Cubs nurse for at least two months and remain dependent for nine months to one year. The species is found in the Hindu Kush mountains of Afghanistan and Pakistan, along the Karakorum and Pamir mountain ranges. The habitat further extends through the Tien Shan, Altai, and Sayan ranges along the borders of Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Mongolia, continuing south through the Qinghai, Gansu, the Sichuan provinces of China, into Tibet and the Himalayan countries of Bhutan, Nepal, and India. In India and Pakistan, these leopards are known to move down to oak, fir, and rhododendron forests in winter, and in certain parts of their range are reported to remain in conifer forests throughout the year. As might be expected, the snow leopard has long been hunted for its handsome coat.
Enforcement is difficult because of the inaccessibility and isolation of much of the habitat.
Although poaching remains a problem, the primary threat to this species is now the expansion of human activities into its habitat. As the human population grows and habitats are developed for livestock grazing, traditional prey becomes scarce. Snow leopards are then forced to feed on domestic livestock, thus becoming targets for angry livestock owners. Survival of this leopard depends upon the preservation of areas of natural habitat large enough to provide hunting ranges and support sufficient prey. It also depends on improving the living standard of local human populations and ensuring that they benefit economically from the presence of such wildlife in their region.