The International Snow Leopard Day was celebrated on October 23, 2020.
- On this occasion, Minister of State for Environment Forest and Climate Change Shri Babul Supriyo launched the community volunteer programme “Himal Sanrakshak” .
- In India the Himachal Pradesh state Forest Department Wildlife Wing celebrated this day in association with United Nations Development Programme at Killar of Pangi in Chamba district.
- Snow leopard is the state animal of Himachal Pradesh. The state government is working for their conservation in collaboration with non-governmental organistaions in tribal district of Lahaul-Spiti.
- This rare wild animal is found in tribal district Lahaul Spiti and Pangi and Bharmour in Chamba district.
- With aim to increase the number of snow leopard the state government has setup the Himalayan Snow Leopard Research Center in collaboration with the Nature Conservation Foundation at Kibber in Lahaul-Spiti.
- In Himachal Pradesh, their number is close to one hundred.
Background
- On October 23, 2013, leaders from 12 countries came together to endorse the “Bishkek Declaration” on the conservation of snow leopards.
- The political leaders from Kyrgyzstan, Almazbek Atambaeyev hosted leaders from Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan attended the Global Snow Leopard Forum held in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek, with a shared goal of conserving snow leopards and their fragile habitats.
- A comprehensive Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Programme (GSLEP) was also launched on this day.
- To commemorate this historic date and a watershed moment for snow leopard conservation, October 23 was chosen to be recognised as the “International Snow Leopard Day”.
Snow leopards
- Snow leopards (Panthera uncia) are mammals with four to five feet size with a tail up to 36 inches.
- Snow leopards can be found throughout high mountain ranges, including the Himalayas and the southern Siberian mountains in Russia and they can also be found in the Tibetan Plateau.
- In India, their geographical range encompasses a large part of the western Himalayas including the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh in the eastern Himalayas.
- The Minister of State for Environment Forest and Climate Change Shri Babul Supriyo said that India has identified three large landscapes, namely, Hemis-Spiti across Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh; Nanda Devi – Gangotri in Uttarakhand; and Khangchendzonga – Tawang across Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh for the conservation purpose.
Project Snow Leopard
- In India the Project Snow Leopard (PSL) was launched in 2009.
- India is also party to the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection (GSLEP) Programme since 2013.
- The Government of India has identified the snow leopard as a flagship species for the high-altitude Himalayas.
- The Centre hosted the 4th Steering Committee of the GSLEP program in October 2019 at New Delhi. This meeting resulted in the “New Delhi Statement” of strengthening the resolve of the snow leopard range countries towards conservation of the mountain ecosystems of Central and South Asia.
- First National Protocol was also launched in 2019 on Snow Leopard Population Assessment. (Page has been updated)
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