High in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan, an unlikely partnership is buzzing with possibility. Some local herding families are shifting their exclusive focus on livestock to include something sweeter—one that will make a difference for the endangered snow leopard. Beekeeping. What do honeybees have to do with snow leopards? Mountain communities have depended on grazing their animals across vast natural pastures for generations. But overgrazing is degrading the landscape, damaging the habitat that livestock, snow leopards and their prey need to survive. When livestock and wild animals compete for the same resources, it often spells trouble for both people and wildlife. Enter the humble honeybee. By incorporating beekeeping into their livelihoods, these mountain families can diversify their income beyond just herding. Selling honey provides an additional resource that works alongside nature. Less pressure on the pastures means healthier grasslands for all. The program is designed to benefit everyone involved. Community beekeepers contribute 20% of their honey sales to conservation efforts that protect both their livelihoods and local wildlife. This funding supports anti-poaching patrols, research cameras that monitor snow leopard populations and sustainable pasture management. In one community, rangers are even paid in liquid gold—honey serves as their salary.  Last year, seven communities in Kyrgyzstan maintained 200 beehives generating 1.75 tons of honey, and earning 40% above market rates for their snow leopard-friendly product. The beauty of this approach lies in its simplicity. By diversifying their income sources, families can improve their financial security and resilience against the impacts of climate change, such as unpredictable weather and shifting conditions. At the same time, snow leopards benefit from a healthier habitat that supports a greater population of wild prey, reducing the likelihood of livestock attacks.  It’s a win-win solution that helps everyone.   This is what successful conservation looks like: families earning sustainable incomes, landscapes healing and snow leopards roaming healthy habitats. If you’d like to sample a jar of snow leopard-friendly honey, you can bid on one in our Online Auction.  But hurry, this sweet offer ends on Friday, October 24! All proceeds support our snow leopard conservation programs. Photo credits: SLCF-Kyrgyzstan Acknowledgements: We express our gratitude to the United Nations Environment Programme and the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg for making the Vanishing Treasures project possible. This effort is also co-funded by IUCN Save Our Species, Chester Zoo and Seneca Park Zoo. Its contents are the sole responsibility of Snow Leopard Trust and do not necessarily reflect the views of IUCN. Thank you to Snow Leopard Foundation of Kyrgyzstan and Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program for being key partners in this project. Huge thanks are also extended to the local communities in the Ala-Too for their participation and partnership. The post Sweet Solutions: How Honeybees Are Helping Snow Leopards appeared first on Snow Leopard Trust.

Before this study, the genomes of only four snow leopards had been sequenced. This study brought that number up to 41, contributing a massive increase in our understanding of snow leopard genetics. Our team provided crucial support by sourcing samples for the Stanford scientists to sequence. Their findings tell an interesting story about the ancestry of snow leopards. Significantly, they found that snow leopards have the lowest genetic diversity among all big cat species, including cheetahs, which are well-known for their low genetic diversity. This is likely due to a persistently low, but stable, population size throughout their evolutionary history. Other species with low levels of genetic diversity often also have high rates of inbreeding, but researchers didn’t find evidence of this among snow leopards. This may be explained by a high level of connectivity between snow leopard populations, and because these intrepid cats have a penchant for traveling long distances between mountain ranges. Perhaps curiosity saved the cat? It’s impossible to know exactly how many snow leopards roamed Earth’s high peaks in the past, but this research suggests that their population has been consistently low during the last 900,000 years and then experienced a bottleneck about 20,000 to 30,000 years ago during the height of the last glaciation. But it seems even this apparent bottleneck, which may have halved their population, did not have a major impact on their genetic diversity, which is common after such occurrences.  All that was a long, long time ago. So what does it have to do with snow leopards today? While it’s reassuring that snow leopards don’t show high rates of inbreeding, a small population coupled with low genetic diversity means the species may be less able to adapt in a fast-changing world.  This is especially concerning, given that their habitat is already experiencing significant human-caused climate change and the growth of industry and development in their once inaccessible mountains. This remoteness was probably what kept the species secure despite its small population over millennia; the cats were able to endure because they were more removed from the pressures that humans have historically always put on predators.  