"Rare Snow Leopard Captured in Afghanistan After Deadly Livestock Rampage"

Afghan authorities captured a rare snow leopard in the country's mountainous northeast after it reportedly killed dozens of livestock animals, and are preparing to release it back into the wild. The juvenile leopard was trapped in a livestock enclosure in Badakhshan province and will be released soon after receiving treatment for a minor leg injury. Snow leopards are listed as "vulnerable" species, with their numbers decreasing due to climate change impacts, habitat loss, and poaching. The mountainous northeast of Afghanistan is one of the few habitats of the elusive leopards, and experts warn that warmer temperatures and human encroachment are threatening their survival.