The Snow Leopard is an elusive big cat. They aren’t easy to spot, as they blend in well with their surroundings.  Locals call them the “mountain ghosts”.

Snow leopards live in Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Tjiskistan, Russia and Uzbekistan so they have quite a range covering roughly 2 million square kilometres, half of which are in China.

Snow Leopard conservation charities will be working closely with local communities to help local people co-exist with these magnificent big cats, and also to help them with ways to improve their living standards.  This will help reduce the need for poaching and also reduce reliance on livestock.

9 May 2023:  Snow Leopard Documented For First Time Through ‘Camera Trap’ In Kishtwar

11 ways to help snow leopards.

1.  Build a connection with snow leopards.  Find out more about these magnificent big cats – their behaviour, biology, geography and so on.  Watch footage of them (the Snow Leopard Trust has some amazing videos) to develop a bond with them, even if it is from the comfort of home.  Get closer to them - it will increase your desire to help them

2.  Understand the threats facing snow leopards and spread the word – poaching, mining, climate change.  Its main prey species such as sheep and goats - are also threatened by illegal and unsustainable hunting.  In some areas, there are retribution killings when snow leopards kill livestock.  Mining is destroying the eco-systems snow leopards depend on.  And climate change will alter the habitat of the snow leopard and other species, affecting the availability of water and vegetation. Tell people that snow leopards are under threat.  It’s estimated that there are no more than 6,390 snow leopards living in the wild – and there may be as few as 3,920. 

These Wild Snow Leopard Cubs Will Melt Your Heart
from Terra Mater 's You Tube Channel 
February 2023

3.  The 23^rd October is International Snow Leopard Day (make a note in your calendar) but you can make every day a snow leopard day by checking for and sharing news, photos and videos you find to raise awareness of this stunning big cat.

4. Find out what snow leopard charities are doing to overcome the challenges facing snow leopards.  Find out where they work, what they do, what their mission is, ways in which you can help, whether they have a newslettler you can sign up to.  Follow them on social media.  Some may have volunteer opportunities.  For instance, you could look at

• Snow Leopard Trust 
• Snow Leopard Conservancy,
• WCS. 
• Bhutan Foundation:
• Panthera 

The Snow Leopard Network is a worldwide organization which facilitates the exchange of information and insights between individuals around the world with the aim of snow leopard conservation.  Take a look at their Annual Report which celebrates 20 years of the Snow Leopard Network.

5.  Adopt a snow leopard to support snow leopard charities!   The Snow Leopard Trust has e-adoptions so wherever you are in the world, you can adopt a snow leopard!  This makes for a great gift for big cat lovers – your gift really is making a difference.  You can even adopt Anu, a wild snow leopard!  Find out more about the adoptions here

From CGTN Global Watch 

6.   Watch for appeals the snow leopard charities make.  They are often involved in Giving Tuesday or fundraisers around Christmas, so you could ask people to donate for you on your behalf instead of giving you an actual present.  (This makes life much easier for them, too!)

How about a Research Camera Adoption
to support snow leopard conservation?
£403.37
Image © Snow Leopard Trust

7.   You could do a Research Camera Adoption with the Snow Leopard Trust and directly support snow leopard conservation.   This would be quite an amazing gift for a snow leopard lover, as it includes a Personalized Research Camera adoption certificate, thousands of exclusive photographs from a real research camera trap, immediately available to download and a full camera roll from Mongolia, India and Kyrgyzstan!  Find out more here


Date for your diary:  The 23rd October is International Snow Leopard Day - Make every day a Snow Leopard Day!


8.  Donate or become a monthly donor to the Snow Leopard Trust and be a part of Team Snow Leopard, or the Snow Leopard Conservancy

Snow Leopard Trust’s Charu Mishra
A film narrated by Sir David Attenborough, 2022 Whitley Awards

9. Buy products from snow leopard conservation charities’ online shops.   Spread the snow leopard wonder!  You could also support Snow Leopard Enterprises.  The idea is that herder women living in snow leopard habitat produce unique handicrafts, made with the natural resources they have.   Snow Leopard Enterprises buys them and sells them online to snow leopard supporters worldwide!  Families taking part can boost their income by up to 40% - and they pledge to keep snow leopards in their area safe.   The Snow Leopard Trust says you could also sell some of its products at arts and crafts fairs to help raise funds and awareness. 

10.  See if you can fundraise for a snow leopard charity to help support their work.  You could set up an online fundraiser or do a personal challenge for instance.  

11.  Get children involved too;  they can learn about snow leopards with lots of snow leopard activities!