That is no longer the reality, and conservation approaches will need to adapt if and when the snow leopard can’t. Our teams are working to address this growing threat in partnership with the Indigenous Peoples and local communities sharing these precarious mountains. Through livelihood adaptation programs, livestock care and management, and ethical research, we are fostering coexistence with snow leopards and securing their future. This groundbreaking work with Stanford opens new possibilities for our long-term research study of snow leopards. We’re continuing our collaboration to gather more samples that will help us understand the genetic structure of snow leopard populations and identify potential barriers to gene flow across their range.  One exciting possibility is using landscape genetics to map connectivity and animal movement across vast areas. This approach could reveal which landscape features act as barriers and which serve as dispersal corridors for snow leopards. While GPS collars are excellent for tracking individual movements, and cameras can show us movement between monitored sites, genetics may be the only tool that allows us to understand connectivity at large spatial scales. Sign up for our monthly E-News to get all the latest updates from the field delivered to your inbox. Read the full paper here. Photo credits: Ali Javed, SLCF-Mongolia Acknowledgments: Thank you to Stanford University, Bronx Zoo and all other contributors. The post What 900,000 Years of Snow Leopard Ancestry Tells Us About Their Ability to Adapt appeared first on Snow Leopard Trust.

Using collar data, we’ve been searching for kills made by the two female snow leopards that gave birth this summer, F12 and F19. While doing this, we have noticed that they employed two very different parenting strategies. F12 appears to take more risks and is likely able to provide the cubs with more food, whereas F19 plays it safer, possibly providing less meat but potentially keeping her cubs more secure. F12 and her cubs left their den on July 26th, when the cubs were almost 2 months old. She had just killed a female ibex and moved the cubs to the kill. They had a nice, protected ledge just 50 m above the kill, where they could stay hidden. This was relatively close to our Base Camp – in fact, they could see the Base Camp from the ledge. F12’s two cubs at 28 days old. Since then, F12 has followed this strategy: hunt and then move the cubs to the feast. When the meat runs out, she relocates the cubs a few hundred meters to another site with lots of hiding places (typically tall vegetation and steep walls with crevices and caves), often close to a water hole. She stashes the cubs here when hunting. Once she has made a kill, she goes back to the cubs and travels to the kill site with them. This has continued since late July. We think this pattern will repeat until the end of October or November, when the cubs should be big enough to travel with her more extensively. F19 has a much more careful approach. She didn’t abandon her den until September 2nd.  At that time, the cubs were almost three months old. Prior to this, we have never seen a female use a den for such a long time. It’s probably a risk-averse approach to keep them in the same safe den, instead of traveling with them and stashing them in temporary sites. But at the same time, her cubs are restricted to a diet of milk, whereas F12’s cubs likely started eating meat a month earlier. When F19 finally left the den, she killed a big ibex male. She and the cubs fed on it for five to six days. Then she moved them to a ‘stash site’ high up on a mountain, where she kept them until September 19th (11 days total). During this time, she killed an ibex kid but didn’t bring the cubs to the kill. This pattern has repeated, where she keeps the cubs at a stash site for an extended period and only brings them to some of her kills. Perhaps they are still partly feeding on milk.  A rest site where F19 and her cubs spent about four and a half days. F12, now ten years old, has likely claimed the throne as the best-studied snow leopard female, a title passed down from Dagina, who inherited it from F12’s own mother, Anu. This is F12’s fourth litter; her prior three litters consisted of three, one and three cubs. We know that the single cub disappeared, but the other six cubs survived to at least 1.5 years of age. Once they disperse from their mother, it’s difficult to know their stories unless they stay in the area and show up on our camera traps or become part of our collaring program. One of her cubs, F16, is now collared and thriving. F12 and her previous litter of 3 cubs in 2023. Suffice it to say that F12 is an experienced mother. Logically, her strategy ought to be better as she can provide more food for the cubs, though perhaps she subjects them to greater risks. General view of the southeast part of Tost, where F19 and cubs spent quite a bit of time this past summer and fall F19 is only five years old. She has given birth before but has not successfully raised a litter. Perhaps losing her first litter made her extra cautious, or maybe that same strategy failed to provide enough food. We can’t know for sure. Whether this approach will succeed remains to be seen. What we can do is piece together her story from camera trap images and collar data, then apply those insights to conservation strategies that protect these cats, their habitat, and their prey. Beyond tracking these two mothers, we also collared a beautiful new male on our recent field trip. M25 is probably around five years old and appears to have claimed the territory in the northeast part of Tost around the crater. This area was previously held by Kurzawa, who controlled it since 2018, a remarkably long time for a wild snow leopard male. He was seen on camera in the crater area and more central parts of Tost in late fall of 2024, which suggests that M25 may have started to push him out of his area then.  