The snow leopard's natural habitat is in the Himalayas of central Asia, although research has indicated that snow leopards have already disappeared from some areas in this range. There are thought to be only an estimated 3,500-7,000 left in the wild and along with natural dangers, the snow leopard faces serious threats from humans. These include loss of prey, retaliatory killing and conflict with herders, loss of habitat, poaching for fur and lack of awareness.