What is a Snow Leopard? Biogeography and Status Overview

Abstract Paleontological records provide little evidence regarding snow leopard evolution or historic range. A reasonably accurate range map was published in 1972, and maps using GIS modeling to predict potential snow leopard habitat followed in 1997. Today we know snow leopards occur in 12 countries coinciding with the prominent mountain ranges of central Asia, but what constitutes occupied range within that vast area has been poorly addressed. An expert knowledge mapping and assessment process was undertaken in 2008. Participants mapped potential range, current range and identified snow leopard conservation units (SLCUs) thought to be important for survival of the species. SLCU habitat quality, prey availability and connectivity were characterized, and snow leopard population size and trend were estimated. SLCUs covered ∼1.2 million km 2 or 44% of current range. The snow leopard population estimate within SLCUs was 4678–8745, which is more than most previous estimates for the entire range.