India is home to one of the most elusive and least-seen species in the wild – the snow leopard, known fondly as the “Ghost of the Himalayas” The elusive large cats inhabit some of the most remote and extreme landscapes on the planet as they silently traverse the high reaches of the mountains in Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. For decades and even centuries, snow leopards were known only through myths and there scarce first-hand observations, and not data. Now that India has seen its first-ever Snow Leopard Census affirming the existence of 718 snow leopards, there is a clearer picture of what the possibilities of the future may hold for this elusive species.
Snow leopards are different from all other felids because they can thrive in places that humans have trouble breathing. They roam frozen cliffs, concealed canyons and sometimes even mountain tops above 5,000 m, where temperatures drop below -40°C, very cold. Their pale grey coats with dark rosettes are perfect for cover in the snow and cliffs of their range. Their powerful legs allow them to leap distances approaching 50 feet, nearly that of an active bus. Their size of paws act like natural snowshoes, allowing them to walk without a sound on powdery surfaces. Their thick long tail allows for balance on sketchy slopes, and even as a comfortable warm blanket when the temps get extremely cold. This high-altitude warrior is millions of years of evolution and perfectly adapted for a life so few humans can imagine.
While it is not customary to associate snow leopards with gentle and non-aggressive temperaments, in fact, they are really a mellow and non-aggressive animal in the same sense that some big cats are big and ferocious. They do not have the savage roar of lions or tigers; their sound is more a muted yowl, huff, and purr, and that is one reason why they have the nickname of “silent” hunter or stealthy hunter. Snow leopards are solitary animals by nature, but a mother snow leopard typically raises her cubs for about two years to learn how to survive on their own in the wild, which is why they are viewed as having natural compassion, emotional intelligence, and the ability to care for their young for a prolonged period of time.
Although snow leopards are commonly viewed in the West as representations of wildness and wilderness, they are called upon as significant spiritual animals and cultural animals within the Himalayan tradition. The local people have revered snow leopards for hundreds of years, and to harm an animal of this nature would disturb the mountain spirits and the natural order of balance. The beliefs about snow leopards, rooted in tradition, served as philosophical and ethical silent protection long before conservation was ever formalized in the West. And even today, they are still directly connected to the identity and culture of the people who reside in snow leopard habitat.
It must be noted that snow leopards represent a real conservation issue. Furthermore, snow leopards are apex predators in the Himalayas, which is important for maintaining stability in ecosystems as snow leopards naturally control important prey species like ibex and blue sheep. With the removal or complete extirpation of snow leopards, herbivore populations would be out of control, consuming all of the available herbaceous material in the ecosystems. Once all vegetation was removed there would be soil erosion, extinction of herbaceous vegetation, and forest infecting as a result of no herbaceous materials provided to balance the ecosystem and restrict the think layer of soil.
If all of this were to happen along with the complete removal of natural vegetation, the natural habitat would be completely disrupted, and the natural mountain landscapes would change drastically completely altering the landscapes in a few weeks to months and completely disrupting wildlife habitats. This wouldn’t just be specific to one remote mountain top, this would surely trickle all the way down to the local human populations. Almost 40% of India’s population depends on major rivers fed by snow leopards. Keeping them means keeping fresh water supplies and avoiding disasters while keeping the climate balanced in the north. Lastly, they are a living marker of environmental stability. Where snow leopards thrive, the mountains are undoubtedly healthy.
In the last ten years, India’s snow leopard conservation practices have slowly increased. People have engaged as stewards of their own place under efforts like Project Snow Leopard, as well as, community-based Himalayan stewardship strategies. Rather than punishing people for the loss of their livestock due to predation, restoring livestock through milk-based compensation programs, provided programs, and alternative livelihoods such as eco-tourism enhanced a culture of coexistence. Tools, like, camera traps and satellite monitoring paired with previous methods have made it possible for scientists to estimate population totals with more accuracy than ever before. The first national census therefore is a milestone in collocation across the paradigms of nature, science, and humans.
Nevertheless, the threats are still real and urgent. Climate change is driving snow leopards higher and higher into the mountains and is reducing their territory on an annual basis. Illegal poaching continues on the black market for their fur and bones. Expanding roads, tourism and grazing land can cut off movement corridors. As human population increases in mountain areas, conflict is hard to avoid. If these pressures continue to rise, the Ghost of the Himalayas may silently disappear forever, as it has always lived.
But 718 is a hopeful number. It tells us there is still time. Snow leopards are some of the strongest survivors and if we can support their habitats and their communities, they will recover. India has the information it needs to make a safer future for snow leopards , a future where they can live wild and free and continue to be the majestic predator of the mountains.
More than just a mountain cat, the snow leopard has to be considered as a steward of rivers, a protector of ecosystems, a conduit of the spiritual legacy, and a sign that wilderness persists in an unspoiled and pure state. Care for the Himalayas must initially take the form of care for this cat. If India can save the future of the snow leopard, it is this cat who will see the mountains live and breathe tomorrow so that generations beyond our time will continue, as well, to be touched by the eternal presence of the Ghost of the Himalayas.