Which high-altitude biome is the primary habitat of the snow leopard?

The high-altitude biome that serves as primary habitat for the snow leopard is alpine tundra.

Alpine tundra occurs above the tree line, where low temperatures, strong winds, thin soils, and a short growing season prevent trees from forming a continuous forest. Instead, the landscape is made up of dwarf shrubs, grasses, sedges, mosses, and hardy flowering plants. It can occur on high mountains at many latitudes, from the Himalayas to the Andes and the Rocky Mountains.

Snow leopards live across the mountains of Central and South Asia, including the Himalayas, Tibetan Plateau, Pamirs, Tian Shan, and Altai. They use rocky alpine meadows, ridges, cliffs, and broken slopes, where camouflage and elevated viewpoints help them hunt. Their broad paws, dense fur, and long tail are adaptations for cold, steep terrain.

The species also uses subalpine habitats and may descend to lower elevations, especially in winter or in the northern part of its range. That broader range does not make “montane forest” or “steppe” the best answer: the defining high-elevation habitat in the question is alpine tundra.