Context: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change released the report on Status of Snow Leopards in India during the meeting of National Board of Wildlife. The estimation of the Snow Leopards was done under the Snow Leopard Population Assessment (SPAI) Program. This is the first ever rigorous examination of snow leopard populations in India, employing advanced methods such as occupancy modelling and camera trapping.
About Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India
- The Snow Leopard population in India has been estimated under the Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI) conducted between 2019-23.
- Wildlife Institute of India (WII) is the National Coordinator for the SPAI program. The exercise was conducted by WII with the support of all snow leopard range states and two conservation partners (i) Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysusu (ii) WWF-India.
- SPAI is the first ever scientific exercise that reports Snow Leopard population in India.
- Snow Leopard population in India has been estimated to be 718 individuals.
- The SPAI program covered 70% of potential snow leopard range in India of crucial snow leopard habitat across the trans-Himalayan region, including UTs of Ladakh and J&K, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. Total snow leopard range in India is estimated to be around 120,000 sq. km.
- Estimated Snow Leopard population in different states: Ladakh (477), Uttarakhand (124), Himachal Pradesh (51), Arunachal Pradesh (36), Sikkim (21), and Jammu & Kashmir (9). (Ladakh has highest number of snow leopards in India).
Estimated population of snow leopards in different states
Snow Leopard Range in India
About Snow Leopards
- Scientific name of Snow Leopard is Panthera uncia.
- They are also called the ‘ghosts of the mountains.
- The snow leopard is the state animal of Himachal Pradesh.
- Snow leopards are generally found at an elevation of 3,000 m to 5,200 m in India above the tree line. However, during winters, snow leopards may descend to lower elevations.
- The snow leopard’s fur is white to brown and has black spots around its head and neck.
- It preys on Himalayan Blue Sheep, Himalayan Tahr, Tibetan Argali and Himalayan Ibex etc.
- Snow leopards are sparsely distributed in the high mountains of Central and South Asia in 12 countries of Central Asia, from southern Russia to the Tibetan Plateau, including Mongolia, China, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Nepal.
- Sixty percent of the geographic range of snow leopard falls in China, followed by Mongolia and India.
- In India, it is found in Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh.
- Accommodation Type: Forests, shrubs, grasslands, rocky areas.
- IUCN Status: Vulnerable
- Listed in Appendix I of CITES which prohibits international trade in animal parts and products except under exceptional, non-commercial circumstances.
Key facts about Snow Leopard
Smallest of the big cats with tails that can be nearly as long as their bodies.
Perfect camouflage: Snow leopards have thick, smoky-gray fur patterned with dark gray open rosettes and spots. This helps them to blend perfectly with rocky slopes of their habitat. (Rosettes are large rings enclosing smaller spots). It is for this reason they are known as ghost of mountains.
Do not roar: They can only hiss, growl and prusten. They give a ‘main’ call described as ‘piercing yowl’. This is so loud; one can hear it over the roar of the river. Prusten, also known as chuffing, is a non-threatening vocalisation made by blowing through their nose while their mouth is closed.
Swift movers: Snow leopards are swift movers in a rugged terrain. They can travel for over 25 miles in a day and can jump as much as 50 feet in length.
Well-adapted to cold temperatures: The fur of this elusive species keeps them well insulated in cold weather.
Solitary: Snow leopards live a solitary life other than when they are mating. It is very rare to see two snow leopards together. Female snow leopards raise their kids alone for a period of 18 months after which the kids depart.
Feed: Snow leopards are carnivorous predators feed on Blue Sheep (Known as Bharal in India), Asiatic Ibex (a large wild goat), Argali (wild sheep species), marmots, pikas, deer and other small mammals.
Large range: Snow leopards have large home ranges of up to 1,000 sq. km.
Importance of Snow Leopard
- Apex predator in the Himalayan ecosystem: As an apex predator, snow leopard regulates the prey population in a top-down fashion. Thus, influencing the ecological equilibrium of its habitat.
- Biomarker of health of Himalayan ecosystem: A healthy and thriving population of snow leopard reflects the broader health and resilience of high-altitude alpine ecosystems in general and Himalayas in particular. The population estimation will also give a reflection of potential threats such as habitat degradation, climate induced shifts, besides human-wildlife conflicts.
- Symbolic importance: Snow leopards holds cultural and symbolic importance for many communities living in the high-altitude alpine ecosystems in its range countries.
- Protecting Snow Leopard can in turn help in the protection of alpine high-altitude ecosystems: Alpine high-altitude ecosystems are critical for source of perennial rivers for the Asian landmass and thus critical for the well-being of downstream populations.
Conservation steps taken for Snow Leopards
Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program (GSLEP):
- This program aims for sustainable development of high-mountain development issues using the conservation of charismatic snow leopards as a flagship.
- It is alliance of snow leopard range country governments and NGOs.
- GSLEP was founded by 2013 Bishkek Declaration by 12 snow leopard range countries.
- 12 Snow Leopard range countries are: Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan. (India is party to this program).
- Secretariat of GSLEP: Located in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic.
Initiatives under GSLEP
- Population Assessment of the World’s Snow Leopards (PAWS): It is an initiative of GSLEP to develop a global snow leopard population assessment.
- Secure 20 by 2020: This goal aims to identify and secure at least 20 healthy populations of snow leopards across the range of snow leopard (20 by 2020). Many of these populations will cross international boundaries. Criteria for defining healthy populations of snow leopards:
- Representing at least 100 breeding age snow leopards
- Containing adequate and secure prey populations.
- Having connectivity to other snow leopard populations.
Under this, a total of 24 GSLEP landscapes have been identified for snow leopards across the snow leopard’s range. As part of identifying and securing snow leopard snow leopard GSLEP landscapes, India has identified three such landscapes: Hemis-Spiti, Nanda Devi – Gangotri, Khangchendzong – Tawang.
- National Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Priorities: Each of the 12 Snow Leopard range countries have developed to align national snow leopard conservation strategies with global goals under GSLEP.
Project Snow Leopard:
This program was launched by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in 2009 for landscape restoration of snow leopard habitat conservation and implementation of participatory landscape-based management plans.
Dedicated areas for In-situ conservation of Snow Leopards in India:
- India has notified three GSLEP Landscapes: Hemis-Spiti, Nanda Devi – Gangotri and Khangchendzong Tawang.
- Three Biosphere Reserves with an area of 21,300 sq. km. – Cold Desert (Himachal Pradesh), Nanda Devi (Uttarakhand), Khangchendzong (Sikkim).
- There are 57 Protected Areas (National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries) which covers 34% of snow leopard range in India.
Suggestions for snow leopard population restoration
The report offered some suggestions for better conservation of Snow Leopard population in India.
- Establishment of Snow Leopard Cell at Wildlife Institute of India (WII) under the MOEFCC with a primary focus on long-term population monitoring, supported by well-structured study designs and consistent field surveys.
- States and UTs in the snow leopard range can consider adopting a periodic estimation approach of snow leopards at an interval of every four years.
- Bringing at least 70% of snow leopard habitat under legal protection. India has moved from an exclusive focus on protected areas to a collaborative landscape management for snow leopard population restoration.
- Sensitising border guarding forces: Given that a significant portion of snow leopard habitat borders neighbouring countries like Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and China and is manned by Indian border guarding and security forces, it is essential to sensitise them and foster long-term cooperation for conservation of critical snow leopard habitats.
- Landscape level management planning and coordination: There is a need for creating scientifically informed, collaborative and landscape-based management plans for our conservation efforts.