KarunaNews Story

When Lobzang Yangchen first joined a wildlife monitoring team in her village two years ago, she had never touched a computer. Today, the 31-year-old mother of two daughters leads an 11-member women’s team from Kibber that has become central to Himachal Pradesh’s efforts to conserve the snow leopard. When the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department and the Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF) began involving local people in snow leopard surveys, Lobzang decided to volunteer. “People asked why we should protect them if they cause harm,” she said. “Now they understand that our goats are food for them, and they are also living beings who need food.” The women team’s work formed a vital part of the second state-wide snow leopard survey, conducted by the Wildlife Wing of the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department in collaboration with NCF. The survey estimated 83 snow leopards in the state, with the true number likely between 67 and 103, up from 51 individuals in 2021. “Any effective conservation initiative has to be community-led,” former Deputy Conservator of Forests Mandar Jeware said. “During winters, people get livelihood from snow leopard sighting tourism and now actively cooperate to ensure wildlife and its habitat are not harmed. Communities, particularly women, also play an active role in monitoring wildlife through camera traps and analysis of images.” He said these small initiatives have strengthened trust and created a sense of shared responsibility.