Recently, we’ve had some rather bad weather with heavy rains that created a waterfall above our camp. It was beautiful, except that the water was flowing towards the camp. Flash floods destroyed many of our traps and completely altered the ravines, making it hard to predict where the cats will walk. We’ve also had some complications with a stone marten. I’d heard they can be troublemakers, climbing into cars and chewing cables, but I thought that was exaggerated. However, this guy has dug out our trap transmitters, pulling them hard enough to set off the alarm and then chewed off the cable to the antenna. Three times now we’ve been jolted awake, grabbed all our gear and scrambled off in a hurry, hoping to collar a snow leopard, only to find stone marten teeth marks. I used to really like martens. Now, I’m not so sure.  F19 recently received her Mongolian name, which is Khiimori.  It means Wind Spirit or Wind Horse. You can help snow leopard cubs in the wild by adopting your own plush cub. All adoptions fund our conservation programs. Photo credits: SLCF-Mongolia Acknowledgements: This long-term ecological study is in collaboration with Snow Leopard Conservation Foundation in Mongolia and Snow Leopard Trust, with special thanks to the Ministry of Nature, Environment and Tourism, the Government of Mongolia, and the Mongolian Academy of Sciences for their support. We would also like to acknowledge: Acton Family Giving, Bioparc Zoo de Doue la Fontaine, David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, Idaho Falls Zoo at Tautphaus Park, John Ball Zoo, Kolmårdens Zoo, Korkeasaari Zoo, National Geographic Society, Nordens Ark, Parco Zoo Punta Verde, Play for Nature, Tierpark Berlin, The Big Cat Sanctuary/Wildlife Heritage Foundation, Tulsa Zoo, Whitley Fund for Nature, Zoo Basel, Zoo Dresden, Zoo New England and the many incredible partners who have supported programs like our Long-term Ecological Study and research in Mongolia since it began in 2008. We could not do this work without you. The post Two Mothers, Two Different Survival Strategies appeared first on Snow Leopard Trust.

Qamar Gul, now the Center Coordinator for Snow Leopard Enterprises (SLE) in Kuju Valley, first approached the Snow Leopard Foundation (SLF) in 2012 with a vision: to create a platform for local women to participate in conservation through skill-based income opportunities. Inspired by the positive change she had observed since SLE began in her area in 2005, Qamar believed that empowering women would not only support households economically but also encourage environmental stewardship. Despite facing financial hardship and cultural restrictions, Qamar completed her matriculation at a boys’ school and pursued higher education as a private candidate, funding her studies by sewing clothes at home. Living in a joint family with aging parents, three brothers, their children and a dependent sister, she carried a heavy responsibility, but saw it as a challenge she was ready to lead through. Qamar’s initiative led to the formation of a group of 30 local women who signed a conservation agreement with SLF, producing handmade embroidered napkins in exchange for fair wages. This income, around Rs. 100 per napkin became a source of pride and independence for many women. The group now produces the highest number of napkins annually among SLE participants. Qamar also receives a small supervisory wage for monitoring production. With tears in her eyes, she shared, “From the income of SLE’s napkin production, I was able to support my parents and contribute to my sister’s wedding. Because of SLF, I became the right hand of my father in a time of great need.” Her journey didn’t stop there. Determined to build her skills further, Qamar enrolled in Government Technical College in Chitral to pursue advanced education in embroidery and handicrafts. She is now the master trainer for SLF, strengthening the skill center she helped build and ensuring long-term opportunities for more women in her community. “I want women in my village to have a platform where they can learn, contribute and earn. SLF gave us that chance, and I want to help expand it further.” Qamar’s story is a powerful example of how a single determined individual, when supported by the right platform, can drive social and environmental impact, one stitch at a time. When women earn through conservation, they come to see the snow leopard not as a threat, but as a vital part of the ecosystem they help protect. Snow Leopard Enterprises is an award-winning, conservation-focused handicrafts brand that helps create sustainable economic opportunities for women and families living in snow leopard habitat. This women-led initiative promotes the production and sale of handmade products to augment livelihoods. Participating communities are also actively involved in conservation actions to protect snow leopards. You can support Qamar and thousands of women across the snow leopard range with a purchase from our conservation shop.  The post Stitch by Stitch: How a Young Woman is Reshaping Conservation in Pakistan appeared first on Snow Leopard Trust.

