Saving Snow Leopards — Passage and Quiz

Snow leopards are endangered, with fewer than 6,500 left in the wild. The biggest threats come from human activities.

One major problem is habitat loss. As people expand farms, roads, and mines into the mountains, snow leopards lose their hunting grounds. Climate change is also melting glaciers and altering their ecosystem, making survival harder.

Another threat is poaching. Snow leopards are illegally hunted for their fur and bones, which are used in traditional medicine. Some herders kill them for attacking livestock, even though snow leopards rarely target farm animals.

Thankfully, conservation efforts are helping. Governments and scientists are creating protected areas where snow leopards can live safely. Some programs train herders to build stronger pens for livestock, reducing conflicts. Others use camera traps and GPS collars to track snow leopards and study their behavior.

Local communities are also getting involved. Eco-tourism projects allow people to see snow leopards responsibly, providing jobs and incentives to protect them. Education programs teach children why these cats matter.

If efforts continue, snow leopards can recover. Protecting them also helps people—by preserving water sources and keeping ecosystems stable. Everyone has a role in saving these majestic "ghosts of the mountains."