There is no denying that the snow leopard is an iconic creature.

These mountain dwellers, with 12cm thick fur and a characteristic yowl, are actually more closely related to tigers than to leopards, and according to the WWF website they can travel the length of a marathon in just one night, through their quest to hunt and survive.

However, partly due to their remote habitats and partly due to human interaction, we don’t know much about these elusive creatures. And alarmingly, there could be less than 4,000 of them left in the wild.

That’s why conservation is key, and in their homelands of Mongolia, Bhutan and India, work is already underway to establish and protect snow leopard populations. And now, thanks to coordinated work between the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC), the Department of Forests and Soil Conservation (DoFSC), and the WWF, similar monitoring and protection measures are being rolled out across Nepal too.

In line with assessment criteria and methods from the Global Snow Leopard & Ecosystem Protection Program (GSLEP)’s Population Assessment of the World’s Snow Leopards (PAWS), the team worked over seven regions in Nepal to compile data to provide a baseline population estimate.

Their estimates were reached through a combination of cameras to visually monitor the snow leopard population, and the genetic analysis of fecal droppings to learn more about the individual creatures.

And while their estimate of 397 individual snow leopards, with approximately 1.56 individuals per 100 km2, is positive, it also highlights the importance of protecting the animals before their population dwindles further, as Mr. Badri Raj Dhungana, Director General of DoFSC explained in a WWF statement:

“This national estimate is a historic step in Nepal’s conservation journey. It not only provides us with a clearer picture of snow leopard populations but also informs future conservation strategies. Our commitment to protecting this species remains unwavering, and we will continue working closely with local communities and global partners to ensure their long-term survival. We appreciate the support of WWF Nepal for this estimation and urge the conservation community to continually research and invest more to save the snow leopards.”

For the authorities and conservationists in Nepal, this is only the beginning of the journey to protect both the snow leopards, and their mountain habitats.

There are many reasons for the low number of snow leopards in their natural Himalayan habitat, and the majority of them rest with humans.

Thanks to a combination of climate change and human activity, the snow leopards are seeing the destruction and deterioration of their habitats; meanwhile, they are also regularly hunted by humans either by poachers, or farmers and landowners for whom their presence is a threat.

Given the low numbers and the wide range of the snow leopards, protecting them can be a challenge. But the population estimate makes the creatures’ population more of a priority, as Dhungana continued:

“A significant portion of Nepal’s snow leopard habitat falls outside designated protected areas, underscoring the need for targeted conservation measures in these landscapes. Strengthening community-based initiatives, habitat connectivity, and human-wildlife conflict mitigation strategies will be crucial for ensuring the long-term survival of snow leopards across their range.”

Through a combination of climate change mitigation, habitat protection, conflict management, and increased human awareness across the country, the authorities hope to protect snow leopards both within and outside of their previously designated protected areas.

All this, in the hope that one day snow leopards populations will thrive in Nepal, safeguarded in their Himalayan homeland once again.

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