Snow Leopard

Viral snow leopard clips may grab headlines, but across Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh, grassroots champions like Khenrab Phuntsog, Smanla Tsering, SLC-IT and Spiti’s women teams are doing the everyday work that keeps the ‘ghost of the mountains’ safe.

From snow leopards and Royal Bengal tigers to migratory birds and flamingos, explore spectacular wildlife phenomena India witnesses during winter.

This World Wildlife Conservation Day, we explore the story of snow leopards and humans learning to share spaces in the highlands of Sikkim. Behind it is a group of local volunteers who routinely assess and study rangeland health.

Through his photos, photojournalist Karamjeet Singh has managed to capture a variety of endangered species. With his keen eye, he has photographed several elusive Himalayan species like the snow leopard and now leads many aspiring photographers on tours around the region.

Here are eight conservationists who have spent their lives protecting the snow leopard while effectively engaging with local communities.

Through his photos, photojournalist Karamjeet Singh has managed to capture a variety of endangered and elusive species like the snow leopard & now leads many photographers on tours in the region

On International Snow Leopard Day, we highlight the contributions of eight conservationists who have dedicated their lives to protecting this elusive wild cat by ethically and effectively engaging with local communities.

From snow leopard conservationist Rinchen Wangchuk to tiger protection pioneer Kailash Sankhala, these individuals fought to protect endangered species, inspire community-based conservation, and challenge systemic threats. Their legacies continue shaping India's conservation efforts today.

Earlier this year, the Kangsing Snow and Ice Sculpture Association organised the Ladakh Snow and Ice Sculpture Workshop 2022 in Chilling valley, along the frozen Zanskar River--a ‘first of its kind’ workshop in India.

Himachal Pradesh-based Deputy Range Officer, Shiv Kumar, witnessed the first sighting of a snow leopard in 2019. This motivated him to plan conservation efforts and awareness programmes to avoid man-animal conflict in the region