Spiti Valley Women Lead Snow Leopard Monitoring in India's High-Altitude Reserve

In the remote Spiti Valley of India, a significant community-driven conservation effort is underway, spearheaded by local women dedicated to monitoring the elusive snow leopard, known locally as 'Shen.' This apex predator is vital to the delicate Himalayan ecosystem, despite past conflicts concerning livestock predation. These women have formally organized into a group named "Shenmo" and are now collaborating directly with the Himachal Pradesh forest department to conduct predator tracking and population surveillance.

The cohort, comprising nearly a dozen members, has received specialized training to deploy and maintain sophisticated camera traps essential for accurate population assessments. Their fieldwork involves challenging treks, often exceeding 14,000 feet in elevation during harsh winter months, to service these remote monitoring stations. This rigorous activity is now providing critical data for biodiversity monitoring within the recently established Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve, an area recognized for its unique high-altitude environment.

The role of the Shenmo members extends beyond physical deployment; they are mastering the analysis of captured imagery using specialized software, transitioning into active conservation practitioners. This engagement builds upon prior initiatives, such as the Nature Conservation Foundation's (NCF) 'SHEN' project, which began in 2013 to link women with wildlife conservation through enterprise development. Earlier NCF studies had indicated that women in the region held less favorable attitudes toward wildlife, likely due to the non-monetary costs associated with predator presence.

Despite initial motivation stemming from supplementary income opportunities, the women now express a firm dedication to protecting the species. Their data analysis was a key component of Himachal Pradesh's second state-wide snow leopard survey. This assessment, completed in 2024, estimated the state's snow leopard population at 83 individuals, an increase from the 51 counted in the first survey conducted in 2021. Deputy Conservator of Forests Goldy Chhabra of the Spiti Wildlife Division confirmed their contribution was critical in identifying individual animals during the survey.

This achievement positions Himachal Pradesh as the only state in India to complete two full, scientifically rigorous population assessments using the Snow Leopard Population Assessment of India (SPAI) protocol. The findings confirm that the Spiti and Pin Valleys remain strongholds for the species within the state's 26,000 square kilometers of monitored habitat. This community-centric methodology, which integrates local knowledge with scientific rigor, is emerging as a model for high-altitude conservation.

The women's commitment also involves participating in awareness activities and reporting illicit activity, for which they receive an additional 20 percent conservation incentive upon fulfilling their commitments. Through their continued vigilance and data analysis, these women are securing the future of the snow leopard while reinforcing the ecological balance of the fragile Trans-Himalayan region.