Srinagar: The Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI) program, a pioneering scientific initiative, has revealed a robust snow leopard population of 718 leopards in India with Ladakh emerging as a stronghold. This was revealed by the Union Minister of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav on Tuesday during the National Board for Wildlife meeting in New Delhi.
Ladakh, along with Jammu and Kashmir, Union territory encompassing over 70% of the potential snow leopard range, played a pivotal role in this nationwide endeavor. Notably, Ladakh stood out with 477 snow leopards, underscoring its crucial role in protecting these vulnerable species.
Conducted by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), the SPAI program covered approximately 120,000 km² of vital snow leopard habitat across the trans-Himalayan region. Executed from 2019 to 2023, the meticulous assessment employed a two-step framework involving spatial distribution evaluation and abundance estimation through camera traps.
The comprehensive effort spanned 13,450 km of surveyed trails, recording snow leopard signs, and deployed camera traps at 1,971 locations for 180,000 trap nights. The recorded snow leopard occupancy covered 93,392 km², with an estimated presence of 100,841 km². A total of 241 unique Snow leopards were photographed. Based on data analysis, the estimated population in different states are as follows: Ladakh (477), Uttarakhand (124), Himachal Pradesh (51), Arunachal Pradesh (36), Sikkim (21), and Jammu and Kashmir (9).
Prior to 2016, the snow leopard range in India was undefined. Recent status surveys, covering 80% of the range, compared to 56% in 2016, have significantly improved understanding. The SPAI exercise utilized an extensive network of camera traps to bolster data on snow leopard numbers.
The report emphasizes the establishment of a dedicated Snow Leopard Cell at WII under the MoEFCC for long-term population monitoring, consistent field surveys, and well-structured study designs. The importance of periodic population estimation every fourth year is highlighted to identify challenges, address threats, and formulate effective conservation strategies, ensuring the long-term survival of snow leopards.
