New video footage shows that common and snow leopards are sharing the same habitat and big cat conservationists are worried.
The film was captured on the Tibetan Plateau, Qinghai, China, and shows a female common leopard with a cub, which suggests that she is living in the area rather than just visiting.
Watch the video of common and snow leopards:
Common leopards living at higher elevations could compete with Endangered snow leopards for prey.
Warmer weather conditions also threaten snow leopards.
Common leopard seen in the same area as snow leopards. © Shan Shui/Panthera/SLT/SEEF/GZC
“In a changing climate, we expect the tree line to move up the slopes and that’s encroaching into the snow leopard’s habitat,” said Byrton Weckworth, China programme director for Panthera.
It is estimated that there are only 3,500 to 7,000 snow leopards in the wild.
Main image: Snow leopard seen in Qinghai Province of China. © Shan Shui/Panthera/SLT/SEEF/GZC
