Warming peaks, weak genes: Snow leopards face extinction risk as climate change and low genetic diversity collide
Snow leopards, long shielded by remote high-altitude habitats, now confront a dire combination: shrinking cold zones and dangerously low genetic variation. A recent study spanning 41 individuals across 12 Asian nations reveals that snow leopards have the lowest genetic diversity among big cats. This uniformity leaves them ill-prepared to adapt to escalating heat, disease, or prey loss. While their DNA shows fewer harmful mutations—suggesting some purging of bad genes over time—this alone can’t protect them from accelerating climate shifts. To bolster resilience, scientists propose linking fragmented populations through safe corridors, using noninvasive DNA tracking, and tailoring habitat protection strategies. The clock is ticking: their fate hinges on whether we can merge genetic knowledge with timely conservation action.
The Key points
- Snow leopards show extremely low genetic diversity—lowest among big cats
- Study analyzed 41 specimens across 12 Asian countries
- Genetic uniformity undermines adaptability to environmental stress
- Their traits suit cold, but make them vulnerable as habitats warm
- Prey species decline adds extra pressure on their survival
- Fewer harmful mutations suggest past gene “purging”
- Genetic tools (e.g. from fecal DNA) allow population mapping
- Conservation must connect isolated groups via habitat corridors
- Management plans should account for climate-driven habitat shifts
- Integrating genetics into conservation offers hope but demands urgency
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