1. Snow leopard Range States of India
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REPUBLIC OF INDIA
India
Snow leopard Range States of India
Jammu & Kashmir
Himachal Pradesh
Uttarakhand
Sikkim
Arunachal Pradesh
Geographic area
(in km2)
32,87,240
2,22,236
55,673
53,483
7,096
83,743
Potential Snow leopard range (%) 39 61 51 33 36 8
Human population
(in ), 2011
12.584
6.856
10.117
0.607
1.382
Average annual
growth rate (%)
1.64
2.15
1.21
1.77
1.17
2.33
Population density
( #/km2)
382
124
123
189 86 17
Major sectors
of economy
Agriculture industries
Agriculture Horticulture livestock rearing, minor forest produce
Livestock population
(in thousand), 2007
5,29,698
9,899
5,116
4,943
337
1,257

2. SNOW LEOPARD DISTRIBUTION IN INDIA
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SNOW LEOPARD DISTRIBUTION IN INDIA

3. SNOW LEOPARD ABUNDANCE IN INDIA
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SNOW LEOPARD ABUNDANCE IN INDIA
Total Estimated population :
Density Estimates based on camera trapping:
Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir: to 8.49 / 100km2.
Study Area – c. 100 km2 (Jackson et al. 2004)
Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh: 0.50 to 3.40 / 100 km2
Study Area – c. 1,500 km2 (Sharma/Suryavanshi et al. 2010)
Khangchendzonga Landscape, Sikkim: 4.25 /100km2
Study Area – c. 200 km2 (Sathyakumar et al. 2013)

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IMAGES OFSNOW LEOPARDS IN THE INDIAN HIMALAYAN REGION

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SNOW LEOPARD PROTECTED LANDSCAPES IN INDIA
KHANGCHENDZONGA
NANDA DEVI
SPITI
LADAKH

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STATUS OF SNOW LEOPARD PREY
In India, Snow leopard preys primarily on ibex and blue sheep, but in some areas, argali, Ladakh urial, musk deer, Himalayan tahr, marmot, hare, pika, other rodents, and birds are also important. In some areas, livestock form significant part of snow leopard diet
The wild prey populations are high in some well protected areas and there is a range of abundance from high to low depending upon the habitat quality and human use.
Some examples are 0.14/km2 for poor habitat blocks in Upper Spiti to 3.19/km2 in the better blocks for ibex and blue sheep in 2,000 /km2 in Spiti and 5.25 /km2 and 10/km2 for blue sheep in Khangchendzonga NP and Nanda Devi NP respectively.
Threats differ in the vast range in the country, but wild prey of snow leopard are threatened due to poaching for meat competition with livestock and developmental pressures.

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THREATS TO SNOW LEOPARDS, THEIR PREY AND HABITATS IN INDIA
Threats to snow leopard varies considerably across the vast range in India. Most populations appear to be relatively secure, while local extinction in some places is imminent
In India, snow leopard is threatened due to decline in their prey populations (mountain ungulates) owing to poaching for meat, competition with livestock, declining habitat quality
Other modern anthropogenic pressures like infrastructure developments for natural resource use may lead to habitat degradation and habitat loss.
Snow leopards are also threatened due to poaching for skin and bones for the illegal wildlife trade and as retaliatory killings to reduce livestock depredation by snow leopards
Snow leopards, their prey and habitats are also influenced due to climate change impacts which is not yet well understood.
It is also felt that lack of awareness among local, provincial and national stakeholders can result in less efficient conservation efforts for snow leopard
Lack of specialized capacity among the conservation agencies can also be a limitation to efficient conservation at times

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INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORTING SNOW LEOPARD CONSERVATION IN INDIA
In India, the Forest/Wildlife Departments of the five Snow leopard range States have the mandate of protecting snow leopards, their prey and habitats. Technical inputs, research and monitoring are provided by the Wildlife Institute of India.
The programme is supported by Union Ministry of Environment and Forests. Nature Conservation Foundation, WWF-India, Wildlife Trust of India, TRAFFIC-India and Snow Leopard Conservancy-India Trust are actively involved in the programme.
International Organizations such as International Snow Leopard Trust, WWF-International, World Bank, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, TRAFFIC – International, Snow Leopard Conservancy, among others, support snow leopard conservation.