Research suggests low density of snow leopards in Nepal’s Conservation Area

The snow leopard is a mammal species of the cat family found at high altitudes in Nepal and other countries around the Himalayan range. However, it has been included in the vulnerable category of IUCN Red list of threatened species in recent years for various reasons.

A recent research article published in the journal Banko Janakari suggests that the snow leopard density in the Manaslu region of the country is low despite abundant prey density and cooperation from humans in its conservation.

“We conducted the research in the Manaslu conservation areas because there had been limited studies in this region in the past,” says Bishnu Devkota, lead author of the article. “Our research re-established the generally accepted and proven fact that the snow leopard population is dwindling in protected and unprotected regions of Nepal.”

The study, which was carried out by laying 14 transects with a total distance of 8.12 kilometres in the Manaslu Conservation Area located in Gorkha district, 200km north-west of the capital Kathmandu, found 3.57 signs per kilometre which indicates a low snow leopard density.

“It is difficult to spot the snow leopard directly as it is a shy animal. We estimated the abundance of snow leopards in a particular area by observing their signs such as scats, pugmarks and scrapes,” explains Devkota.

“However, the population of the prey species was high enough to support a larger population of snow leopard,” he adds. Blue sheep, Himalayan Tahr, musk deer, Himalayan marmot (Marmota himalayana), Himalayan serow, hare (Lepus oiostolus), Royle’s pika (Ochotona roylei) and impeyan pheasant (Lophophorus impejanus) were found to be the main prey species for snow leopard in Manaslu region.

High prey density also meant human-animal conflict in the region. “The locals of the region took the snow leopard as the pet of gods, and they were very cooperative in the conservation of snow leopard,” says Mr Devkota. However, conservationists cannot fully rely on the present behaviour of the locals towards the snow leopard for sustainable conservation.

“At present, probably due to ample presence of food in the wild, the snow leopard is not a threat to the domesticated livestock. However, if snow leopards start attacking the livestock, then it is likely that the locals will turn against conservation efforts of snow leopards,” says Devkota.

The study was conducted in Chhekampar Village Development Committee in northern Gorkha district, which falls in the Manaslu conservation area. The conservation area was closed to foreign tourists until 1991. Following the opening up of the conservation area for tourists, many tourists have been visiting the area. The snow leopard, along with other wild animals, is one of the attractions for tourists visiting the area.

Mr Devkota says further research is required in the region, which can take the findings of the present research as base data, and also plan for incentive programmes to maintain the positive attitude of locals towards snow leopard conservation.

The article titled Abundance of snow leopard (Panthera uncia) and its wild prey in Chhekampar VDC, Manaslu Conservation Area, Nepal by B. P. Devkota, T. Silwal, B. P. Shrestha, A. P. Sapkota, S. P. Lakhey, and V. K. Yadav appears in the latest episode of Banko Janakari (Vol 27, No 1), PP 11- 20. The article is made available online at NEPJOL platform with support of INASP, and managed by Tribhuwan University Central Library.

About the journal

Banko Janakari is a government publication of Nepal’s forest ministry. It is published by the Department of Forest Research and Survey (DFRS).

About NepJOL

NepJOL hosts over 125 journals published from Nepal, covering the full range of academic disciplines. The objective of NepJOL is to give greater visibility to participating journals and to the research they convey. NepJOL was initiated in June 2006 and officially launched in September 2007. It is a project supported by INASP and locally managed by Tribhuvan University Central Library. It aims to promote the awareness and use of Nepal-published journals in all disciplines by providing access to tables of contents (TOCs), abstracts and full text on the Internet.

About INASP

Founded in 1992, INASP is an international development organization working with a global network of partners in Africa, Latin America and Asia. In line with the vision of research and knowledge at the heart of development, INASP works to support individuals and institutions to produce, share and use research and knowledge, which can transform lives.

INASP’s approaches are based on the core pillars of capacity development, convening, influencing and working in partnership. INASP promotes equity by actively addressing the needs of both men and women across all our work and addressing issues of power within the research and knowledge system. INASP has projects in 28 countries, supporting all aspects of research and knowledge systems, from facilitating the provision of information to researchers to helping parliamentarians and civil servants to use research and evidence in policy making.

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