Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia) Status in Kyrgyzstan

This contribution presents the current distribution of snow leopards across Kyrgyzstan’s Tian Shan and Pamir–Alai mountain systems and summarises the proposed national IUCN Red List range map, updated using extensive camera trapping, field surveys, and community information under the Population Assessment of the Kyrgyz Snow Leopards. It reviews results from the nationwide assessment to describe current understanding of population status. The chapter outlines key threats in Kyrgyzstan, including illegal hunting of prey species, retaliatory killing, illegal trade, overgrazing, weak law enforcement, and emerging pressures from infrastructure development and climate change. It concludes with an overview of national conservation policies, protected area expansion, and strengthened monitoring and enforcement efforts.