WWF: Climate change could push endangered snow leopards over the edge

A report released by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) on Friday revealed that more than a third of snow leopard habitat might be lost if climate change goes unchecked.

"Warmer temperatures could see tree lines shifting up mountains and farmers planting crops and grazing livestock at higher altitudes, squeezing the remaining snow leopards into smaller pockets," according to the report, titled "Fragile Connections: Snow leopards, people, water and the global climate."

Elusive and rarely seen by human beings, snow leopards are often called the "ghosts of the mountains." Living near the snow line of Central Asia's high mountains, the highly-endangered species reflect the high altitude's ecology.

According to the report, there could be as few as 4,000 snow leopards left. Over the past 16 years, their population has declined by at least 20 percent, and it continues to fall.

The report said increased habitat loss and degradation, poaching and conflict with communities were the main reasons. It then warned that "unchecked, climate change will exacerbate these threats and could push the species over the edge."

It is not just snow leopards that are at risk, millions of people who directly depend on the rivers originating in the snow leopard habitat for water are also at risk, the report also pointed out.

"Climate change could drastically alter the flow of water down from the mountains, threatening the livelihoods of vast numbers of people across the continent," the report said.

"Urgent action is needed to curb climate change and prevent further degradation of snow leopard habitat," said Rishi Kumar Sharma, WWF global snow leopard leader, "otherwise the 'ghost of the mountains' could vanish, along with critical water supplies for hundreds of millions of people." Endit