INDIA’S SNOW LEOPARD COUNT: A FOUR-YEAR SURVEY
Why in the News?
- India has an estimated 718 snow leopards in the wild according to a first-of-its kind, four-year-long estimation exercise, the results of which were made public on Tuesday.
Source: HT
About the Survey:
- India’s wild snow leopard population is estimated at 718.
- Regional Distribution: Ladakh reported the highest number of snow leopards (477), followed by Uttarakhand (124), Himachal Pradesh (51), Arunachal Pradesh (36), Sikkim (21), and Jammu and Kashmir (nine).
- Indian snow leopard count constitutes 10% to 15% of the global population.
About Snow Leopard
· Scientific Name: Panthera uncia · Ecological Role: Snow leopards serve as crucial indicators of mountain ecosystem health as they occupy the apex predator position in the food chain. · Conservation Status: o IUCN List of Threatened Species: Vulnerable. o CITES: Appendix I. o Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule-I. · Threat : Faces threats from free-ranging dogs, human-wildlife conflicts, and poaching. · Habitat : Found in fragmented distributions across central Asian mountain ranges, including parts of the Himalayas like Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Sikkim. · Conservation Initiatives: o Designated as a flagship species for the high-altitude Himalayas by the Indian government. o India joined the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection (GSLEP) Programme in 2013. |