayan region and a symbol of the health of these fragile mountain ecosystems. Pakistan plays a unique role in the survival of the species as the country’s north is where four of Asia’s great mountain ranges meet: the Hindu Kush, Pamirs, Karakoram and Himalayas. These landscapes form some of the most remote and challenging habitats on Earth.
Until now, the available figures for the species in Pakistan, ranging between 200 to 420, were based largely on guesswork. Their elusive nature, low density and preference for steep, high-altitude terrain made systematic monitoring extremely challenging.
A Decade-Long Effort
This new study whose planning and execution required more than a decade of work, from 2010 to 2023, used two state-of-the-art methods: camera trapping and non-invasive genetic analysis.
Between 2010 and 2019, 828 motion-sensitive cameras were deployed across northern Pakistan, covering about 39% of the snow leopard’s range. These cameras, placed in remote valleys and along wildlife trails, recorded over 4,700 images of snow leopards across 65 locations. In total, scientists identified 53 unique individuals, but more than half of them were seen only once.
Advanced statistical modeling (spatial capture–recapture, or SCR) converted these photographs into a population estimate: 155 snow leopards, with a mean density of just 0.16 animals per 100 km². The highest densities were found near glaciers and within protected areas.
A Second Independent Assessment
From 2017 to 2023, the team turned to genetics. Field teams trekked along high-altitude transects, collecting over a thousand suspected snow leopard droppings. DNA testing confirmed 235 as belonging to snow leopards, and a specially developed SNP (single-nucleotide polymorphism) genetic panel allowed researchers to identify 56 individual animals.The genetic data suggested a population of 167 individuals, with a 95% confidence range of 128 to 220.
Results That Agree
The fact that both methods — entirely independent and based on different types of data — produced similar population estimates adds confidence to the results and sets a new standard for wildlife population monitoring in Pakistan.
What’s at Stake
The Karakoram–Pamir region emerged as the stronghold of Pakistan’s snow leopard population, followed by the Hindu Kush and Himalayan ranges. But even in these strongholds, densities are low, and the cats face growing threats.
Snow leopards are iconic apex predators. They also hold cultural significance for the mountain communities that share their range. Losing them would not only harm biodiversity but would signal deeper ecological damage in the greater Himalayan landscape.
Their survival is under increasing pressure from climate change, which is altering snow and glacier patterns, habitat fragmentation and human development. As livestock herding expands and natural prey declines, snow leopards are more likely to attack domestic animals, which can lead to retaliation.
A Call for Action
“This is a milestone for snow leopard conservation in Pakistan,” says Dr. Nawaz. “We finally have a baseline to measure future changes, assess the success of conservation measures and take timely action.”
The study underscores the need for targeted protection, including strengthening key habitats, expanding community-centric conservation and building cross-border cooperation across Asia’s high mountains.
Dr. Shezra Mansab Kharal, Pakistan’s Minister of State, Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, says “ Protecting the snow leopard means protecting the mountains themselves — and the people, wildlife and water resources that depend on them.”
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Photo credits: Snow Leopard Foundation-Pakistan
Acknowledgments: Funding came from the UK Government’s Darwin Initiative, the Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN), Snow Leopard Trust (SLT), the Research Council of Norway and Panthera.
The research also benefited from the expertise of leading population ecologists through partnerships with the University of St Andrews, University of Massachusetts, Stanford University and the Global Snow Leopard & Ecosystem Protection Program (GSLEP).