Abstract
Snow leopard, an elusive mammal species of the cat family, is the top-predator of the Central and South Asian, high-altitude ecosystem. Snow leopards occur at low densities across the Central Asian mountains and the Indian Himalayan region. Owing to their secretive nature and inaccessible habitat, little is known about its ecology and distribution. Due to its endangered status and high aesthetic value, the snow leopard is considered as an ‘umbrella species’ for wildlife conservation in the Indian Himalayas. This article summarizes the current knowledge on snow leopard ecology and conservation issues in the Indian context.
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Abhishek Ghoshal is a PhD scholar with Nature Conservation Foundation and Wildlife Institute of India. His research interests include wildlife ecology and conservation in the Indian Himalayas and Trans-Himalayas.
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Ghoshal, A. Snow leopard. Reson 22, 677–690 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12045-017-0511-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12045-017-0511-0