Snow Leopard Population Surges 62% in Himachal Pradesh: Conservation Success Story

The comprehensive survey was executed through extensive camera trapping operations across six distinct sites.

Shimla:

A recently released survey reveals that the population of elusive snow leopards in Himachal Pradesh's high-altitude tribal regions has witnessed a remarkable 62 percent increase over the past four years.

Officials reported on Friday that according to the baseline survey conducted by the Wildlife Wing of the state Forest Department in 2021, the population stood at 51 individuals. This number has now grown significantly to 83, based on research conducted throughout the previous year.

The survey featured substantial community participation, suggesting that long-term conservation strategies involving local communities are yielding positive results.

Released on Thursday, the first day of Wildlife Week (observed October 2-8), the new survey excluded cubs from its count and exceeded the estimated upper confidence limit of 73 from the 2021 assessment, potentially indicating habitat expansion for these rare cats.

Researchers implemented large-scale camera trapping across six sites covering approximately 26,000 square kilometers. Snow leopards and their habitats were documented in tribal areas including Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur, and the Pangi valley.

Importantly, the study recorded snow leopard presence beyond designated protected areas, which include the Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary, Great Himalayan National Park, Sechu Tuan Nallah Wildlife Sanctuary, and Asrang Wildlife Sanctuary.

Beyond snow leopards, the survey produced distribution maps for key prey species including blue sheep, Himalayan ibex, and musk deer. It also documented other high-altitude mammals such as Himalayan wolves, brown bears, leopards, red foxes, and martens.

The research yielded two significant discoveries: the first official sighting of Pallas's cat in Kinnaur and the rediscovery of the woolly flying squirrel in Lahaul, highlighting Himachal Pradesh's rich biodiversity.

Officials emphasized that community participation was crucial to the survey's success. Local youth and women from Kibber village in Spiti actively assisted with camera trap deployment and data analysis, while frontline forest officers and community members supported field operations. The entire survey was completed in just one year, compared to the three years required for the 2021 assessment.

The cost-effective survey established a scalable framework for long-term snow leopard monitoring across India. With this accomplishment, Himachal Pradesh becomes the first state in India to complete a second statewide snow leopard assessment.