On the occasion of International Snow Leopard Day, marked annually on 23rd October, the Government of India announced the launch of its First National Protocol on Snow Leopard Population Assessment. This crucial initiative has been developed amidst concerted efforts from scientific experts collaborating with six Snow Leopard States/Union Territories – namely, Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. The protocol aims to utilise advanced technology like camera traps in conjunction with systematic surveys to estimate the population of snow leopards in these regions.
Global Snow Leopard & Ecosystem Protection (GSLEP) Program
The event also marked the commencement of the 4th steering committee meeting of the Global Snow Leopard & Ecosystem Protection (GSLEP) Program. This high-level inter-governmental collaboration involves all 12 countries that have snow leopards in their ecosystems — India, Nepal, Bhutan, China, Mongolia, Russia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Managed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change at New Delhi, the GSLEP Program greatly emphasizes the necessity of creating awareness and appreciation about the role of snow leopards in the ecosystem.
Snow Leopard’s Presence in India
Known for their elusive presence in the higher Himalayan and trans-Himalayan landscape, snow leopards can be found across five states in India; Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. These areas contribute to around 5% of the global snow leopard range. Categorized as ‘Vulnerable’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), snow leopards are listed under the Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. Internationally, they find a mention in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), reflecting the urgency for highest conservation status to this species globally as well as within India.
| Snow Leopard States/UTs in India | Percentage of Global Snow Leopard Range |
|---|---|
| Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh | 5% |
Other Conservation Efforts by India
India has also launched other protective initiatives targeted at these majestic creatures. Project Snow Leopard (PSL) is one such attempt, promoting an inclusive and participatory approach towards conservation that effectively involves local communities. Furthermore, the Global Environment Facility (GEF)-United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) funded SECURE Himalaya project aims at the conservation of high altitude biodiversity while simultaneously reducing the dependency of local communities on the natural ecosystem. Currently, this project is operational across four snow leopard range states – Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Sikkim.
