India is working hard to protect its wild cats. The nation has recently completed a first-ever census of the snow leopard. . The Indian snow leopard count stands at 718. The difficult to make count is a major step toward protecting the cats. India is home to a larger number of wild cats than any other nation.
Snow leopards (Panthera uncia) live high in the mountains of Asia. It is thought there may be 7,000 living along Asia’s mountain spine.
The Indian Express said hostile conditions and the elusive nature of the well-camouflaged cats made census difficult.
According to The Express:
“The Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI) has estimated a population of 718 in Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. Carried out between 2019 and 2023, this study is a major leap in our understanding of the keystone species.”
The SPAI is part of a country wide effort to study the vulnerable creatures and assure their future. Snow leopards are not true leopards being more closely related to tigers (Panthera tigris). They inhabit about a dozen mountainous nations in Asia. Bhutan recently reported as much as a 40 percent increase in their numbers. The Indian snow leopard count was a first, while Bhutan’s recent report was its second. China, meanwhile, says the cats are also doing well in Tibet. Tibet is a formerly independent nation now dominated by China. China Daily reported stable populations of a number of wild animals in Tibet after a recent study.
China Daily said 143 infrared cameras have been placed in the region and have caught more than 100 images. Snow leopards, wolves, Eurasian lynx, brown bears, Tibetan brown bears and Dhole wild dogs have all been caught on camera. Local officials were quoted as saying that the apex predators appear to have adequate food supplies.
In addition to official park patrol officers local herders are being trained in management techniques. This to help protect the snow leopards and other species. China Daily said other protected and threatened species also inhabit the region. Tibetan wild asses, musk deer and Tibetan gazelle have been seen. Other countries are seeking to reduce competition by steering locals away from raising livestock. They are encouraging other pursuits such as beekeeping.
The success of the Indian snow leopard count and the encouraging results from Bhutan and elsewhere may point to a brighter future for the cats.
Efforts are also underway to mitigate conflict between humans and the cats