Snow Leopard Conservation in India

Snow Leopard Conservation in India
Why in News?
The National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) has approved Project Snow Leopard Phase-II, which includes the second nationwide Snow Leopard Population Assessment (SPAI 2.0) to strengthen scientific monitoring and conservation of snow leopards across the Indian Himalayas.
Snow Leopard
•    Scientific Name: Panthera uncia
•    IUCN Red List:  Vulnerable 
•    Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I (Highest level of legal protection)
•    It is regarded as a flagship species for conserving the fragile high-altitude Himalayan ecosystem.
Distribution
•    Snow leopards inhabit the high-altitude Himalayan and trans-Himalayan landscapes.
•    In India, they are found in:
o    Ladakh
o    Jammu & Kashmir
o    Himachal Pradesh
o    Uttarakhand
o    Sikkim
o    Arunachal Pradesh
•    Globally, the species occurs across the mountain ranges of Central Asia and the Himalayas, with the largest populations found in China, followed by Mongolia and India.
•    International Snow Leopard Day is observed every year on 23 October to promote awareness and conservation of snow leopards and their fragile mountain ecosystems. 
•    The Snow Leopard is the State Animal of both Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh.
Project Snow Leopard (PSL)
Objective
•    To conserve India's high-altitude wildlife and habitats through participatory and landscape-based conservation involving local communities.
Coverage
•    Implemented across biologically important Himalayan landscapes in: Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh

Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI)
First Nationwide Census (2019–2023)
•    India completed its first nationwide scientific Snow Leopard Census, known as the Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI).
•    Findings were released in 2024.
Key Findings
•    Estimated population: 718 snow leopards
•    State-wise population:
o    Ladakh – 477
o    Uttarakhand – 124
o    Himachal Pradesh – 51
o    Arunachal Pradesh – 36
o    Sikkim – 21
o    Jammu & Kashmir – 9
Survey Highlights
•    Covered approximately 1.2 lakh km², representing over 70% of India's potential snow leopard habitat.
•    241 individual snow leopards were photographically identified.
•    The assessment was coordinated by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) with participation from all snow leopard range States and conservation partners.

SPAI 2.0
•    SPAI 2.0 was launched during Wildlife Week 2025.
•    It aims to:
o    Strengthen long-term scientific monitoring.
o    Improve population estimation techniques.
o    Enhance habitat conservation.
o    Increase community participation in conservation efforts.
Major Conservation Initiatives
•    Snow leopard is one of the 24 species covered under the Species Recovery Programme of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme Development of Wildlife Habitats.
•    The National Snow Leopard Ecosystem Protection Priorities (NSLEP) provides the national framework for snow leopard conservation.
•    The SECURE Himalaya Programme focuses on conserving high-altitude ecosystems while improving the livelihoods of local communities.

Protected High-Altitude Landscapes
•    Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve (Himachal Pradesh) has been included in the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves and protects approximately 7,770 km² of snow leopard habitat.
•    Other important biosphere reserves supporting snow leopard conservation include:
o    Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve
o    Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve