Snow leopard taken off endangered list - but still 'vulnerable'

Snow leopard taken off endangered list - but still 'vulnerable'

The snow leopard is no longer considered an endangered species, according to conservationists.

After 45 years, the Himalayan big cat has been reclassified to "vulnerable" - although experts are warning there is still a high risk of extinction.

The change follows a three-year assessment by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which found there are no longer fewer than 2,500 mature snow leopards in the wild.

In fact, it is believed that there are at least 4,000 roaming free - and some experts think this number could be as high as 10,000.

Image: Although no longer endangered, the snow leopard is still described as 'vulnerable'

Because of the remoteness and vastness of their Himalayan habitat, covering 12 countries in Asia, scientists have only managed to survey a small part of the area they call home.

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Peter Zahler, from the Wildlife Conservation Society, described the assessment as "difficult", adding: "It involves an enormous amount of work in some of the most remote and inhospitable regions of the world."

But new technology such as camera traps and satellite collaring have helped, resulting in better information about where snow leopards are and how far they range.

Challenges to the big cats' survival include poaching and loss of prey, as they are hunted for their thick fur and bones.

Image: A snow leopard photographed in Semenovka, Kyrgyzstan

Among measures designed to boost numbers are an increase in the number of protected areas, and predator-proof livestock pens which stop local herdsmen retaliating when livestock is lost.

Mr Zahler warned: "Saying snow leopards are now 'vulnerable' rather than 'endangered' doesn't mean they're safe.

"It doesn't take much to make large predators disappear from landscapes.

"We've seen it happen over and over again around the world."</s>BANGKOK (AP) - The elusive snow leopard - long considered an endangered species - has been upgraded to "vulnerable," international conservationists said Thursday. But experts warned the new classification does not mean they are safe.

The animals still face serious challenges including poaching and loss of prey in their high Himalayan habitat.

"The species still faces 'a high risk of extinction in the wild' and is likely still declining - just not at the rate previously thought," said Tom McCarthy, head of the snow leopard program at the big cat conservation group Panthera.

Snow leopards had been listed as endangered since 1972.

The reclassification announced Thursday by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, or IUCN, followed a three-year assessment during which experts determined the Himalayan cats no longer numbered fewer than 2,500 in the wild, and was not in steep decline - the two criteria for being considered "endangered."

Using improved methods for counting cat numbers, experts now estimate there are about 4,000 snow leopards in the wild.

But experts stressed that estimate was based on an assessment that included a detailed survey of only 2 percent of the snow leopard's high-mountain range, across 12 countries in Asia.

Some positive conservation developments included an increase in the number of protected areas within that range, as well as stepped-up efforts by local communities to protect the animals from poachers.

Communities were also working to prevent cases of local herdsmen retaliating for lost livestock by building predator-proof livestock corrals, according to team member Rodney Jackson, who heads the Snow Leopard Conservancy group, according to a statement.

Still, the animals are hunted for their thick fur and bones. They also face declining numbers of wild prey, as domestic livestock have degraded grasslands.

In this Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017, photo, Georgina, an endangered snow leopard, watches as her new twin cubs play in their enclosure during their public debut at the Los Angeles Zoo, in California. The elusive snow leopard _ long considered an endangered species _ has been upgraded to "vulnerable," international conservationists said Thursday. But experts warned the new classification does not mean the big cats are safe. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)</s>The elusive snow leopard - long considered endangered - has been upgraded to "vulnerable," though conservationists warned the new classification does not mean they are safe.

The animals still face serious challenges including poaching and loss of prey in their high Himalayan habitat.

"The species still faces 'a high risk of extinction in the wild' and is likely still declining - just not at the rate previously thought," said Tom McCarthy, head of the snow leopard program at the big cat conservation group Panthera.

Snow leopards had been listed as endangered since 1972.

The reclassification was announced on Thursday by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and followed a three-year assessment that determined there are not fewer than 2,500 mature snow leopards in the wild, and that their numbers are not in steep decline - the two criteria for being considered "endangered."

Using improved methods for assessing the cats' population, experts estimated about 4,000 live in the wild, though there could be as many as 10,000.

Scientists have managed to survey only a small fraction of the animal's high-mountain range, an area covering some 1.8 million square kilometres (695,000 square miles) crossing into 12 countries in Asia.

Peter Zahler, coordinator of the snow leopard program at the Wildlife Conservation Society, said: "It (The research) involves an enormous amount of work in some of the most remote and inhospitable regions of the world."

New technologies, including camera traps and satellite collaring, are "giving us better information about where snow leopards are and how far they range," he said.

Some positive developments included an increase in the number of protected areas, as well as increased efforts by local communities to protect the animals from poachers.

Communities were also working to prevent cases of local herdsmen retaliating for lost livestock by building predator-proof livestock corrals, team member Rodney Jackson of the Snow Leopard Conservancy group said in a statement.

The animals are hunted for their thick fur and bones. They also face declining numbers of wild prey, as domestic livestock have degraded grasslands.

