Endangered species
> Snow leopard |
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| Snow leopard facts and key issues |
Key issues | Facts
Key issues
- Uncontrolled hunting is a threat to the snow leopard throughout its range. Although fully protected by national and international laws, uncontrolled hunting to protect livestock, and poaching for trophies and bones are helping to cause the snow leopard's rapid decline.
- Traps set for other fur-bearing animals have been known to catch snow leopards. Once caught, the snow leopards are often killed by the hunters for their pelts.
- Human development, such as agriculture, puts pressure on the environment. More domestic sheep and goats leave less pasture for their wild cousins, which in turn leaves less wild prey for the snow leopard.
Facts
- Snow leopard IUCN status category: endangered (2002 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species)
- The current estimated total snow leopard population is around 4,000 to 7,000 (Fading Footprints: The Killing and Trade of Snow Leopards, 2003).
- The snow leopard is found in the mountainous areas of 12 countries stretching from the Central Asian Republics to Mongolia. (Russia, Turkmenistan, Kyrgystan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, China (including Tibet) and Mongolia.)
- The snow leopard's diet consists mainly of wild sheep, goats and hares, which have decreased in number due to human encroachment and hunting.
- The snow leopard is hunted for its beautiful pelt. Once highly prized by the fashion world, it can still be seen for sale throughout China and Taiwan. There is huge value placed on their pelts and there has been an increase in poaching since the break-up of the USSR.
- In addition, it is also shot by farmers, who see it as a threat to their livestock. Like all animals it hunts to survive and its wild prey is increasingly becoming replaced by domestic livestock.
- The snow leopard presents no danger to people. It has keen eyesight and hearing and, when detecting the presence of humans, cautiously leaves their vicinity.
- The number of snow leopards killed for their bones is increasing. These are used as a substitute for tiger bones in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).
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WWF-UK > Research > Issues > Species > Snow leopard > Facts and key issues
