Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh): The hilly north-eastern state bordering China has become another home for snow leopards, with 36 such animals found in the latest survey, the state’s Forest and Environment Minister Wangki Lowang said here on Wednesday.
The Minister highlighted the significance of this survey, stating that it provides crucial data for conservation efforts and future planning. The Minister said that the Department of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, in collaboration with WWF-India, has completed the first-ever statewide snow leopard population assessment in Arunachal Pradesh.
Lowang said, releasing the snow leopard survey report, that the study estimates the state’s snow leopard habitat at 15,181 sq km, with an estimated population of 36 snow leopards.
Forest and wildlife officials said that although the border state has more than 15,000 sq km of probable snow leopard habitat, no rigorous assessment of the snow leopards’ status was done earlier.
The Forest and Environment Minister said in a post on his X handle: “Attended the Inception Workshop on Landscape Level Conservation Strategy and Action Plan for Asian Elephants in Arunachal Pradesh. I had the privilege of launching an important initiative aimed at conserving one of our most iconic species—the Asian Elephant. This plan not only focuses on habitat conservation but also on mitigating human-wildlife conflict and ensuring the coexistence of communities and wildlife.”
He said: “I also had the honour of releasing the Snow Leopard Survey Report, a significant contribution to our understanding of the biodiversity in Arunachal Pradesh. The report sheds light on the crucial conservation measures needed to protect these elusive creatures and their habitat. I commend the efforts of WWF and all our partners who are working tirelessly towards these causes.”
Conservation is a shared responsibility, and today’s discussions reaffirm the need for collaboration across sectors to address the challenges of habitat loss due to deforestation and climate change-induced alterations in the snow leopard’s natural habitat. Together, we are committed to a future where nature and development thrive in harmony, the minister said.
Officials added that in 2008, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) launched a flagship project called the Snow Leopard Project. This project aims to conserve and safeguard the unique natural heritage of high-altitude wildlife populations and their habitats by promoting conservation through participatory policies and actions, such as community-based conservation initiatives and habitat protection measures.
This was a significant step in that the unique lives, cultures, traditions, and livelihoods of the communities living in the mountainous regions are closely associated with these landscapes, and the people of hill regions have a most important role to play in conserving such animals.
The majority of the tribals in Arunachal Pradesh consider the snow leopard as a totemic symbol of spiritual significance, and the cat species is especially associated with these tribes, highlighting the unique cultural bond between the local communities and the wildlife.
Officials pointed out that the high-altitude areas of Arunachal Pradesh, which shares a 1080km border with China, 520 km with Myanmar, and 217 km with Bhuta, have mostly remained unexplored from a wildlife study and conservation perspective, sparking curiosity about the potential discoveries in these regions.
In India, the snow leopard is found in J&K, Ladakh, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh in the Western Himalayas and Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim in the Eastern Himalayas, highlighting the unique biodiversity of Arunachal Pradesh and evoking a sense of pride and appreciation among the readers.
Aviation Company Set to Revolutionise Urban Mobility in India with Electric Flying Taxis
For more updates Subscribe to Media Eye News
–IANS
