Lack of scientific information

The challenge of conserving snow leopards is seriously exacerbated by the current lack of scientific information about many aspects of their ecology and behavior.

This is due in part to the difficulties of studying them in their remote, rugged ecosystems, but also significantly due to lack of funding for the research required. Even the cat’s current distribution is uncertain because much of its possible habitat has either not been surveyed recently or ever.

Similarly, the size of the total snow leopard populations is at a best a rough estimate. Consistent range-wide scientific monitoring of snow leopards or their prey species or of changes in habitat characteristics has also been lacking.

Among other things, this hampers efforts to determine the effectiveness of conservation interventions.