Impacts of Global Warming on the Snow Leopard

Abstract

: The distribution of the snow leopard is around 12 countries where the elevation is between 3, 000-4, 500 meters with arid and semi-arid shrubland, grasslands, or steppes. As a top predator, the snow leopard plays an important role in controlling the prey population and promoting biodiversity. However, global warming caused by human activities is destroying the living environment of the snow leopard. In order to protect snow leopards effectively, this study investigates the impacts of global warming on the living situation of the snow leopard from four aspects. Primarily, glacial melting is discussed, where the retreating speed of many glaciers in snow leopard's habitat and their prey is reduced. Subsequently, treeline shift effects are analysed, where climate change results in treeline shift, and the forest ascending into alpine shrub and grassland which are snow leopard's preferred habitats. In addition, extreme weather events are also evaluated, where global warming brings the high frequency of extreme weather, decreasing the survival rate of the main prey of the snow leopard. Eventually, the impacts of wetlands are demonstrated, where destruction of wetlands due to global warming threatens the livestock the main prey and increases the competition between humans and snow leopards. These results show the urgency of protecting the snow leopard.