Rapidly changing climate around the world has impended drastic consequences for the wildlife, especially those that are already endangered and under the radar. Recently, a leopard was caught on camera high on the Tibetan plateau which confirms the speculation that the endangered animal is shifting from warmer climate to colder areas.
The Independent recently revealed a video which showed a leopard walking inside the territory of snow leopards, confirming the chances of provocation between the two endangered cousins. The population of snow leopards is expected to be around 4,080 to 6,590. The fall in the number of snow leopards has been contributed by factors most related to climate change: loss of habitat, decrease in the number of prey and poaching.
Snow leopards usually inhabit the tree line of Tibetan plateau while leopards stay in the forest. However, with rapid construction, unchecked deforestation, poaching and other man-made factors are primary causes responsible for this phenomenon.
“In a changing climate, we expect the tree line to move up the slopes and that’s encroaching into the snow leopard’s habitat,” the Independent quoted Byron Weckworth, China’s programme director at conservation group Panthera, as saying.
Ecologists are ascertaining how these two animals will interact in the coming years.
*Photo: NGC