The snow leopards, also known as ounces, are teetering on the brink of extinction in Pakistan, primarily due to human conflicts and the impact of climate change. Pakistan is one of the 12 countries that serve as the habitat for these elusive big cats, with 80% of their territory located in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB).
The population of snow leopards worldwide is estimated at only 6,000 to 6,500, and Pakistan is home to a mere 300 to 400 of them. Alarmingly, only 25% of their global habitat is protected, making their conservation even more crucial.
One significant threat to snow leopards is human activity. Human actions, including habitat destruction, fragmentation, and disturbances in wildlife protected areas, hinder the movement of snow leopards. Linear infrastructure development in Gilgit-Baltistan, especially after the construction of the Karakoram Highway in the 1970s, has contributed to habitat degradation.
Human-wildlife conflict is another factor leading to the decline in the snow leopard population. When snow leopards attack livestock, owners often resort to killing the elusive cats to protect their animals, posing a significant threat to their survival in GB. To mitigate human conflict, incentivizing non-retaliatory actions can be an effective strategy.
The WWF is actively working to address this issue by establishing early warning systems to detect potential snow leopard attacks on livestock. A pilot project in Hunza, called the Khyber village, has implemented a monitoring system that provides real-time data on snow leopard movement, aiding in livestock protection.
Climate change also plays a role in the decline of snow leopards, as their habitat, characterized by snow-covered regions, is rapidly diminishing. While they used to inhabit areas like Swat and Kohistan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, snow leopards have now relocated to GB, Chitral, and AJK mountains, specifically in the Karakoram, Himalayan, Hindukush, and Pamir mountain ranges.