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.” Stay informed with the latest population estimate updates by signing up for our monthly E-News. 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). The post Pakistan’s First Nationwide Snow Leopard Count Reveals Eye-Opening Results appeared first on Snow Leopard Trust.

Elizabeth’s love affair with snow leopards began decades ago with a single encounter. “When I saw my first snow leopard in captivity, that was it! I fell in love,” she recalls. That moment sparked a connection that would span over 40 years of supporting Snow Leopard Trust—and ultimately led to her decision to include us in her will. A Journey Back in Time For Elizabeth, snow leopards represent more than just a magnificent species—they’re a bridge to cherished memories. “I think the fact that I had traveled to Asia with my Dad when I was young made a deep impression on me. My connection to the snow leopard brings me back to that special place and time.” That personal connection deepened when Elizabeth had the opportunity to travel to Mongolia with Snow Leopard Trust. Witnessing our work firsthand confirmed what she had long suspected: this was conservation done right. “I observed how the team works so well with the country program staff and the local community members and how respectful and humble and collaborative you all are.” Beyond Just Saving Animals Speaking about her decision to include Snow Leopard Trust in her will, Elizabeth’s reasoning is both practical and passionate. “I don’t have close family members to give my money to and I don’t think people do enough for animals,” she explains. “I don’t have a lot of money compared to many, but what I do have, I want to give to bats and snow leopards. They can’t help themselves.” But Elizabeth’s commitment goes deeper than simply wanting to help animals. “I want to do what I can for wildlife and conservation—and support an organization that is doing something beyond just protecting the animals. Snow Leopard Trust is doing work in a way I feel is important.” The Right Size for Impact What gives Elizabeth confidence in her decision is our unique position in the conservation world. “I will rest easier knowing the Trust will manage my gift well—you are small enough to be able to get everyone on the same page and big enough to make it happen. Your approach is pure with integrity and selflessness, which is critical when you are trying to save a species.” For someone who spends her professional life preserving delicate treasures from the past, Elizabeth understands the importance of ensuring that precious things survive for the future. Her legacy gift to Snow Leopard Trust represents her belief that these magnificent cats—and the communities who share their landscape—deserve that same preservation. Elizabeth’s gift will help ensure snow leopards continue to roam the mountains of Asia long after she’s gone. It’s a legacy that connects her past travels, her present passions and her hopes for the future—all centered around one of nature’s most extraordinary cats. If you’d like to learn more about leaving a conservation legacy for snow leopards, click hereOr email: jennifer@snowleopard.org. Photo credits: Sagar Gosavi The post The Heart of Conservation: Why One Woman Chose Snow Leopards as Her Legacy appeared first on Snow Leopard Trust.

