A new population benchmark
In the high-altitude cold desert of Ladakh, Hemis National Park is a vast protected area of 4,400 square kilometers. The park is the setting for research that has reshaped our understanding of the snow leopard, Panthera uncia. A comprehensive study published in the journal PLOS ONE used a double-sampling method involving sign surveys and an extensive network of 956 camera traps to document the elusive cats. The results were unexpected. The study revealed that Hemis National Park has the highest recorded density of snow leopards anywhere in the world.
The camera traps, sometimes baited with perfume to attract the curious felines, identified 126 unique individuals based on their distinct forehead markings. Analysis of this data established a density in the park of about 2.07 snow leopards per 100 square kilometers. This figure is significantly higher than the typical global range for the species, which generally falls between 0.92 and 1.8 individuals per 100 km². Before this study, the highest known densities were found in parts of Tibet. The findings from Hemis established a new global benchmark and indicated that the total population of snow leopards, once estimated between 4,000 and 6,500, might be larger than previously thought. The overall population of Ladakh is now estimated to be 477 individuals, which accounts for nearly 68% of India's total snow leopard population of 709.
An ecosystem of coexistence
The success of the snow leopard population in Hemis is not an accident. The park's rugged terrain and high altitude, ranging from 3,300 to 6,000 meters, provide an ideal habitat. This landscape supports a healthy population of prey animals, which is important. The primary food sources for snow leopards here are blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur), also called bharal, and Asiatic ibex. The research found a direct positive correlation between the presence of wild prey and the number of snow leopards.
Human factors also are significant. The park encompasses several villages, and local Buddhist communities have a reverence for wildlife that aids conservation efforts. This cultural respect is combined with community-based conservation programs. Organizations like the Snow Leopard Conservancy India Trust have worked with local people and monasteries to mitigate human-wildlife conflict. Initiatives include building predator-proof livestock corrals, which have dramatically reduced leopard attacks on domestic animals and lessened the motivation for retaliatory killings. This model of coexistence, where 61% of Ladakh's snow leopards live alongside human populations, is now a potential template for conservation across the species' 12-country range.