India snow leopards: Population estimated at 718 in first-ever survey

The first-ever survey of snow leopards in India found that there are 718 of the animals in the nation, according to the federal environment ministry. This indicates that between 10% and 15% of all snow leopards worldwide are found in India. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has given the snow leopard its vulnerability classification. Numerous factors, including habitat loss, poaching, and infrastructure development, pose a threat to its population in the wild.

From 2019 to 2023, the Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI) Program was conducted. It was carried out as a component of the worldwide Population Assessment of the World’s Snow Leopards (Paws), an endeavor to ascertain the population size of snow leopards. Approximately 120,000 sq km (46,332 sq miles) of the animal’s habitat in the trans-Himalayan region were covered by the survey conducted in India. The environment ministry stated in a statement that “up until recent years, the snow leopard range in India was undefined due to a lack of extensive nationwide assessments for this vulnerable species.”

Seventy percent of the country’s potential snow leopard habitat was surveyed, including parts of the northeastern states of Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, the northern states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, and the regions of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir. Following the detection of 214 individual snow leopards by camera traps, surveyors examined leopard trails and additional information to determine that there are 718 of the species overall. According to the report, the animal’s position as the top predator in the Himalayan ecosystem makes knowing its exact population size crucial.

It goes on to say that the population of snow leopards can reveal information about the health of the ecosystem, possible threats to its habitat, and changes brought on by climate change.

“The integrity of these high-altitude habitats is intertwined with the socio-cultural fabric of local communities and the economic sustenance of populations residing downstream.”