Snow Leopards in Nepal to be Studies With GPS Tracking Technology

Snow Leopards are a globally threatened species, but conservation efforts are helping these beautiful wild cats make a come back. Researchers have been struggling the last few years to get a good grasp of how many snow leopards were living in the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area in Nepal. Using cameras, a study last year estimated just 9 to 12 leopards in the area. However, using more sophisticated genetic testing, a more recent census puts the population between 19 and 29.

 

“The genetic analysis of fecal samples alone determined that there are 19 snow leopards living in the area. So, with the census conducted through camera trapping and other methods, we can estimate that there are up to 29 snow leopards in the conservation area at present,” explained Ganga Ram Singh, senior conservation officer for the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Project Management Council (KCAPMC). There is good reason to believe that the population continues to grow. The genetic details showed that there were 10 males and 9 female leopards when the fecal census was obtained in 2011.

 

In order to get even more accurate information about the population of snow leopards in the conservation area, researchers will soon attach GPS tracking collars to the wild cats. The World Wildlife Fund will mastermind the study. After trapping the local snow leopards, they will be equipped with a GPS device and monitored remotely via computer software. This data will not only offer definite population numbers, but also allow researchers to monitor the movement and behavior of the snow leopards.

 

“While the genetic technique showed the number to be 19, the collaring method would reveal more about the snow leopard,” Sujit Kumar Shrestha said, KCAPMC manager. Leopards will be trapped and monitored from Ramjer, Khambachhen, Yangma and Gala. There is a chance the cats will wander into bordering India or Tibet, but it’s more likely they will travel north into the Himalayas.

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Snow Leopards in Nepal to be Studies With GPS Tracking Technology