Project Snow Leopard

Taxonomically, snow leopards belong to the family of cats called Felidae. However, until few years ago, it was not kept in the genus of Big cats (Panthera) and was named Uncia uncia. In recent times, it has been seen as one of the Big Cats, but still there is one difference between the snow leopard and other Big Cats such as Lion, Tiger and Leopard that – it does not roar, thanks to its different structure of vocal chords  and absence of specially adapted larynx and hyoid apparatus.

Distribution of Snow Leopards

It is found in Central Asia and South Asia. Being a predator like tiger, snow leopard is apex predator of ecological pyramid.  There are around 7000 snow leopards worldwide.

• In India, they are between 500 to 700 found in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh states.

Snow Leopard has suffered mainly on account of its relatively smaller population (less number of reproducing adults) and also because of man-animal conflict. It is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Project Snow Leopard

This project was launched in 2009 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.

Save Our Snow Leopards (SOS)

Save Our Snow Leopards’ (SOS) is a project launched by WWF India, in partnership with Tata Housing Development Company in January 2014.

Ladakh becoming role model in protecting Snow leopard

The Ladakh region is setting an example for the rest of the country, to protect the endangered Snow Leopard. It is estimated that there are more than 400 wild cats within the Indian Territory in Ladakh. With the help of local people, the Wildlife Department and several Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) succeeded in preventing man-animal conflict and discouraged killing of the exotic wild cats (or Snow leopards) found in Trans Himalayan-Karakorum mountains of the region and central Asia.