The Nepal Weekly 
October 28, 2025
In 2024, the UN General Assembly proclaimed October 23 as the “International Day of the Snow Leopard” with a view to enhancing international and regional cooperation to support efforts to conserve the snow leopard, acknowledging its key role in the overall ecosystem.
The General Assembly underscored the urgent need to address the unprecedented global decline in biodiversity, including by preventing the extinction of endangered species, improving and sustaining their conservation efforts as also to restore and preserve ecosystems thereby conserving water sources and as well as promoting human health, livelihoods and overall welfare of human being.
Nepal is home to 397 snow leopards, according to data collected from 2015 to 2025 using genetic surveys and camera traps. Studies in areas including Kanchenjunga, Gaurishankar, the Manaslu–Annapurna Conservation Area, and remote regions such as eastern Dolpa, Shey Phoksundo, and Humla helped in determining the estimated population of the wild cat. Based on this the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation released the report in April–May 2025.
The snow leopard is a large, long haired cat native to the mountains of central Asia that inhabits rugged terrains at elevations between 2,700 and 5,600 meters, living in cold, dry climates with rocky outcrops and cliffs.
This solitary big cat has a thick, pale grayish coat patterned with unique dark rosettes and large furry paws that act like natural snowshoes to help it navigate deep snow.
Snow leopards mainly prey on herbivores such as Himalayan blue sheep and musk deer and hunt mostly at dawn and dusk. They are elusive and normally not aggressive towards humans.
With a body length up to 2.1 meters including the tail, they weigh between 23 and 41 Kg.
Females raise litters of two to four cubs alone after a gestation of around 93 days. Snow leopards are critical apex predators and indicators of the health of their fragile mountain ecosystems.
Unlike other leopards, snow leopards are exceptionally attractive and captivating. Their presence fascinates all who see them. They differ from other leopards in body structure, behaviour, and habitat preference. As one of the most beautiful big cat species, they enthrall people worldwide. Their pale, snowy surroundings enhance their allure, leaving those fortunate enough to glimpse them feeling truly privileged.
Globally, 10 percent of snow leopards reside in Nepal, despite the country accounting for only two percent of the world’s suitable habitat. Around 30 percent of their potential habitats in Nepal are protected, while 70 percent fall outside protected areas, creating additional challenges. Besides Nepal the snow leopards are also found in Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, India, Mongolia, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, mainly in the Himalayan and highland regions.
Classified under rare and endangered animals, snow leopards play a crucial role in maintaining Himalayan biodiversity. They are considered an indicator species of a healthy mountain ecosystem. Preying on blue sheep, Himalayan tahr, musk deer, and danphe, they naturally regulate these populations.
When food is scarce, snow leopards may leave their usual habitats in search of foods, exposing themselves to danger. Venturing into new areas they can trigger conflicts with other snow leopards or lead to retaliatory killings. Such risks make their survival increasingly vulnerable.
Snow leopards inhabit cliffs, gorges, valleys, forests, and rocky mountains. Like other normal leopards and tigers, they mark territories by scratching, urinating, and leaving scent marks on rocks.
Through major conservation stakeholders such as Department of National Parks and Wildlife, WWF Nepal, National Trust for Nature Conservation, IUCN, Snow Leopard Conservancy, Snow Leopard Trust and TekaSamuha Nepal has been executing various grassroots level conservation initiatives by engaging local communities.
Communities can play an important role in the conservation of snow leopard, opines Ghanashyam Gurung, country director, WWF Nepal. We have become successful to protect the snow leopard and other wild animals with the community involvement, he pointed out. “We should believe in people and we need to focus on their capacity building when it becomes necessary,” Gurung says in an interview to The Snow Leopard magazine (September 2025). They have their own traditional knowledge and besides that there have been continuous developments in the technological front as well, he maintained. We are moving forward with the main slogan “communities are the basis of our success.”
One of the initiatives launched in Nepal for the conservation of the wild cat is Community Based Snow Leopard Conservation Project (CBSLCP). This has been implemented in Mustang (6 schools/communities) and Taplejung district (6 schools/communities) under TekaSamuha Nepal and Snow Leopard Conservancy since 2021. The following activities are being carried out under these initiatives:
Snow Leopard Conservation Education at 12 schools in snow leopard habitats in Mustang and Taplejung
Snow Leopard Day celebration by organizing extra-curricular activities engaging local people
Snow Leopard Scout’s Monitoring Camp in Mustang
Snow Leopard Nature Tours in Taplejung
Snow Leopard Tea Talks at communities
Snow Leopard Annual magazine publication for the last 10 years
Snow Leopard Radio Program in Taplejung
Social Media Mobilization through Facebook
Prey species monitoring training and book publication
Snow Leopard Radio listeners’ Club mobilization
Citizen Scientist Mobilization at Community and Schools, and
Journalist orientation and mobilization
There many challenges facing snow leopard conservation in Nepal. The major challenges are as following:
i. Human Snow Leopard Conflict
ii. Illegal Hunting of the animal and its prey species
iii. Climate Change and habitat loss
iv. Existing Compensation Scheme lacking proper insurance cover that justifies farmers with market value
v. Unwanted diseases in prey species such as death of numbers of blue sheep due to the scabies in Mustang recently.
vi. Uncontrolled grazing
vii. Uncontrolled yarsagumba harvesting in snow leopard habitat
viii. Lack of local awareness and commitment
We can understand that efforts to conserve of snow leopards are successful with community involvement in Nepal. The efforts made by organizations like Teka Samuha to involve community in the conservation of snow leopard is worth appreciating, without which conservation of the wild cat could not be possible.
(Photos: DNPWC/WWF Nepal)