Determining whether a snow leopard population is thriving, stable or declining isn’t as simple as counting how many cats you see. Scientists must track the complete life cycle, from birth to death, to get the full picture. You need to know if enough cubs are surviving to replace the adults that die. This is one of the reasons we use GPS collars and camera traps to track individual snow leopards and their families over many years, gathering detailed data to make smart conservation decisions. Survival vs. Reproduction Balance Imagine you’re tracking a group of 20 adult snow leopards (10 males and 10 females) in the wild. To understand if this population is healthy, you need to look at two key numbers: How many die each year (death rate) How many new cubs survive to adulthood (birth rate) Let’s compare two different areas in a real-world example: Area A (Worse survival): 20% of cats die each year (4 out of 20) 80% survival rate Area B (Better survival): 10% of cats die each year (2 out of 20) 90% survival rate At first glance, Area A looks like it’s in trouble with twice as many deaths. But here’s the key question: Are enough snow leopards being born to replace the ones that die? The Reproduction Factor We currently do not know exactly how many surviving cubs a female snow leopard produces in a year. (Cubs typically stay with their mothers for two years.) But if each female snow leopard raises an average of 0.6 cubs per year that survive to independence, then: 10 females × 0.6 cubs = 6 new snow leopards per year The Math: Area A loses 4 cats but gains 6 = net gain of 2 cats Area B loses 2 cats but gains 6 = net gain of 4 cats Both populations are actually growing, even though Area A has a higher death rate. The Waiting Game There’s one important catch: snow leopards don’t start having their own cubs until they’re 3-4 years old. So there’s always a delay between when adults die and when the cubs can replace them by reproducing. The Hidden Danger: Sink vs. Source Populations Sometimes, a population can look stable on the surface but actually be in serious trouble. Imagine an area that consistently has 20 snow leopards year after year. This might seem healthy, but what if eight cats die annually while only four cubs survive to adulthood? The population may stay at 20 because four new snow leopards are moving in from other areas each year. Scientists call this a ‘sink population’ – it’s like a leaky bucket that needs constant refilling from somewhere else. Conversely, some areas produce more cubs than they lose adults, creating a ‘source population’ of surplus cats. Such source-sink systems help maintain larger overall populations and add to population stability. The problem is that sink populations are relatively unsustainable – if the source areas stop producing extra cats, the sink will quickly collapse. That’s why simply counting snow leopards isn’t enough; we need to understand whether each population is truly self-sustaining or secretly dependent on others. Why This Matters This research is vital for assessing species vulnerability. Mathematical models, used by organizations like the IUCN to create the ‘Red List’ that assigns protection status to species worldwide, need accurate data for these critical decisions. That’s why every collared snow leopard and every cub monitored matters for the species’ future. Check out this simplified version of one of four matriarchal lines documented in our long-term ecological study in Tost, Mongolia.  Sign up for our monthly E-News to get all the latest updates from the field delivered to your inbox. Photo credits: SLCF-Mongolia, SLF-Kyrgyzstan, Snow Leopard Trust and Kesang Chunit Acknowledgements: This long-term ecological study is in collaboration with Snow Leopard Conservation Foundation in Mongolia and Snow Leopard Trust, with special thanks to the Ministry of Nature, Environment and Tourism, the Government of Mongolia, and the Mongolian Academy of Sciences for their support. We would also like to acknowledge: Acton Family Giving, Bioparc Zoo de Doue la Fontaine, David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, Idaho Falls Zoo at Tautphaus Park, John Ball Zoo, Kolmårdens Zoo, Korkeasaari Zoo, National Geographic Society, Nordens Ark, Parco Zoo Punta Verde, Play for Nature, Tierpark Berlin, The Big Cat Sanctuary/Wildlife Heritage Foundation, Tulsa Zoo, Whitley Fund for Nature, Zoo Basel, Zoo Dresden, Zoo New England and the many incredible partners who have supported programs like our Long-term Ecological Study and research in Mongolia since it began in 2008. We could not do this work without you. The post Cracking the Code: Calculating Snow Leopard Survival appeared first on Snow Leopard Trust.

