Snow leopard: status, range, size and diet
A pale, thick-furred big cat of the high mountains of Central and South Asia, listed as Vulnerable.
Also known as Panthera uncia, ounce, mountain ghost
At a glance
| Scientific name | Panthera uncia |
|---|---|
| Group | Big cats |
| Weight | 22-55 kg |
| Length | Head and body about 75-130 cm, tail 80-100 cm |
| Lifespan in the wild | 15-18 years |
| Known for | Living at altitudes few other big cats reach, with a tail it wraps around its body for warmth. |
Status
| IUCN Red List category | Vulnerable |
|---|---|
| Assessed in | 2017 |
| Population estimate | Estimated 2,710-3,386 mature individuals |
| Estimate from | 2017 |
Where it lives
| Range | Mountains of Central and South Asia, from Afghanistan and the Himalaya to Mongolia and Russia |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Rocky alpine and subalpine slopes, often between 3,000 and 4,500 metres |
| Diet | Blue sheep, ibex, marmots, hares and, where they share land, livestock |
Main threats
- Poaching and illegal trade
- Retaliatory killing over livestock
- Loss of wild prey
- Climate change and habitat loss
About
The snow leopard is a big cat of the high mountains, pale grey with dark rosettes and a long, thick tail. It is built for cold and rock: broad furred paws act as snowshoes, a short muzzle warms the air it breathes, and the tail is used for balance and as a scarf. Unlike the lion, tiger, leopard and jaguar, it cannot roar.
It is solitary and elusive, most active around dawn and dusk, and females raise their young in sheltered rock dens. Most knowledge of the species comes from camera traps and GPS collars, and that is why estimates of how many remain have wide margins.
Where it lives and what it eats
Snow leopards live across twelve countries of Central and South Asia, in steep, broken terrain above the tree line in summer and lower in winter. Wild prey such as blue sheep and ibex make up most of the diet, with marmots and hares between larger kills. A cat may take a large animal every week or two.
Threats and conservation
Where wild prey is scarce, snow leopards take livestock, and herders sometimes kill them in return. Poaching for pelts and bones continues. Mining, roads and fences cut into the mountains, and a warming climate is expected to move the tree line upward and shrink the ground the species can use.
Conservation work centres on compensation and insurance for lost livestock, predator-proof corrals, protection of wild prey and cross-border surveys. In 2017 the species was moved from Endangered to Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, a change some snow leopard researchers have disputed, because the count of adults it rested on depends on assumptions about how much of the range is occupied.
Cats and people
The snow leopard appears in the culture of the mountain peoples it lives beside, and in recent years it has become a flagship for mountain conservation. It is rarely seen in the wild, and almost never causes harm to people. Zoos hold a managed population, and the species breeds in captivity.
Profile last reviewed November 7, 2026