India calls for increased snow leopard conservation

On International Snow Leopard Day, India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change emphasized the need for enhanced monitoring and protection of snow leopards, often referred to as the ‘Ghost of the Mountains’. The species is found in the high-altitude terrains of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh.

Conservationists and the Snow Leopard Conservancy – India Trust (SLC – IT) have identified several critical threats to the species. These include poaching for pelts and body parts, a declining prey base of Blue Sheep and Asiatic Ibex due to domestic livestock competition, and retaliatory killings by local communities following livestock predation. Additional modern threats include climate change, mining, and hydroelectric projects.

With a global population estimated between 3,500 and 7,000 individuals, snow leopards are among the world’s most endangered cats. Their vulnerability is compounded by a slow breeding pattern, where females typically produce only one or two cubs every two years.