Though snow leopards are solitary creatures, they do occasionally kill domestic animals, causing friction with the shepards. However, humans are also killing all of the snow leopard's prey. This means that they have to cover wider ranges. Of course they will kill domestic animals when they get the chance. Sadly, many snow leopards are killed by herders in turn. Snow leopards are also killed for their bones, which are used in China as a substitute for tiger bones in medicine. Snow leopards are also killed for their beautiful fur.There are only an estimated 3,500 to 7,000 snow leopards in the wild. There are about 600 to 700 in captivity worldwide, with about 275 in the United States of America's zoos. They have been declared an endangered species by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) since 1972. They are also protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This means that it is illegal to kill snow leopards or smuggle snow leopards or snow leopard products across borders in any country. Snow leopards depend on humans for their survival. We must stop ruining their habitat, poaching them, and killing their prey. The only good snow leopard is a live snow leopard.