Priyanka Roshan | October 27, 2025
The snow leopard, often called the “ghost of the mountains,” roams the rugged peaks of Central and South Asia. With smoky-grey fur and piercing blue eyes, it symbolizes mystery, grace, and resilience.
Image Credit: Canva
Despite worldwide admiration and conservation efforts, snow leopards remain vulnerable to poaching, habitat loss, and climate change. Found across 12 countries, they primarily thrive in 10 key mountainous regions. Here are the top 10.
Image Credit: Canva
China shelters nearly 60% of the global snow leopard population, with vast habitats stretching across Tibet, Qinghai, and Xinjiang. These regions’ icy plateaus form the cat’s greatest stronghold.
Source: World Population Review | Image: Canva
Mongolia’s Altai and Gobi-Altai Mountains are a snow leopard sanctuary, where herders and conservationists coexist through innovative community-led projects aimed at protecting this mountain monarch.
Source: World Population Review | Image: Canva
India’s Himalayan states — Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh — are home to over 500 snow leopards, guarded under the country’s ambitious Project Snow Leopard.
Source: World Population Review | Image: Canva
High above the clouds, Nepal’s Sagarmatha and Annapurna National Parks host around 400 snow leopards, where eco-tourism supports both local livelihoods and the conservation of these elusive cats.
Source: World Population Review | Image: Canva
From Gilgit-Baltistan to Chitral, Pakistan’s rugged northern ranges protect up to 420 snow leopards, supported by the Snow Leopard Foundation’s education and habitat protection efforts.
Source: World Population Review | Image: Canva
In the Pamir Mountains, often called the “Roof of the World,” Tajikistan shelters around 250 snow leopards, thriving under successful local stewardship and international conservation collaboration.
Source: World Population Review | Image: Canva
Afghanistan’s remote Wakhan Corridor is one of the last untouched habitats for snow leopards, where small populations survive amid harsh terrain and limited conservation reach.
Source: World Population Review | Image: Canva
Kazakhstan’s Tien Shan Mountains are home to about 120 snow leopards, and growing eco-awareness has sparked new efforts to track, protect, and preserve their alpine ecosystems.
Source: World Population Review | Image: Canva
Bhutan’s untouched Himalayan peaks hide nearly 100 snow leopards, protected by the nation’s deep-rooted conservation values and a vision of harmony between humans and wildlife.
Source: World Population Review | Image: Canva
In Russia’s Altai-Sayan region, snow leopards roam in solitude along the borders of Mongolia and Kazakhstan, monitored through cutting-edge research and camera-trap technology.
Source: World Population Review | Image: Canva