India Completes Historic Snow Leopard Census Revealing 718 Individuals
The Government of India has announced the completion of its first nationwide Snow Leopard Census, officially known as the Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI). Conducted over a span of four years from 2019 to 2023, the findings were unveiled on January 30, 2024, revealing an estimated population of 718 snow leopards across the country.
Ladakh leads the tally with 477 snow leopards, followed by Uttarakhand with 124, Himachal Pradesh with 51, Arunachal Pradesh with 36, Sikkim with 21, and Jammu & Kashmir with 9 individuals. This groundbreaking census represents the first systematic scientific assessment of snow leopard populations in India and covers around 120,000 square kilometers of high-altitude habitat, which accounts for over 70% of the species’ potential range.
Methodology of the Census
The snow leopard census employed a rigorous two-stage framework that combined occupancy-based sampling to map the spatial distribution of the leopards with camera-trap based abundance estimation conducted across stratified regions. Survey teams traversed 13,450 kilometers of transects for sign surveys and set up camera traps at 1,971 locations. This initiative resulted in about 180,000 trap nights and identified 241 distinct snow leopards.
Future Conservation Efforts
The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in Dehradun coordinated this extensive exercise, with involvement from all snow leopard range States and Union Territories, as well as local NGOs. Following this successful assessment, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEFCC) initiated the second phase, SPAI 2.0, during Wildlife Week 2025. This phase aims to enhance the conservation efforts for snow leopards, their habitats, and other related species.
Under the Species Recovery Programme of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme for the Development of Wildlife Habitats, the Ministry provides financial support to State Governments and Union Territories for targeted conservation initiatives, with snow leopards being one of the identified species. The SPAI findings will serve as a foundation for the Ministry’s ongoing conservation action plan, which focuses on improved population monitoring, structured scientific assessments, and increased community engagement in high-altitude ecosystems.
Policies and Legislation
The MoEFCC has established several key actions for snow leopard conservation through the National Snow Leopard Ecosystem Protection Priorities (NSLEP), including the Project Snow Leopard (PSL). SECURE Himalaya, another initiative, aims to protect high-altitude Himalayan ecosystems, conserve endangered wildlife, and enhance local community livelihoods. Additionally, the snow leopard is granted the highest conservation status under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, being listed in Schedule I.
To combat habitat degradation in snow leopard regions, the Ministry relies on long-term, science-based management strategies. Notable efforts include the declaration of the Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve in Himachal Pradesh, which is now part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves, protecting 7,770 square kilometers of snow leopard habitat using a participatory approach.
In conclusion, India is committed to the long-term protection of its high-altitude ecosystems through enhanced management of protected areas, landscape-level conservation planning, community-led stewardship initiatives, and proactive measures to mitigate habitat degradation, all supported by scientific monitoring and coordinated efforts across various agencies.
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