SNOW LEOPARD

• The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is a large, elusive cat native to the mountainous regions of Central and South Asia.
• Snow leopards are found in alpine and subalpine zones at elevations ranging from 3,000 to 4,500 meters (9,800 to 14,800 feet) in the high mountain ranges of Central Asia, including the Himalayas, Karakoram, Hindu Kush, and Altai Mountains.
• They have a thick, long fur coat with a unique pattern of rosettes and spots that provide excellent camouflage in their rocky, snowy habitat.
• The tail of a snow leopard is long and thick, aiding in balance and acting as a warm covering when wrapped around the body during colder temperatures.
• Snow leopards have several physiological adaptations to thrive in their high-altitude environments, including large nasal cavities for efficient oxygen intake and powerful hind limbs for climbing and leaping.
• The primary diet of snow leopards consists of blue sheep (bharal), Himalayan tahr, marmots, and other small mammals. They are solitary hunters and are known for their ability to traverse steep and rugged terrains.
•  Snow leopards are listed as "Vulnerable" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. The main threats to their survival include poaching, habitat loss, retaliatory killings by herders, and climate change.
• Estimating the population of snow leopards is challenging due to their elusive nature and remote habitat. Conservation efforts, such as the Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI), aim to provide more accurate population figures.
• Various organizations and countries are involved in conservation initiatives to protect snow leopards and their habitats. These efforts often include community-based conservation, anti-poaching measures, and research to better understand and conserve these magnificent big cats.
• Snow leopards hold cultural significance in the regions where they are found. They are often considered symbols of strength and resilience and are sometimes associated with local folklore and mythology.

4. Challenges in Counting Snow Leopards

Accurately counting snow leopards, these majestic but elusive inhabitants of the Himalayas, present a unique set of challenges.

• Rugged Terrain: Snow leopards call the unforgiving high Himalayas home, ranging from 10,500 to 17,000 feet above the tree line. Much of this habitat lacks motorable roads, and the thin air makes even basic tasks like setting camera traps a test of endurance.
• AI Limitations: Camera traps capture valuable data, but analyzing photos presents a unique challenge. While specialized software can identify individuals based on stripes or rosettes in other big cats, snow leopards pose a problem. Their thick fur can obscure markings, and unlike tigers or zebras, they don't easily conform to AI algorithms.
• Misidentification Woes: Accurately distinguishing individual snow leopards is crucial. However, their variable fur patterns can lead to misidentification, especially when ruffled or photographed at different angles. To overcome this, researchers rely on manual evaluation of at least three marking patterns by multiple independent analysts.
• Capturing the Right Angle: The head and tail offer the best identification markers. Strategies like positioning cameras to capture the forehead region, as done in Ladakh's SPAI study, can help. However, this requires multiple cameras at each location, stretching resources.

5. Unveiling India's Snow Leopard Population

The Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI) employed a meticulous protocol to estimate the elusive cat's numbers across its vast and rugged habitat.

Nationwide Effort

Acknowledging the challenges posed by the snow leopard's secretive nature and challenging terrain, SPAI partnered with NGOs to develop a standardized estimation protocol in 2019. Over the next three years, researchers meticulously collected data from 1,971 camera trap locations, ultimately identifying 241 unique individuals. This data was then used to estimate a national population of 718 snow leopards.

Regional Variations

• Ladakh: Camera traps covered 8,604 sq km for 120-180 days, capturing 10,789 images and identifying 126 unique adults based on their distinctive forehead patterns. This translated to an estimated population of 477 across 47,572 sq km.
• Jammu & Kashmir: Despite deploying 278 camera traps, only 9 unique individuals were identified, falling short of providing a comprehensive population estimate for the 949 sq km area.
• Himachal Pradesh: 44 unique individuals were identified from 284 camera traps, leading to an estimated population of 51 across 25,000 sq km.
• Uttarakhand: 396 photos revealed 41 unique individuals, suggesting a population of 124 occupying 12,768 sq km.
• Eastern Himalayas: Arunachal Pradesh estimated a population of 36 across 14,156 sq km based on 8 unique individuals identified from 115 camera traps. Sikkim identified 14 unique individuals from 64 photos, estimating a population of 21 across 400 sq km.

7. Historical Perspectives on Snow Leopard Population Estimates

• In the 1980s, a rough estimation of the global snow leopard population ranged from 4,000 to 7,500, with approximately 400 to 700 individuals believed to inhabit India. Subsequent estimates in the 1990s suggested a population of 200 to 600 snow leopards in India out of a global count of 3,020 to 5,390. By 2016, leading snow leopard researchers in India proposed a national estimate of 516 (238-1039) individuals.
• The recent count of 718 (594-825) snow leopards in India aligns with the historical trend and indicates overall population stability. However, this figure represents just the initial phase of comprehending the elusive species, including its dispersal patterns, competitive land use dynamics, and mortality trends at a landscape level.
• The rapid development of infrastructure, particularly highways and hydropower projects, is triggering an influx of labourer camps in the higher Himalayas. These labourers often rely on scarce natural resources for fuel and food. Concurrently, an increase in tourism in snow leopard habitats has led to inadequate garbage management, contributing to a surge in the free-ranging dog population. This growing dog population poses a direct competition with snow leopards for resources.
• While climate change is expected to play a crucial role in determining the long-term fate of snow leopards, immediate efforts are necessary to mitigate the impacts of rapid demographic changes induced by infrastructure development and human activities. Ensuring the coexistence of snow leopards with human communities and managing environmental pressures resulting from these changes becomes imperative for securing the species' immediate future.