Last month, we turned our spotlight on the underappreciated ungulates of Asia’s high mountains and their significance beyond being mere prey for snow leopards. Unfortunately for ungulates, this month we are discussing the ideal meal for snow leopards: ibex. Specifically, fully grown ibex males in the prime of their lives.  This preference for large prey is unusual behavior for large cats, who tend to prefer and hunt prey typically smaller or similar in size to them. For perspective, a fully grown male ibex can exceed 100 kg, more than twice the body mass of an average snow leopard. Unlike most big cats, male and female snow leopards are similar in size, showing minimal sexual dimorphism.  Our study shows that snow leopards prefer large male ibex, while female ibex, which are much closer in size to snow leopards, were selected less frequently than their relative population abundance would suggest. Similarly, young male ibex under six years old and yearlings between one and two years were also hunted by snow leopards at unexpectedly low rates. Prey selection by predators is influenced by many variables, including seasonality. We tracked prey selection across the four seasons and still found that adult ibex males were selected at higher than expected rates. Spring saw the only significant change in this selection, when male snow leopards hunted female ibex and female snow leopards hunted ibex kids at higher rates. This shows that snow leopards are dynamic hunters, adjusting their prey selection based on seasonal vulnerability in ibex. “Young ibex kids haven’t yet developed the agility and speed needed to escape, while adult females lose much of their agility in late pregnancy, making them both easier targets,” says Dr. Örjan Johansson, SLT’s Senior Scientist and lead author of the paper. http://snowleopard.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Untitled-design-3.mp4 But why male ibex? We expect predators to select prey that will give them the most bang for their buck – or, in scientific terms, the highest energy gain. Yet, in our study, we found that younger males, which have the second-highest biomass of all ibex age-sex classes, were hunted at lower rates than their relative population abundance would suggest. This implies that snow leopards were choosing the older male ibex for reasons other than their large biomass. Are older ibex perhaps more vulnerable to snow leopard hunting strategies? Ibex horns continue to grow as they age, with older males typically having the largest horns. While this gives them some advantages (we’ll get to that soon), it is not a great boon while being chased down a mountain by an ambushing snow leopard. The big bodies and large horns of the mature male ibex seem to make them more vulnerable to predation in the crags and crannies of their mountainous habitat. This “handicap” is, oddly enough, a great boon for many other potential prey species, whose “weapons” (horns, in this case) and large size would make them safer from predators. You might ask, then, why does nature select for big bodies and horns, if it makes ibex more vulnerable to predation? Well, mating. Ibex establish dominance during their rutting, where big bodies and horns generally come out on top. It’s an interesting tradeoff for the ibex males. What makes them more likely to mate – large body and large horns – also makes them more vulnerable to being eaten. “Their size and horns make them more dominant in the competition for females, but also increase their risk of being caught by snow leopards. This could be an example of a sexually selected handicap – where traits that improve mating success come with a cost,” says Örjan. So bigger is better, until it’s not. http://snowleopard.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Fighting-ibex-Credit-Orjan-Johansson-for-Snow-Leopard-Trust.m4v   These findings document unusual hunting behavior by snow leopards and further our understanding of their prey selection and how they utilize rocky terrain to their advantage. It calls into question the viability of “trophy hunting” of ungulates as a conservation tool, as it appears both snow leopards and trophy hunters value the same prize, which could put pressure on ibex populations. The study itself is also unusual, because it gives us rare, detailed insights into snow leopard prey selection.  Our scientists achieved something remarkable by studying 150 kill sites and tracking nearly 4,000 ibex over different seasons, allowing them to understand not just what these elusive cats hunt, but specifically which ages and sexes they select depending on the season. DID YOU KNOW? This study was able to gauge the ages of ibex based on their horns. Like tree trunks, ibex horns grow larger each year, and a new ring indicates a new year! Read the full paper here Photo credits: Prasenjeet Yadav, Örjan Johansson for Snow Leopard Trust/SLCF-Mongolia Acknowledgments: This long-term ecological study is in collaboration with Snow Leopard Conservation Foundation in Mongolia and Snow Leopard Trust, with special thanks to the Ministry of Nature, Environment and Tourism, the Government of Mongolia, and the Mongolian Academy of Sciences for their support. We would also like to acknowledge: Acton Family Giving, Bioparc Zoo de Doue la Fontaine, David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, Idaho Falls Zoo at Tautphaus Park, John Ball Zoo, Kolmårdens Zoo, Korkeasaari Zoo, National Geographic Society, Nordens Ark, Parco Zoo Punta Verde, Play for Nature, Tierpark Berlin, The Big Cat Sanctuary/Wildlife Heritage Foundation, Tulsa Zoo, Whitley Fund for Nature, Zoo Basel, Zoo Dresden, Zoo New England and the many incredible partners who have supported programs like our Long-term Ecological Study and research in Mongolia since it began in 2008. We could not do this work without you. The post Size Matters: Study Reveals Snow Leopards Hunt Like No Other Big Cat appeared first on Snow Leopard Trust.

