Why in the news?

  • A recent study shows that the snow leopard population in the Jammu and Kashmir region increased.

Snow Leopard

  • Other Name: Also called ghost of the mountains’ in India’s easternmost tiger reserve.
  • Altitude Range: 3,000 – 5,500 metres
  • Ecosystem: Alpine and subalpine zones
  • Conservation Reserves
    • Hemis National Park (Ladakh)
    • Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve
    • Gangotri NP
    • Great Himalayan NP
  • Significance: Snow leopards act as an indicator of the health of the mountain ecosystem due to their position as the top predator in the food web.
  • Protection Status
    • IUCN – Vulnerable
    • CITES – Appendix I
    • Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 – Schedule I
  • Threats
    • Poaching (for fur, bones)
    • Habitat loss due to infrastructure, climate change
    • Human-wildlife conflict with herders
    • Decline in prey species
  • National Initiatives
    • Project Snow Leopard (2009): Conservation model integrating community participation
    • SECURE Himalaya Project (2017): Partnership between MoEFCC and UNDP. Aim to sustainable development & biodiversity conservation in high-altitude landscapes.
  • Global Level
    • GSLEP (Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program): Intergovernmental alliance of 12 range countries.India is a signatory