NATIONWIDE SNOW LEOPARD POPULATION ASSESSMENT OF MONGOLIA

The report provides the first comprehensive scientific assessment of snow leopards in Mongolia, estimating a national population of 953 adult individuals. Using a two-step process of occupancy surveys and spatial capture-recapture (SCR) via camera traps, the study mapped the species' distribution across 326,617 km, categorizing habitats into high, medium, and low-density strata. The findings establish a baseline for conservation management and highlight the importance of maintaining transboundary populations with Russia.

• The preliminary country-wide population of adult snow leopards in Mongolia is estimated at 953 individuals, with a 95% confidence interval ranging from 806 to 1,127.
• Snow leopards are estimated to occupy a total area of 326,617 km, which represents approximately 21% of Mongolia's territory.
• The distribution is divided into three density strata: high density (0.61 individuals per 100 km), medium density (0.35 individuals per 100 km), and low density (0.09 individuals per 100 km).
• The high and medium density strata are the most critical for the population, accommodating up to 88% of the estimated snow leopard abundance in the country.
• The assessment identified that snow leopards primarily use rugged areas with minimal vegetation and tree cover, typically inhabiting medium elevations.
• Camera trap surveys across 22 mountains identified 240 adult snow leopards and 89 cubs, with cubs making up 27% of the detected individuals.
• The study identified potential dispersal corridors between the Altai and Khangai Mountain ranges, noting that the south-east Altai range is more fragmented due to topographic changes.
• The report emphasizes the necessity of maintaining a healthy transboundary population along the Mongolia-Russia border, specifically in the Ikh Soyon, Siilkhem, Altai Tavan Bogd, and Tsagaan Shuvuut Mountains.

APA

WWF International (2021). NATIONWIDE SNOW LEOPARD POPULATION ASSESSMENT OF MONGOLIA. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/1610/Nationwide_Snow_leopard_population_assessment_report_Final_1.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. NATIONWIDE SNOW LEOPARD POPULATION ASSESSMENT OF MONGOLIA. 2021. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/1610/Nationwide_Snow_leopard_population_assessment_report_Final_1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=NATIONWIDE SNOW LEOPARD POPULATION ASSESSMENT OF MONGOLIA |date=2021 |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/1610/Nationwide_Snow_leopard_population_assessment_report_Final_1.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternational2021nationwide, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{NATIONWIDE SNOW LEOPARD POPULATION ASSESSMENT OF MONGOLIA}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2021}, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/1610/Nationwide_Snow_leopard_population_assessment_report_Final_1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }