Down To Earth interviews snow leopard expert Koustubh Sharma about the findings of the latest government report on the elusive cat.

The Government of India released the «Report on the Status of Snow Leopards in India» on January 30, 2024, based on the assessment conducted by The Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI) over four years (2019-2023). The Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, is the national coordinator of SPAI, with the non-profit organizations Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysuru, and World Wildlife Fund for Nature-India as partners.

The report provides new insights into the status of snow leopards in India. The habitat of the snow leopard, known as the «ghost of the Himalayas,» has long been shrouded in myth and folklore, as it inhabits one of the most challenging terrains in the world. The snow leopard in India has often been overshadowed by its cousins such as the Bengal tiger, the Asiatic lion, and the Indian leopard.

Now, the habitat of the snow leopard (the third pole) is in the global spotlight, as it provides water to billions of people across Asia. Conserving the super-predator of the Third Pole means saving the Pole itself. This makes the new central report crucial.

Down To Earth spoke with Koustubh Sharma, based in Bishkek, who is the International Coordinator of the Global Snow Leopard & Ecosystem Protection Program (GSLEP). Sharma works with the Snow Leopard Trust as their senior regional ecologist and supports various research, conservation, and monitoring programs across the snow leopard’s range countries.

Rajat Ghai (RG): What are your thoughts on the estimated number of snow leopards in the report?
Koustubh Sharma (KS): The report presents a body of work involving several organizations that partnered with the Government of India to undertake this Herculean task. I am impressed by the authors who have identified warnings in certain datasets rather than concealing them, and have also identified the way forward for future surveys. Personally, I would have preferred additional details on the survey design, analysis, and modeling approaches for replicability and scientific advancement. But I am confident the authors will soon share them in other scientific publications.

RG: Much of the snow leopard’s distribution area in India is unprotected. What can be done to rectify this situation?
KS: Snow leopards have large distribution areas, and over 90% of protected areas worldwide are too small to sustain a viable snow leopard population. The successful conservation of snow leopards lies in following community-led models, where communities are active partners in conservation through one or more community conservation programs, whether inside or outside protected areas. The snow leopard landscapes identified in the GSLEP program, such as the Upper Spiti landscape defined by Himachal Pradesh, are multiple-use landscapes where development and conservation can go hand in hand following a conservation-friendly development model.

RG: The report also talks about the need for a dedicated Snow Leopard cell at WII, Dehradun. How soon can this become a reality?
KS: As far as I understand, the creation of a dedicated snow leopard cell has been pending for a long time, which will now be resolved following the spectacular display of collaboration between government agencies, universities, and non-governmental actors to fulfill SPAI. The structure, organizational responsibilities, and location of a dedicated snow leopard cell can be discussed and agreed upon between the government and all organizations and universities that have supported the implementation of SPAI.

RG: What about partnerships with India’s neighboring countries on snow leopards? What is the current status?
KS: We recognize that one-third of the world’s snow leopards are located within 100 kilometers of international borders, and therefore demand transboundary cooperation. India is already an active member of GSLEP. This unique alliance facilitates the exchange of best practices, experiences, and challenges among neighboring countries.