Abstract The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is an apex predator on the Tibetan Plateau and in the surrounding mountain ranges. It is listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN's Red List. The large home range and low population densities of this species mandate range-wide conservation prioritization. Two efforts for range-wide snow leopard conservation planning have been conducted based on expert opinion, but both were constrained by limited knowledge and the difficulty of evaluating complex processes, such as connectivity across large landscapes. Here, we compile >6000 snow leopard occurrence records from across its range and corresponding environmental covariates to build a model of global snow leopard habitat suitability. Using spatial prioritization tools, we identified seven large continuous habitat patches as global snow leopard Landscape Conservation Units (LCUs). Each LCU faces differing threat levels from poaching, anthropogenic development, and climate change. We identified ten potential inter-LCU linkages, and centrality analysis indicated that Tianshan-Pamir-Hindu Kush-Karakorum, Altai, and the linkage between them play a critical role in maintaining the global snow leopard habitat connectivity. However, international border fences, railways and major roads can fragment LCUs and potentially obstruct linkages. We propose LCU-specific conservation strategies and transboundary cooperation that should be highlighted in future snow leopard conservation. This effort represents the first range-wide, systematic landscape conservation plan for snow leopards, and provides a rigorous and analytically sound basis for further survey and evaluation.

中文翻译：

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确定全球雪豹保护景观的优先事项

摘要 雪豹（Panthera uncia）是青藏高原及其周边山脉的顶级捕食者。它在 IUCN 的红色名录中被列为易危物种。该物种的大家庭范围和低人口密度要求优先考虑范围内的保护。已根据专家意见开展了两项大范围雪豹保护规划工作，但都受到知识有限和难以评估复杂过程（例如跨大景观的连通性）的限制。在这里，我们编译了超过 6000 条来自其范围内的雪豹发生记录和相应的环境协变量，以构建全球雪豹栖息地适宜性模型。使用空间优先级工具，我们确定了七个大型连续栖息地斑块作为全球雪豹景观保护单位 (LCU)。每个 LCU 都面临着来自偷猎、人为发展和气候变化的不同威胁级别。我们确定了 10 个潜在的 LCU 间联系，中心性分析表明天山-帕米尔-印度教库什-喀喇昆仑、阿尔泰以及它们之间的联系在维持全球雪豹栖息地连通性方面发挥着关键作用。然而，国际边界​​围栏、铁路和主要道路可能会分散 LCU 并可能阻碍联系。我们提出了特定于 LCU 的保护策略和跨界合作，这些策略应该在未来的雪豹保护中得到重视。这项工作代表了第一个范围广泛、系统的雪豹景观保护计划，