Study on Snow Leopard in Himachal Pradesh:
According to a new study based on scientific enumeration of this enigmatic species, up to 73 snow leopards (Panthera uncia) could be hiding in the Himalayan highlands.
Conservation of Snow Leopard:
♦ Through the Project Snow Leopard, India has been protecting snow leopards and their habitats (PSL). The Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection (GSLEP) programme has included India since 2013. To secure,
India has identified three major landscapes:
Hemis-Spiti in Ladakh and the Himalayas; Nanda Devi-Gangotri in Uttarakhand; and Khangchendzonga-Tawang, which straddles the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
♦ The Snow Leopard Project (PSL) was founded in 2009 to encourage an inclusive and participatory approach to snow leopard conservation and habitat security. Snow leopards have been added to the list of 21 critically endangered species by the Ministry of Wildlife, Forests, and Climate Change`s conservation plan.
Habitat:
♦ In the five states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himalayas, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh, snow leopards live in the high landforms of the Himalayas and trans-Himalayas. Snow leopard habitat covers the bulk of Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh. Its possible habitat also includes Shimla, Kuru, Camba, and Kangra`s upper reaches. The bulk of these areas are in remote regions, and winter also limits accessibility challenges.
IUCN Status: Vulnerable
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