In a historic development, Union Minister Bhupender Yadav launched the report on the Status of Snow Leopards in India at the National Board for Wildlife meeting in New Delhi. The Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI) Program, a pioneering scientific endeavor, presents a comprehensive study indicating a population of 718 snow leopards across the country.
The Wildlife Institute of India (WII), serving as the National Coordinator, executed the SPAI program with the collaboration of snow leopard range states and conservation partners, the Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysuru, and WWF-India.
The SPAI program, conducted from 2019 to 2023, systematically covered over 70% of the potential snow leopard range, encompassing crucial habitats in states such as Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh, as well as the Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir. Utilizing a meticulous two-step framework, the program initially assessed spatial distribution through an occupancy-based sampling approach. Subsequently, snow leopard abundance was estimated using camera traps in identified stratified regions.
During the SPAI exercise, 13,450 km of trails were surveyed, and camera traps were deployed at 1,971 locations for 180,000 trap nights. The report indicates a recorded Snow leopard occupancy in 93,392 km2, with an estimated presence in 100,841 km2. A total of 241 (Two Forty One) unique Snow leopards were photographed. The estimated population in different states includes Ladakh (477), Uttarakhand (124), Himachal Pradesh (51), Arunachal Pradesh (36), Sikkim (21), and Jammu and Kashmir (9).
This comprehensive study fills a critical gap in understanding the snow leopard range in India, with a focus on previously under-researched areas. The report also emphasizes the establishment of a dedicated Snow Leopard Cell at WII for ongoing monitoring and proposes periodic population estimation every four years. This proactive approach aims to provide vital insights for effective conservation strategies, ensuring the long-term survival of the endangered Snow leopards.
