Context

• Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has conducted the census of snow leopards for the first time which has revealed that there are a total of 718 snow leopards in the country, while Ladakh has the highest population.

Key Points

• Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupendra Yadav released this report in the meeting of the National Wildlife Board.
• Covering approximately 120,000 sq km of critical snow leopard habitat in the trans-Himalayan region including the Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir and the states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, WII conducted the survey across all snow leopard range states and The survey was conducted from 2019 to 2023 in collaboration with two conservation partners, Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysore and WWF India.
• To get information about the population of snow leopards, this survey was conducted in two phases from 2019 to 2023.
• In this survey, the estimated population of snow leopards was ascertained with the help of cameras.
• Until recent years the snow leopard's range in India was undefined due to the lack of comprehensive national assessment.
• According to the survey report, 477 snow leopards have been found in Ladakh, 124 in Uttarakhand, 51 in Himachal Pradesh, 36 in Arunachal Pradesh, 21 in Sikkim and 9 in Jammu and Kashmir.

Benefits

• The report also calls for creating a dedicated snow leopard cell at WII under the ministry.
• This will help in increasing the population of snow leopards which are becoming extinct.
• For this, states and union territories may also consider periodic population assessments every four years in the snow leopard range.
• Apart from this, it will also help in identifying the challenges and preparing effective conservation strategies.

IMPORTANT FACTS FOR EXAM

• It is noteworthy that recently Kyrgyzstan has officially declared the Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia) as its national symbol.

About Snow Leopard

• Kingdom: Animals
• Union:Rajjuki
• Category:Mammals
• Total:Vidal
• Subfamily: Panther
• Scientific name: Panthera uncia
• Nutrient Level: Carnivorous
• IUCN Red List-Vulnerable

Habitat

• Snow leopards' habitat extends to the mountainous regions of 12 countries in Asia, including Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
• According to the World Wildlife Organization, this vast range covers approximately 772,204 square miles.

Leopard Conservation Efforts

• International Snow Leopard Day-23 October
• Bishkek Declaration-2013
• Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Conservation (GSLEP) Program
• Project Snow Leopard-2009(in India)