🤯 Did You Know (click to read)
India’s survey represented one of the largest coordinated camera trap efforts ever conducted for a high-altitude carnivore.
In 2023, India released the first comprehensive national estimate of its snow leopard population, identifying 477 individuals across the country. The survey covered over 120,000 square kilometers of potential habitat using camera traps and genetic analysis. Jammu and Kashmir recorded the highest concentration, followed by Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. For a predator spread across six states, the entire national total remains under 500 animals. That number is smaller than the seating capacity of many urban cinemas. The survey required coordination between state forest departments and national agencies under Project Snow Leopard. Each identified individual was confirmed through unique rosette patterns and statistical modeling. A species spanning multiple mountain chains compresses to a figure that fits on a single spreadsheet line.
💥 Impact (click to read)
The 2023 estimate marked a milestone in evidence-based wildlife management. Reliable baseline data allows targeted corridor protection and conflict mitigation strategies. It also reveals how thinly distributed the population remains despite decades of protection. Infrastructure expansion in Himalayan states must now account for known leopard territories. The data influences budget allocation, anti-poaching patrol routes, and community outreach programs. Monitoring will need repetition to detect upward or downward trends. National pride in the number coexists with awareness of its fragility.
For mountain communities, confirmation of nearly 500 individuals reinforces both ecological significance and shared responsibility. The figure is reassuring yet sobering; one harsh winter or conflict spike could erase measurable gains. The snow leopard’s survival in India depends on balancing border security, tourism growth, and pastoral livelihoods. A population counted in the hundreds cannot absorb complacency. The mountains remain vast, but the margin for error is precise.
Source
Government of India Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
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