There are 167 snow leopards living in the high mountain regions of Pakistan. This is the main finding of a lengthy and comprehensive scientific study that has recently been completed.

The snow leopard is a rare species facing a serious risk of extinction. It is also considered an elusive animal, as close observation of its life is almost impossible. Its habitat lies in the remote, snow-covered high mountains, where forests, cliffs, and deep ravines make human access extremely difficult, and the weather remains harsh for most of the year.

Dr. Ali Nawaz, a snow leopard researcher and founder of the Snow Leopard Foundation, told Lok Sujag that this study is the result of over fifteen years of rigorous fieldwork. He believes that its findings provide the essential scientific basis for developing strategies to ensure the survival of snow leopards.

Rising temperatures and melting habitats of snow leopards

Climate Change is rapidly destroying the natural habitats of snow leopards. Dr. Hussain Ali, a researcher at the Snow Leopard Foundation, told Lok Sujag that rising temperatures are causing snow-covered areas to shrink, which in turn is reducing the snow leopard’s home range and making its survival increasingly difficult. 

Waqar Zakria, a wildlife expert, says that rising temperature is not the sole challenge. Construction of roads, expansion of infrastructure and the spread of urban settlements have encroached wildlife habitats. “Areas that were once home to only a few dozen people are now receiving thousands of tourists, and this surge has put the environment under stress,” he explained.

Waqar Zakria thinks that when environment is under multiple stresses, their impacts do not simply add up, they actually multiply. He believes that the environment of the area can barely cope with only ten to fifteen percent of the possible impact of climate change.

He regretted that the prevailing mindset in society is generally not supportive of conversation of wildlife. “When we are unable to fulfill the basic needs of humans, how can the protection of wild animals possibly find a place in our priorities – this is how the issue is dismissed.” 

Snow leopard - half Pakistani, half Afghan 

Dr. Ali Nawaz proudly told Lok Sujag that this is the first study of its kind in Pakistan, in which both genetic analysis and camera trapping techniques have been used simultaneously. He added that the research employed advanced statistical methods and models that had never been applied in previous studies.

According to Dr. Ali, Norwegian Research Council has played a prominent role in this research. Although the government did not provide direct financial support, it did offer logistical assistance and guidance through field teams.

Sharing the background of snow leopard research, Dr. Ali Nawaz explained that the first study on the Snow Leopard species in Pakistan was conducted in Chitral in 2007– 08, focusing on a single snow leopard. The research revealed that the snow leopard roamed an area of about 50 square kilometers, spending half of its time in Afghanistan and the other half in Pakistan. 

In the study, a GPS collar was fitted on a snow leopard to track its movements and determine the size of its habitat range. The animal was monitored continuously for one year.

Waqar Zakria told Lok Sujag that the climatic conditions are not the same across Hindu Kush, Karakoram, and Himalayas. Some parts of the Himalayas, such as Murree, Abbottabad, Swat, and Kashmir, receive relatively higher rainfall. However, the continuous rise in temperature and unpredictable rainfall patterns directly affect plant growth, food availability, and habitats. As a result, wild animals are increasingly drawn closer to human settlements in search of food. Species adapted to colder temperatures tend to migrate to higher altitudes, but the scarcity of suitable habitats there poses serious challenges for them.

How snow leopard population is estimated using camera trapping and DNA testing?

While explaining the details of the recent study, Dr. Hussain Ali said that two main technologies of genetics and camera trapping were used in it.

The genetic study started with a detailed survey of the abodes of snow leopards, followed by collection of samples of their feces which were then tested in laboratory. “Just like humans, every animal has a unique genetic code traces of which are present in its feces. We can identify each individual separately through DNA sequencing. By repeatedly recording these results over a longer period of time, we estimated their population,” he explained. 

In the camera trapping technique, special cameras designed for wildlife studies are used. Equipped with motion sensors and infrared technology, these cameras automatically capture an image the moment an animal passes in front of them. For this study, they were installed along the possible routes of snow leopards. 

Patterns on each snow leopard’s fur are unique. According to Dr. Hussain Ali, fur patterns in thousands of images captured by these cameras in northern Pakistan were analyzed sorting pictures of the same individual leopard. This comparison made it possible to identify each animal separately, and from this complete dataset, the total population was estimated.

According to Dr. Ali Nawaz, who led the research, a camera-trapping study usually takes two to three months to complete. “To obtain an accurate estimate, it is essential to repeatedly capture images of the animals, otherwise, the results remain limited,” he explained. For this reason, studies were gradually conducted at 20 to 25 different sites, and the data was then combined to cover a wider area.

Dr. Ali Nawaz added that no more than two such studies can be carried out in a year, since weather poses a major challenge. Most of the research could only be conducted in spring or autumn, which is why the process was stretched over several years.

He explained that the recent work was in fact not a single but two independent investigations that confirmed each other’s findings. Camera trapping study conducted between 2010 and 2019 estimated the snow leopard population at 155, while a genetics study carried out from 2017 to 2023 put the figure at 167.

“These two figures (155 and 167) are close enough to strengthen confidence that the estimates reflect reality. Since the genetics study is more recent and based on fresher data, its figure of 167 is being used in the current reporting,” he added

Which areas are home to the snow leopard?

The snow leopard is found in twelve countries across Asia, including Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

These elusive big cats inhabit some of the highest and most rugged mountain ranges, including the Himalayas, Karakoram, Hindu Kush, Pamir, Tian Shan, and Altai.

Global estimates place the snow leopard population between 3,500 and 7,000 individuals. 

The largest Snow leopard population is in China, estimated at 2,000 to 2,500 individuals. Mongolia hosts around 1,000, while India is home to between 500 and 700.

Afghanistan’s Wakhan region is also an important habitat, with their numbers ranging from 110 to 136.