For decades, conservationists have tried to count every snow leopard in the mountains of Central Asia. But Rodney Jackson, a biologist who has studied the species for more than 40 years, now says that exact numbers matter far less than keeping local communities on the land.
Jackson founded the Snow Leopard Conservancy and has spent much of his career in Nepal and neighboring countries. In a recent interview, he argued that the real threat to snow leopards is not poaching or a lack of data. It is the slow disappearance of the people who have lived alongside the cats for centuries.
Why herders matter more than head counts
Snow leopards live across 12 countries, from Nepal to Mongolia. Their habitat is rugged, remote, and hard to survey. Governments and NGOs have spent millions trying to estimate how many remain. But Jackson says those efforts often miss the point.
He points out that snow leopards have never been easy to count. They are solitary, elusive, and roam vast territories. Even the best camera trap studies produce rough estimates. Jackson believes that focusing on population numbers can distract from the harder work of keeping mountain communities intact.
When herders abandon their traditional pastures, Jackson explained, the landscape changes. Livestock grazing gives way to shrubs and trees. That shift can reduce the number of wild prey like blue sheep and ibex. Without enough wild food, snow leopards may turn to domestic animals, which leads to conflict and retaliation killings.
The link between people and predators
Jackson has seen this pattern across the snow leopard's range. In Nepal, he worked with communities to build predator-proof corrals and set up livestock insurance programs. Those efforts reduced attacks on herds and cut the number of leopards killed in revenge.
He stressed that local people are not the problem. They are the solution. When herders stay on the land and manage it well, the entire ecosystem benefits. Snow leopards get a stable food supply. Wild prey populations remain healthy. And the cats face fewer threats from outside development or mining.
Jackson also noted that counting snow leopards is expensive. The money spent on a single survey could instead fund years of community conservation work. He called for a shift in priorities: invest in people first, and let the cats take care of themselves.
A quiet crisis in the high mountains
The snow leopard is listed as vulnerable by the IUCN. Climate change, mining, and infrastructure projects all pose risks. But Jackson warned that the most overlooked danger is the loss of traditional knowledge and land use.
Young people in many mountain regions are moving to cities for education and jobs. Older herders are retiring with no one to take their place. As the human population thins, the landscape becomes less hospitable for snow leopards.
Jackson's message is simple. Conservation groups should stop obsessing over exact numbers and start supporting the communities that share the mountains with snow leopards. If the herders go, the cats may not be far behind.