Whether they might be impacted by global warming remains uncertain, but scientists agree the Himalayas are one of the world's most susceptible regions to climate change.

"Saying snow leopards are now 'vulnerable' rather than 'endangered' doesn't mean they're safe," Mr Zahler said. "It doesn't take much to make large predators disappear from landscapes. We've seen it happen over and over again around the world."</s>The elusive snow leopard - long considered an endangered species - has been upgraded to 'vulnerable,' international conservationists said Thursday.

But experts warned the new classification does not mean they are safe.

The animals still face serious challenges including poaching and loss of prey in their high Himalayan habitat.

The endangered snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is found in the rugged mountains of Central Asia, according to the Snow Leopard Trust. Snow leopards are perfectly adapted to the cold, barren landscape of their high-altitude home. Its extra large paws keep the animal from sinking into the snow, like a pair of natural snow shoes. The cats are most active at dawn and dusk, hunting wild sheep and goats. They eat incredibly slowly, usually taking 3 or 4 days to consume a prey animal. But human threats have created an uncertain future for the cats and, despite a range of over 2 million km2, scientists estimate that that there may only be between 3,920 and 6,390 snow leopards left in the wild.

'The species still faces 'a high risk of extinction in the wild' and is likely still declining - just not at the rate previously thought,' said Tom McCarthy, head of the snow leopard program at the big cat conservation group Panthera.

Snow leopards had been listed as endangered since 1972.

The reclassification announced Thursday by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, or IUCN, followed a three-year assessment.

In that time, experts determined the Himalayan cats no longer numbered fewer than 2,500 in the wild, and was not in steep decline - the two criteria for being considered 'endangered.'

Using improved methods for counting cat numbers, experts now estimate there are about 4,000 snow leopards in the wild.

But experts stressed that estimate was based on an assessment that included a detailed survey of only 2 percent of the snow leopard's high-mountain range, across 12 countries in Asia.

Some positive conservation developments included an increase in the number of protected areas within that range, as well as stepped-up efforts by local communities to protect the animals from poachers.

Communities were also working to prevent cases of local herdsmen retaliating for lost livestock by building predator-proof livestock corrals, according to team member Rodney Jackson, who heads the Snow Leopard Conservancy group, according to a statement.

Still, the animals are hunted for their thick fur and bones.

They also face declining numbers of wild prey, as domestic livestock have degraded grasslands.</s>Bangkok — The elusive snow leopard — long considered an endangered species — has been upgraded to “vulnerable,” international conservationists said Thursday. But experts warned the new classification does not mean they are safe.

The animals still face serious challenges including poaching and loss of prey in their high Himalayan habitat.

“The species still faces ‘a high risk of extinction in the wild’ and is likely still declining — just not at the rate previously thought,” said Tom McCarthy, head of the snow leopard program at the big cat conservation group Panthera.

Snow leopards had been listed as endangered since 1972.

The reclassification announced Thursday by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, or IUCN, followed a three-year assessment during which experts determined the Himalayan cats no longer numbered fewer than 2,500 in the wild, and was not in steep decline — the two criteria for being considered “endangered.”

Using improved methods for counting cat numbers, experts now estimate there are about 4,000 snow leopards in the wild.

But experts stressed that estimate was based on an assessment that included a detailed survey of only 2 percent of the snow leopard’s high-mountain range, across 12 countries in Asia.

Some positive conservation developments included an increase in the number of protected areas within that range, as well as stepped-up efforts by local communities to protect the animals from poachers.

Communities were also working to prevent cases of local herdsmen retaliating for lost livestock by building predator-proof livestock corrals, according to team member Rodney Jackson, who heads the Snow Leopard Conservancy group, according to a statement.

Still, the animals are hunted for their thick fur and bones. They also face declining numbers of wild prey, as domestic livestock have degraded grasslands.

Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>The snow leopard's conservation status just got knocked down a notch, and the big cat is now officially no longer endangered.

On the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species, the snow leopard is now considered Vulnerable - still under threat, just not quite as dire as the Endangered status.

To be considered officially endangered, a species has to number fewer than 2500 individuals, declining at a rate of over 20 percent over two generations. The snow leopard does not meet these criteria - but, according to the IUCN's revised snow leopard entry, it's possible it never did.

It asserts that the previous Endangered status was based on an erroneous assessment in 2008.

"The previous assessment in 2008 (Endangered C1) was based on <2,500 mature individuals and an estimated decline of 20 percent over 16 years (two generations)," the IUCN wrote.

"However, in that assessment, effective population size (Ne) was incorrectly used as a surrogate for 'mature individuals' and produces a lower figure (50 percent of the adult population of 4,080). Therefore, the species should have been listed as Vulnerable in 2008."

The entry also mentions that poaching for their rich fur, considered a risk factor in the predicted 20 percent decline, had dropped.

