NEWS – First-ever survey of India’s snow leopard conducted

HIGHLIGHTS

• Four-year-long exercise named Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI)
• By MOEFCC + Mysuru-based Nature Conservation Foundation + Wildlife Institute of India + wildlife biologists and conservationists
• Project Snow Leopard for conservation of the species has been in existence since 2009
• Finding – India has estimated 718 snow leopards spread over six states and Union Territories

SNOW LEOPARD

• Scientific name – Panthera uncia
• Native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia, including the Himalayas, Siberia, and the Tibetan Plateau
• Well-adapted to its harsh, cold environment and is renowned for its elusive nature – coat is thick and well-insulated
• Coat serves as effective camouflage in its rocky mountainous habitat
• Long, thick tail that helps with balance, especially in rocky terrain + used as a blanket to cover the nose and mouth in extremely cold weather
• Found in the mountainous regions of Central and South Asia, spanning across countries like India, Nepal, Bhutan, China, Mongolia, Russia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan
• Adapted to high-altitude environments, typically found between 3,000 to 5,500 meters (9,800 to 18,000 feet) above sea level
• Generally solitary animals, with individuals coming together primarily for mating purposes
• More active during dawn and dusk, which aids in hunting when their prey is also active
• Classified as “Vulnerable” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.
• The estimated global population is between 4,000 to 6,590 individuals.
• Threats – poached for their fur, bones, and other body parts, driven by demand in traditional Asian medicine and the illegal wildlife trade + Habitat Loss