Department of Wildlife Management, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
Department of Zoology, University of Kotli, Kotli, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan.
PLoS One. 2019 Aug 1;14(8):e0218460. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0218460. eCollection 2019.
Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia) is native to mountain ranges of Central and South Asia, where it occurs from 3,000-4500 m elevation. The species is enlisted as "Endangered" by IUCN and its populations are reportedly declining. In the current study, we compared the past and current distribution ranges of the species using spatial analysis. We used Quantum Geographical Information System (QGIS) software to reconstruct and quantify its past distribution range and compare with its current one. Snow leopard was found more widely distributed in the past having a distribution range of approximately 10.47 million km2 against the current 3.20 million km2. Range contraction of the species approximates 69%. A total of 719 terrestrial protected areas of Asia (out of total 7209) had this species in the past whereas at current, only 311 protected areas support this species. The results emphasize escalating conservation efforts to save its remaining distribution range.
雪豹（Panthera uncia）原产于中亚和南亚的山脉，分布在海拔 3000-4500 米之间。该物种被 IUCN 列为“濒危”物种，其数量据报道正在下降。在当前的研究中，我们使用空间分析比较了该物种过去和现在的分布范围。我们使用量子地理信息系统（QGIS）软件来重建和量化其过去的分布范围，并将其与当前的分布范围进行比较。过去，雪豹的分布范围更广，约为 1047 万平方公里，而目前的分布范围为 320 万平方公里。该物种的分布范围收缩了约 69%。过去，亚洲共有 719 个陆地保护区（总计 7209 个）有这种物种，而目前只有 311 个保护区支持这种物种。研究结果强调了要加强保护工作，以拯救其剩余的分布范围。
