Context:
Report of Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI) Program released
Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India:
- Conducted by – Wildlife Institute of India
- Significance – India’s 1st ever survey on snow leopard population
- Population – Estimate of 718
- 10-15% of the global population.
- Leading states – Ladakh, followed by Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Jammu and Kashmir
- Threats – Habitat loss, poaching and infrastructure development.
Snow Leopard in India:
- Habitat – Higher Himalayan and trans-Himalayan region
- Snow Leopard capital of the world – Hemis, Ladakh
- Conservation Programs –
- Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection (GSLEP) Programme
- SECURE Himalaya – Funded by Global Environment Facility (GEF)-United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
- Project Snow Leopard
- Snow Leopard conservation breeding programme at Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling, West Bengal.
Wildlife Institute of India:
- Established in – 1982
- Status – Autonomous institution under Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
- Based in – Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
- Function – It offerstraining programs, academic courses, and advisory in wildlife research and management.
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
Which of the following is not a bird?
[UPSC Civil Service Exam – 2022 Prelims]
(a) Golden Mahseer
(b) Indian Nightjar
(c) Spoonbill
(d) White Ibis
Answer: (a)
