# Snow leopard conservation in India

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/snow-leopard-conservation-in-india
> Updated: 2026-10-24T02:02:37.000Z. Sources: 8. Developments: 2.

India’s first Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI) survey has estimated a population of 718 snow leopards across the Indian Himalayas, with 477 individuals identified in the Ladakh region. Union Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh announced these findings on International Snow Leopard Day, highlighting a government commitment to habitat protection and community engagement for the species.

In conjunction with these findings, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has called for enhanced monitoring and protection of the cats across Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. Conservationists have identified several threats to the species, including poaching, climate change, mining, and hydroelectric projects. Additionally, the declining prey base of Blue Sheep and Asiatic Ibex due to livestock competition, as well as retaliatory killings by local communities, pose significant risks to the population.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-24: India calls for increased snow leopard conservation

India is calling for intensified conservation and monitoring of snow leopards to combat threats from poaching, habitat loss, climate change, and human-wildlife conflict in high-altitude regions.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/india-calls-for-increased-snow-leopard-conservation

### 2026-10-23: India records 718 snow leopards in first Himalayan survey

India’s first SPAI survey reveals 718 snow leopards across the Indian Himalayas, with 477 located in Ladakh.

6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/india-records-718-snow-leopards-in-first-himalayan-survey

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Cite as: Snow leopard conservation in India. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/snow-leopard-conservation-in-india