Most of India's snow leopard population live in a remote region in the north of the country, where they co-exist alongside rural communities, according to a study publishing May 7, 2025 in the open-access journal PLOS One by Pankaj Raina at Union Territory of Ladakh's Department of Wildlife Protection, and colleagues.
To effectively conserve wild carnivores, researchers need accurate data on their population size and distribution. However, gathering this data has proved particularly challenging for snow leopards (Panthera uncia) because of their shy nature and preference for remote, rugged terrain. Researchers assessed the population size and distribution of snow leopards across a 59,000 km2 landscape in India's Ladakh territory, in the north of the country. First, they performed an intensive survey of the region for evidence of snow leopards, such as footprints, feces and scratch marks. They also assessed the presence of other large carnivores, such as brown bears and lynx, as well as wild herbivores and livestock. Next, they set up 956 camera traps, covering over 8,500 km2 in areas occupied by snow leopards, to allow them to generate accurate estimates of their populations across the territory. They analyzed the photos using artificial intelligence to identify individual snow leopards based on the distinctive pattern of markings on their forehead.
The researchers estimated that Ladakh is home to 477 snow leopards, representing 68% of India's total population. The density of snow leopards varied between 1 and 3 individuals per 100 km2, and they found that Hemis National Park has the highest density of snow leopards recorded globally. They report that 61% of snow leopards in Ladakh co-exist alongside human populations. Resource-rich grasslands with a moderate climate and complex terrain tended to be home to a higher number of snow leopards, which is likely due to a greater availability of prey and less human disturbance.
The study is the most comprehensive population survey of snow leopards to date. The methodology could be used for regular monitoring of these elusive big cats across their global range. The study also generated a national photo library of snow leopards that could help conservationists to monitor poaching and trafficking of animal parts. The authors say that the wide distribution and high population density of snow leopards in Ladakh is due to a combination of factors, including abundant prey, rugged and remote landscapes, low human population density, and a culture of deep respect for wildlife among local communities.
The authors add: "The deep-rooted reverence for wildlife among Ladakh's communities, combined with the economic benefits from snow leopard tourism and conflict management strategies, helps sustain some of the world's highest snow leopard densities—a model that could be adapted and upscaled across the species' range."
"To photograph snow leopards' foreheads, we had to make them pose in front of our cameras. This was done by spraying a small amount of perfume just below the cameras that were deployed near their favored scent marking rocks on the high ridge tops. The curious leopards lower their heads to smell the novel smell and we have our prized photos!"
"Fingerprinting snow leopards: A special pattern recognition software that fits a three dimensional model on the snow leopards forehead image extracts the spot patterns and stores them in a database for comparing it with other snow leopard photographs, and comes up with close matches. This reduced our work many fold and improved the accuracy of correct individual identification that is crucial for population estimation using statistical models."
In your coverage, please use this URL to provide access to the freely available article in PLOS One: https://plos.io/3S2FkHY
Citation: Raina P, Mungi NA, Kumar U, Rathi AD, Khan NH, Patel DA, et al. (2025) Comprehensive assessment of snow leopard distribution and population in the Indian Trans-Himalaya, Ladakh: Standardizing methods for evidence-based conservation. PLoS One 20(5): e0322136. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0322136
Author countries: India, Denmark, U.K.
Funding: National Mission for Himalayan Studies (No. NMHS/2016-17/MG13/06) implemented by Department of Wildlife Protection, Leh, funded this study. NAM was supported by Danmarks Grundforskningsfond (DNRF173) and Villum Fonden (16549) during the writing of this study. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
