SNOW LEOPARD - ENVIRONMENT

News: Camera traps give hope for snow leopard in Kashmir 

What's in the news?

       The first-ever recording of the snow leopard from the Baltal-Zojila region has renewed the hope for the elusive predator in the higher altitudes of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh 

Key takeaways:

       Camera trapping exercises by researchers from Nature Conservation Foundation (India), partnering J&K’s Department of Wildlife Protection, also raised hopes for other important and rare species such as the Asiatic ibex, brown bear and Kashmir musk deer in the upper reaches of the northernmost part of India.

       The Snow Leopard Population Assessment of India (SPAI) has been concluded so far in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The estimated population of the great cat is 50 and 100 in these two States respectively.

       The Department of Wildlife Protection has been conducting surveys with partner NGOs to understand the presence and abundance of snow leopards under the SPAI project funded by the Ministry of Environment Forests and Climate Change.

       According to wildlife experts, the iconic and culturally treasured snow leopard is a good indicator species as it quickly reacts to habitat disturbances and its successful conservation requires sustainable long-term systemic solutions to the threats impacting the quality of habitats 

Snow Leopard:

       Scientific Name: Panthera uncia

       Snow leopards use rugged mountainous areas or non-forested areas covering an altitude between 3200m-5200m.

       Top Predator: Snow leopards act as an indicator of the health of the mountain ecosystem in which they live, due to their position as the top predator in the food web. 

Habitat:

       Mountainous regions of Central and Southern Asia.

       Range extends through twelve countries: Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

       In India, their geographical range encompasses:

       Western Himalayas: Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh.

       Eastern Himalayas: Uttarakhand and Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.

       Snow Leopard capital of the world: Hemis, Ladakh.

       Hemis National Park is the biggest national park in India and also has a good presence of Snow Leopard. 

Threats:

       This charismatic species is largely threatened because of the loss of natural prey species, retaliatory killing due to conflict with humans and illegal trade of its fur and bones.

Protection Status:

       The snow leopard is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN-World Conservation Union’s Red List of the Threatened Species.

       In addition, it is also listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES).

       Making trading of animal body parts (i.e., fur, bones and meat) illegal in signatory countries.

       It is listed in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972.

       It is also listed in the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), affording the highest conservation status to the species, both globally and in India.