SRINAGAR: Ladakh has emerged as the country’s leading habitat for the endangered snow leopard, home to around 477 of the estimated 718 such big cats recorded across India, according to official figures cited in media reports. The number marks nearly 68 per cent of the country’s total snow leopard population, underscoring the Union Territory’s critical role in conserving this elusive mountain predator.
Officials described the finding as a milestone in Ladakh’s community-based and science-backed conservation efforts that have turned the region into a global model for high-altitude wildlife protection. “The Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI) report 2024 estimates 718 snow leopards in India, with Ladakh hosting the highest population of about 477. As the state animal of Ladakh, the snow leopard’s conservation remains vital to protecting the region’s unique high-altitude ecosystem,” a senior official was quoted as saying.
The achievement coincides with a series of awareness and outreach activities organised across Ladakh this week. At Khaltse in Leh district, the Forest Range Office collaborated with students of Government Higher Secondary School to hold a 23-minute nature walk from Khaltse to Skindyang, aimed at sensitising the youth about the ecological importance of the snow leopard and the fragile mountain ecosystem it inhabits.
Forest officials told reporters that the walk and lecture sessions were designed to instil a sense of stewardship among students and local communities. “The youth are our future custodians of the mountains. Their involvement is central to sustaining wildlife conservation in Ladakh,” one official said.
In Leh town, the Fire and Fury Corps of the Indian Army, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and the Ladakh administration, organised an awareness programme at the Rinchen Auditorium. The event was attended by Lieutenant General Hitesh Bhalla, General Officer Commanding, 14 Corps, along with S. Rajesh, Chief Wildlife Conservator, and other military and civil dignitaries.
Lieutenant General Bhalla lauded the efforts of local communities, scientists, and the administration for their collective contribution to conserving Ladakh’s biodiversity. Rajesh, in his remarks, thanked the Army for extending support to conservation initiatives and said that partnerships between defence and civilian institutions were helping secure the snow leopard’s habitat.
The official report attributes Ladakh’s success to a combination of community participation, scientific research, and awareness initiatives under programmes such as Project Snow Leopard (2009) and the National Snow Leopard Ecosystem Protection Programme (NSLEP). These initiatives use advanced monitoring tools such as camera traps and genetic analysis to track the population and mitigate human–wildlife conflict.
Experts said that the high number of snow leopards in Ladakh is not just an ecological triumph but also an indicator of a balanced high-mountain environment. “A thriving snow leopard population reflects a healthy prey base and a well-functioning ecosystem,” an ecologist familiar with the SPAI study was quoted as saying.
Officials added that Ladakh’s conservation model—anchored in local cooperation and eco-tourism—has helped reduce retaliatory killings and increased livelihood opportunities for herders and mountain residents. With 477 of India’s snow leopards roaming its rugged ranges, Ladakh today stands as both the species’ last refuge and a symbol of how communities and conservation can coexist in one of the harshest landscapes on earth.