For Munkhtenger, snow leopard conservation is a family matter, and his award honors his late brother’s legacy and his father’s guidance. His older brother was a bright, young and energetic researcher and conservationist working in the Gobi Desert – far away from where they both grew up in Khusvgul, near Mongolia’s largest lake. When asked how his brother went from the largest body of water in the country to one of the driest regions in the world, Munktenger replied, “People stay where they have given their hearts”.  Their father, Tumursukh, is the Director of Ulaan Taiga strictly protected area and. Despite going to college for accounting, Munkhtenger followed in the footsteps of his family. “I have been brought up by my father’s teachings and guidance since I was a kid”. Munktenger strongly emphasized family as the backbone of his growth as a conservationist. Click to view slideshow. During his acceptance speech, Munkhtenger mentioned, “My life is entwined with this organization (SLCF)”, and with over a decade of experience, his time spent away from home and patrolling Mongolia’s wilderness is staggering. Rangers typically spend 200-280 days of the year patrolling their respective areas. Munkhtenger himself spent 221 days last year patrolling the Khuvsgul forests. During this time, he detected, prevented or interfered with over 170 violations. He was awarded Best of the Best ranger for detecting illegal hunting of moose, a regionally endangered species, and preventing illegal fishing.  When asked about his future plans, Munkhtenger said, “It is probably on the minds of everyone working in conservation, to pass on their protected area to future generations as it was, with its wildlife and plants intact”. This family of conservationists has, with great commitment and sacrifice, worked tirelessly to preserve Mongolia’s natural beauty, keeping it intact and thriving. World Ranger Day on July 31 recognizes the dedicated men and women who put their lives on the line to protect the planet’s natural resources and cultural heritage. These brave individuals are the proud guardians of wildlife treasures worldwide, including the elusive snow leopard. We celebrate these frontline defenders for their vital role in conservation and honor the sacrifices they make with annual award ceremonies that have, with your help, recently expanded from Kyrgyzstan to Mongolia and Pakistan. You can help rangers like Munkhtenger working on the frontlines of snow leopard conservation by giving them the vital resources they need. Donate today. Photo credits: SLCF-Mongolia The post A Wildlife Ranger Honors His Family Legacy appeared first on Snow Leopard Trust.

Summer 2025: The days we went to our school camp were the most interesting and unforgettable. The camp was located in the mountains, in a quiet area with tall junipers and clean air, a place where you can relax your soul. One morning, several students and our camp leader went on a hiking trip to the mountains. The sun was warm, the sky was clear, and the sounds of deer, marmots, and birds were lively; the surrounding air smelled of nature. As we stopped along the way for a drink and admired the nature, our leader said to us: Children, there are rare animals here, the most valuable of which is a snow leopard. It is a great happiness to see it! We all looked with interest and hope and continued on our way. After walking a long way, we came to a large rock and something unexpected happened. Farther away, on a high rock, stood a large, beautiful animal with white fur glistening. It noticed us, but looked at us calmly and without fear. Our guide whispered: It’s a snow leopard!  Click to view slideshow. We all stood there breathless, staring. The leopard was very beautiful, with a large, strong body, a long tail, and deep, intelligent eyes. It looked at us for a long time, then slowly turned around, jumped between the stones and disappeared. We will remember this day for our entire lives. Our guide explained to us: It is rare to see a snow leopard in the wild. This is a gift from nature to us! After that day, we deeply understood that we must always remember the snow leopard, protect it, and preserve nature. This event became the greatest memory of the camp. We asked the students what they enjoyed about their time at camp, if they think coexistence with wildlife is possible and how they define nature. Read some of their insightful responses below: Click to view slideshow. Sign up for our monthly E-News to get all the latest updates from the field. Photo credits: Snow Leopard Trust, SLF-Kyrgyzstan The post An unforgettable event at camp: The day we saw a snow leopard appeared first on Snow Leopard Trust.