Living in the harshest of environs, the snow leopard has been an easy prey for poachers and hunters. Ruchika M. Khanna on the beautiful wild cat which is enlisted among the endangered species.

THE slight increase in the population of the endangered snow leopards has brought cheer among wildlife enthusiasts. The census in Himachal Pradesh has shown a 20 per cent increase in the number of leopards, and a marginal increase in the population of snow leopards, from 32 in 1997 to 35 now, in the Great Himalayan National Park and the Pin Valley National Park, Spiti.

According to Sanjeeva Panday, Director-General of the Great Himalayan National Park in Himachal Pradesh, the population surveys are based more on estimation. "Since these wild cats are elusive, they are hardly ever seen. The population estimates are based on the pugmarks located in the snow, scratches on the trees, or on the sightings of the animal by villagers. But these still have scope for duplication".

Through results from Jammu and Kashmir, Uttaranchal, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh where snow leopards are found, the wildlife enthusiasts and conservationists expect that for the first time, the conservation programmes launched by the International Snow Leopard Trust, World Wide Fund for Nature and the wildlife departments of these states, are likely to show a marginal increase.

Residing in the harshest environs in the wild, snow leopards are found only at 12,000 feet above sea level. They have hardly been sighted. Poaching and hunting of these beautiful wild cats for their fur and bones, loss of their natural prey of wild mountain sheep and goats, retaliatory killings by humans after they attack livestock, and degradation of their natural habitat as humans go deeper in the mountains for grazing their livestock, has led to a decline in their population.

Officials of the International Snow Leopard Trust say that a mere 3,500 to 7,000 of these wild cats are now left in the world, of which 600 to 700 are in zoos.

Listed on the World Conservation Union’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species as endangered, India has a population of about 400 to 700 of these animals in a natural habitat spread over almost 95,000 sq km, according to Yashvir Bhatnagar, Associate Director of India, International Snow Leopard Trust (ISLT).

The ISLT has been involved in the conservation of snow leopards, and their efforts, especially in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir. According to Charudutt Mishra, Director, India, ISLT, "We are working to resolve the conflict between humans and snow leopards. Since the retribution killing by humans, whenever the snow leopards attack their livestock, we have been teaching villagers better protection of local herders’ livestock".

"The livestock of the population here has increased, and so has the level of conflict. The natural prey of the snow leopard, Bharal (blue sheep), and Ibex (mountain goat) are declining," he says.

In association with the Snow Leopard Conservancy and the Mountain Institute, ISLT has helped pilot a programme in Markha village, Ladakh, by building predator-proof corrals or livestock pens that protect the livestock from snow leopards.

The material for building these pens was provided by the trust, and the villagers contributed labour and local materials like rock, sand and gravel.

On its part, the Wildlife Department of Jammu and Kashmir, too, is making efforts for the conservation of the snow leopard. Incidentally, the maximum concentration of snow leopards is in Jammu and Kashmir, especially in the region of Ladakh, Kargil, Zanskar and Himis Wildlife Sanctuary.