NEW DELHI: Waking up to the danger of fast-disappearing high-altitude wild cat, the Central Government on Tuesday launched the ‘Project Snow Leopard’ across five Himalayan States of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
The exact population of the snow leopards is unknown, but some estimates place the figure as low as 4,500 to 5000 across the world and about 300-500 in India.
The decline in population has, in the past, been mainly due to the snow leopards much sought for its fur and hunting.
The snow leopard is still hunted for its bones, which are commonly used in several Chinese medicines.
Launched with active support of the Wildlife Institute of India and the Mysore-based Nature Conservation Foundation, the innovative project aims to give snow leopard the same status of importance in the high altitude as that of tiger in the terrestrial landscape and stop the decline of species crucial to the fragile Himalayan ecology.
Along with local support, the carefully evolved scientific project plans to protect endangered species of snow leopard, Asiatic Ibex, Tibetan Argali, Ladakh Urial, Chiru, Takin, Serow and Musk Deer.
For facilitating effective planning and action, the project will set up enabling administrative mechanisms from the village level to the Central Government. At the Central level, a steering committee comprising the Director General of Forests and the Special Secretary to the Government of India will help guide the project.
Each State will have a State Snow Leopard Conservation Society that will coordinate work by the Landscape-level Implementation Committees, which in turn will coordinate work by the village Wildlife Conservation Committees.
Releasing a document on Project Snow Leopard, Minister of State for Environment and Forest S Regupathy said on Tuesday that Snow Leopard is a globally endangered species as well as the most important flagship species of the mountain region.
Referring to its globally endangered species status as well as the most important flagship species of the mountain region, the Minister said that snow leopard has been included in the list of species under Recovery Programme to be funded through the umbrella scheme of Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats.
‘‘There are more than 26 protected areas in the Himalayan landscape where snow leopard is reported. However, areas outside protected areas are equally important for a long range species like Snow Leopard,’’ said Regupathy.
With the implementation of the Project Snow Leopard, the Government is also looking for the conservation of unique Himalayan biodiversity which includes at least 350 species of mammals, 1200 species of birds, species of amphibians and reptiles, and numerous plants including many with medicinal properties.
