Assessing Snow Leopards in the Critical Kangchenjunga–Singhalila Corridor
High in the Himalayas the snow leopard (Panthera uncia) faces a uncertain future. While the Kangchenjunga Conservation Area (KCA) has long been a prime habitat for these elusive cats a recent assessment highlights the importance of villages on its fringes.
A new project focused on the villages of Khebang, Surumkhim and Kalikhola has shed light on the delicate balance between traditional herding practices and the survival of Eastern Nepal’s apex predators. These areas form a vital biological corridor linking Nepal's KCA with India’s Singhalila National Park, ensuring genetic diversity and movement for transboundary wildlife.
For decades, communities in this region have practiced rotational herding, a tradition that sustains local livelihoods but inevitably exposes livestock to opportunistic predation. With habitat degradation and poaching posing threats across the Central Himalayan range, understanding the specific dynamics of this corridor is essential for long-term conservation.
AACD project team conducted a comprehensive assessment combining ecological and social science. Researchers executed eight transect surveys to record signs of carnivores and prey, analyzing vegetation and habitat suitability using the Important Value Index (IVI). Simultaneously, the team engaged directly with the community, surveying 261 households and holding group discussions to map livestock demography and gauge local perceptions of wildlife.
The study recorded approximately 4,000 livestock in the area, with 24% engaged in rotational grazing. While the potential for conflict is high. The snow leopard was not the primary predator in human-wildlife conflict in these specific villages. The assessment found that livestock depredation was predominantly caused by dholes (Asiatic wild dogs), common leopards and Himalayan black bears. Snow leopard attacks were historically rare, with only two yaks reported depredated in 2015.
However, the low frequency of attacks does not equal safety for the snow leopard. The study documented instances of retaliatory killings targeting other predators.
