Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery by identifying fossils of snow leopards. This significant finding allows researchers to understand the evolutionary journey of this species during the Quaternary period, including its movement from the Tibetan plateau all the way to the Iberian Peninsula, which is quite distant from the cold and elevated Himalayan regions.
An international team of researchers has for the first time discovered fossils of snow leopards, as detailed in their study published in Science Advances. This revelation has helped them to map the evolutionary journey of the species throughout the Quaternary period and to theorize its migration from the Tibetan plateau to the Iberian Peninsula, a long way from the frigid heights of the Himalayas. The findings indicate that snow leopards prefer rocky landscapes and colder climates rather than just high altitudes. This information could be invaluable in efforts to protect this iconic species.
The research, published in Science Advances, was spearheaded by Qigao Jiangzuo from Peking University and Joan Madurell Malapeira from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB).
Snow leopards (Panthera uncia) are critically endangered, with an estimated 4,000 individuals left in the wild. These medium to large cats inhabit high-altitude areas, typically above 2,000 meters in the Himalayas. Although their unique characteristics have been acknowledged for many years, the connection between these traits and their adaptation to the environment of the Tibetan plateau, as well as their evolutionary background, had remained largely uncharted due to a lack of fossil records in Tibet and neighboring areas. Previously, some unverified remains were found in northern China and Europe, but their authenticity and evolutionary classification were still questionable.
In the recent study, researchers analyzed numerous samples categorized as common leopards (Panthera pardus) from both Europe and Asia, leading to the unprecedented identification of five snow leopard fossils. These fossil remains, originating from China, France, and Portugal, date back around one million years. This discovery has enabled researchers to outline the evolution and ecological adjustments of the species during the Quaternary era, while also reconstructing its potential geographical and temporal spread. The study combined morphometric and phylogenetic evaluations with mathematical models of species distribution.
The research emphasizes the distinctive characteristics that differentiate snow leopards from their more common relatives. While common leopards are adapted to catch swift animals in forested environments, snow leopards possess special features that allow them to thrive in the harsh mountain terrains. These adaptations include larger teeth, rounder skulls, and stronger jaws and paws, making them efficient predators of robust prey like mountain goats.
Moreover, their survival in rugged and desolate environments hinges on several other essential adaptations. These include enhanced binocular vision, an enlarged cranial ectotympanic structure for improved hearing, powerful limbs designed to endure the impact of steep leaps, and a long tail for balance — all of which evolved rapidly during the Quaternary, particularly from the Middle Pleistocene onward, approximately 500,000 years ago.
These vital adaptations emerged alongside the colder periods of the latest Ice Ages when snow leopards expanded beyond the Himalayas into central China and, intriguingly, researchers note, spread westward to the Iberian Peninsula. In the early 2000s, amateur cavers in Porto de Mós, Portugal, discovered a remarkable fossil: a partial leopard skeleton with an almost pristine skull, now recognized as the “leopard of Algar da Manga Larga.” This fossil has been identified as an unexpected member of the snow leopard lineage in Western Europe.
“We propose that around 900,000 years ago, the progressive intensification of glaciations in Eurasia created more open environments, allowing the species to reach Portugal, where it thrived until about 40,000 years ago,” states Joan Madurell Malapeira from the UAB’s Department of Geology.
The finding of this fossil in Portugal carries significant implications for the conservation efforts aimed at snow leopards. The research indicates that snow leopards prefer steep, rocky landscapes and chilly climates instead of strictly high altitudes, challenging previous beliefs about their habitat preferences.
“Our analyses suggest that high altitude and snow were probably not the main limitations for the distribution of the species; rather, it was the availability of open and steep terrains. This means that while snow leopards have always been adapted to mountain living, it does not necessarily mean they require high altitudes with snow. This understanding, especially in the context of current climate change, gives us hope for their survival,” adds Joan Madurell Malapeira.
Future studies will focus on exploring the neuroanatomy and ecology of the Algar da Manga Larga leopard to further illuminate the intriguing history of this remarkable mountain predator.
