Nepal, Oct. 23 -- Four years ago, during a snow leopard expedition to Upper Dolpo a traditional medicine practitioner at the ancient Samling Monastery told me about the role this elusive Himalayan predator plays in local tradition.

Sherab Tenzin Lama is an 'Amchi' healer who has been practicing traditional medicine, a knowledge system passed down through generations. Over cups of a potent local drink alternated with hot water, the conversation progressed from snow leopards to the spaces that host them.

The rangelands of this remote trans-Himalayan region sustain the livestock on which communities depend, and they also support the prey base for snow leopards. People here raise yaks, sheep and mountain goats, harvest medicinal plants and...