The snow leopard, rarely seen in the wild, lives across 12 countries in Central Asia, and its numbers, according to the IUCN, are estimated to be between 7367 and 7884 individuals.

The organisation also asserts that concerted conservation efforts around the globe have improved the outlook for the snow leopard, which is under threat from poaching and habitat loss due to climate change and human settlement expansion.

Conservation organisation The Snow Leopard Trust, which has been working to protect the snow leopard since 1981, opposes the IUCN's ruling.

"We believe the best available science does not justify the status change, and that it could have serious consequences for the species," the Trust wrote in a blog post.

"In the case of the snow leopard, less than 2 percent of the species' range has ever been sampled for abundance using reliable techniques such as camera traps or genetic analysis. In addition, the limited solid data that is available is biased toward high-density areas."

"The new assessment behind the status change of the snow leopard does not improve on this data and appears to use methodologies - such as asking people how many snow leopards they think exist in any area - that are not recognised as scientifically valid for estimating populations."

The trust is filing a petition with the IUCN to restore the snow leopard's Endangered status, and will be working with the community to collect more accurate data on snow leopard populations.

If the petition to restore the animals' status fails, the Trust hopes this data will help provide a more accurate assessment when it is due in five years.

"The snow leopard remains under acute threat," The Snow Leopard Trust said.</s>The snow leopard (the large cat, not Apple’s Mac OS) has officially been downgraded from “endangered” to “vulnerable.”

Preservation efforts are paying off, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which updated its Red List to reflect the positive changes.

But the stunning species (Panthera uncia) is still in danger: Populations dwindle as the animals face habitat loss, diminishing prey, competition with livestock, persecution, and poaching.

“It is essential to continue and expand conservation efforts to reverse its declining trend and prevent this iconic cat from moving even closer to extinction,” IUCN said in an announcement.

Known for its beautiful fur and elusive behavior, the snow leopard remains threatened.

Recent (quite conservative) estimates place the global population around 4,000—on the lower end of the scale between endangered (<2,500 mature individuals) and vulnerable (<10,000 mature individuals).

Short of physically counting every living snow leopard on the planet, the IUCN essentially makes educated guesses about “this elusive and secretive species,” covering 700,000 square miles in 12 range countries across Asia.

Which leaves scientists with a certain level of uncertainty, and, inevitably, a few mistakes.

Though considered “endangered” since its first IUCN assessment in 1986, the snow leopard technically should have been catalogued “vulnerable” as early as 2008, the agency said, citing incorrect use of data in its previous appraisal.

Not everyone is on board with the status change, though.

The Snow Leopard Trust, a leading authority on the study and protection of the wild animals, believe this “downlisting” “could have serious consequences for the species.”

Specifically, it could mean a reduction in conservation funding because people believe the cats have been “saved”; not an altogether silly concern, considering some funding sources are restricted to endangered and critically endangered species.

“It is important that a change in status is not misinterpreted,” Peter Zahler, coordinator of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Snow Leopard Program, said in a statement.

Threats old and new (roads, border fences, climate change) exist, he added, “so conservation actions must continue and be increased to conserve the species.”

Let us know what you like about Geek by taking our survey.</s>The snow leopard is no longer an endangered species, but its population in the wild is still at risk because of poaching and habitat loss, conservationists said this week.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature said on Thursday that new data taken through 2016 prompted the reclassification of the snow leopard from the endangered list to the vulnerable category. The difference means, simply, that the animals have gone from “very high risk” to “high risk” of extinction in the wild. The global population of the snow leopard is now estimated at 2,500 to 10,000 mature animals.

But the leopard could still face a population decline of 10 percent or more over the next three generations in its habitats, which are mostly mountainous areas of Central Asia, including Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan. It “still faces a high risk of extinction,” the conservation group said, from habitat loss and degradation, declines in prey populations, poaching for illegal wildlife trade, among other reasons.

“It is essential to continue and expand conservation efforts to reverse its declining trend and prevent this iconic cat from moving even closer to extinction,” the group said.

Conservationists warned that the risks are not over for the snow leopards, whose distinctive appearances make them attractive to poachers. Their tails are longer than most cats’ to help them balance on steep slopes. Their skins are thick and whitish, patterned with dark rosettes and spots. Their bones and other body parts are used in traditional Asian medicine.</s>In this Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017, photo, an endangered snow leopard cub explores it's enclosure the Los Angeles Zoo, in California. The elusive snow leopard _ long considered an endangered species _ has been upgraded to "vulnerable," international conservationists said Thursday. But experts warned the new classification does not mean the big cats are safe. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)</s>In this Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017, photo, Georgina, an endangered snow leopard, watches as her new twin cubs play in their enclosure during their public debut at the Los Angeles Zoo, in California. The elusive snow leopard _ long considered an endangered species _ has been upgraded to "vulnerable," international conservationists said Thursday. But experts warned the new classification does not mean the big cats are safe. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)
The International Union for Conservation of Nature upgrades the conservation status of the snow leopard from endangered to vulnerable.