2019 summit of Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program (GSLEP) held in Delhi

On the occasion of 2019 International Snow Leopard Day (ISLD), the Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar  launched the first national protocol to enumerate the snow leopard population in India. It was launched at the inaugural session of the 4th steering committee meeting of the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program (GSLEP) in Delhi. Poaching is a major threat for the snow leopards. The Project Snow Leopard is an initiative of the Environment Ministry which aims to safeguard and conserve India’s unique natural heritage of high altitude wildlife populations and their habitats by promoting conservation through participatory policies and actions. Snow leopards play a critical role in their ecosystem as top predators.