The population of the rare snow leopards in Himachal Pradesh’s high-altitude tribal regions has grown by an impressive 62 per cent over the past four years, according to a newly released wildlife survey.
The count, which stood at 51 in 2021, has now increased to 83, officials from the state Forest Department’s Wildlife Wing announced on Friday. This significant increase emphasizes the success of long-term conservation strategies that actively involve local communities across the region.
The survey results were released on the first day of Wildlife Week (October 2–8), showcasing an increase that surpassed the upper confidence estimate of 73 from the 2021 survey. This uptick suggests a possible expansion of habitats available to these magnificent creatures.
Conducted through a comprehensive camera-trapping exercise across six diverse sites, the survey spanned nearly 26,000 sq km. Researchers identified snow leopards and their habitats in areas such as Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur, and Pangi valley, with recorded sightings extending beyond designated protected areas, including Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary and Great Himalayan National Park.
Aside from the snow leopards, the survey provided a detailed mapping of various prey species. This included blue sheep, Himalayan ibex, and musk deer, alongside other mammals like Himalayan wolves, brown bears, leopards, red foxes, and martens.
In a remarkable milestone, the survey also documented the first official sighting of Pallas’s cat in Kinnaur and the rediscovery of the woolly flying squirrel in Lahaul, further underlining the rich biodiversity of Himachal Pradesh.
Officials attributed the success of the survey partially to strong community involvement. Local youth and women from Kibber village in Spiti played a crucial role in deploying camera traps and analyzing the collected data. Forest officers collaborated with villagers to support field operations, enhancing the efficiency of this initiative. Remarkably, this survey was completed in just one year, in contrast to the three years taken for the earlier assessment.
Moreover, the cost-effective survey has established a scalable framework for long-term snow leopard monitoring in India, marking a significant step towards conservation efforts. With this achievement, Himachal Pradesh has become the first state in the country to conduct a second statewide snow leopard assessment, setting a crucial precedent for wildlife monitoring initiatives nationwide.
