Context: Recently, the Union Environment Ministry revealed that India is home to an estimated 718 snow leopards, marking a significant milestone in the first-ever ‘Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India.’

• The comprehensive assessment was conducted by the Wildlife Institute of India in collaboration with all snow leopard range states and two conservation partners, namely the Nature Conservation Foundation in Mysuru and WWF India.

• The study, carried out between 2019 and 2023, provides valuable insights into the current status of these elusive big cats in the country.

Ladakh Reports Maximum Numbers

• Among the regions surveyed, Ladakh emerges as a key habitat for snow leopards, reporting the highest number of these majestic creatures at 477.

• This data sheds light on the distribution and concentration of the snow leopard population, with Ladakh playing a crucial role in their conservation.

Release of the Report

• Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav released the comprehensive report during the National Board for Wildlife meeting.

• The unveiling of this assessment is a significant step toward understanding and conserving the snow leopard population in India.

• The collaboration between governmental bodies and conservation partners underscores the collective effort to ensure the well-being and sustainability of this vulnerable species

About Snow Leopard

• Scientific Name: Panthera uncia

• Top Predator: As the apex predator in the food chain, snow leopards serve as an indicator for the state of the mountain ecosystem in which they reside.

Protection Status

• IUCN List of Threatened Species: Vulnerable.

• CITES: Appendix I. Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule-I.

• Habitat: They are widely but unevenly distributed throughout the highlands of central Asia, which includes the Himalayan regions of Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Sikkim.

• Threat: primarily threatened by the extinction of natural prey species, retaliatory killing brought on by human conflict, and the illicit trafficking in its bones and fur.

Conclusion

• This population assessment not only contributes to the knowledge base regarding snow leopards in India but also serves as a foundation for informed conservation strategies and policies to safeguard these magnificent creatures in the face of various challenges.