Environment & Ecology
In News: Wildlife officials in Arunachal Pradesh are awaiting analysis of the data of a survey conducted in 2021 to ascertain the presence of the elusive snow leopard.
- The data was collected from a high-altitude Himalayan belt across 11 wildlife divisions from Tawang in the west and Anini to the east and was sent to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
- Namdapha is the known home of three other large cats — tiger, leopard and clouded leopard.
About Snow Leopard:
- Snow leopard, is often referred to as a mountain ghost because of its coat that helps it blend in a snowy-rocky environment.
- The tiger is called Lama in the Lisu dialect and is also called ‘Lamaphu.
- It is a felid in the genus Panthera native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia.
- It inhabits alpine and subalpine zones at elevations of 3,000–4,500 m (9,800–14,800 ft), ranging from eastern Afghanistan, the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau to southern Siberia, Mongolia and western China.
- In the northern part of its range, it also lives at lower elevations.
- Snow leopards become sexually mature at two to three years, and normally live for 15–18 years in the wild.
- In captivity they can live for up to 25 years.
- The snow leopard has never been spotted nor recorded in the Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh’s Changlang district.
- Threats: poaching and illegal trade of skins and body parts as well as habitat destruction.
- Conservation efforts
- IUCN status: Vulnerable
- Listed in CITES Appendix I
- Listed as threatened with extinction in Schedule I of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS) of Wild Animals since 1985.
- Listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
- Flagship conservation species of India – part of 21 critically endangered species for the recovery program under MoEF&CC
- India is a party to the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection (GSLEP) Programme since 2013.
- SECURE Himalayas initiative of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
- Project Snow Leopard 2009
About WWF:
- Established in 1961, it is an international non-governmental organization that works in the field of wilderness preservation and the reduction of human impact on the environment.
- WWF works to help local communities conserve the natural resources they depend upon; transform markets and policies toward sustainability; and protect and restore species and their habitats.
- WWF is the world’s largest conservation organization.
- Their work is focused around six ambitious goals: Climate, Food, Forests, Freshwater, Oceans, Wildlife.
- Its initiatives include:
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- Debt-for-Nature Swap
- Earth Hour
- Healthy Grown
- Marine Stewardship Council
- Living Planet Index
- WWF-India was established as a Charitable Trust in 1969 and is headquartered in New Delhi.
- WWF-India is one of India’s leading conservation organizations
MUST READ: Namdapha National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
Q.1) Which one of the following groups of animals belongs to the category of endangered species?
- Great Indian Bustard, Musk Deer, Red Panda and Asiatic Wild Ass
- Kashmir Stag, Cheetal, Blue Bull and Great Indian Bustard
- Snow Leopard, Swamp Deer, Rhesus Monkey and Saras (Crane)
- Lion-tailed Macaque, Blue Bull, Hanuman Langur and Cheetal
