In one of India's coldest and most remote regions, a group of women have taken on an unlikely role: protecting one of Asia's most elusive predators, the snow leopard.
Snow leopards are found in just 12 countries across Central and South Asia. India is home to one of the world's largest populations, with a nationwide survey in 2023 estimating more than 700 animals.
One of the places they roam is around Kibber village in Himachal Pradesh state's Spiti Valley, a high-altitude cold desert along the Himalayan belt. Here, snow leopards are often called the ghosts of the mountains, slipping silently across rocky slopes.
For generations, these animals were seen as threats for attacking livestock. However, attitudes in Kibber and neighboring villages are beginning to shift, as people increasingly recognize the snow leopard's role as a top predator in the food chain and its importance in maintaining the mountain ecosystem.
A group of nearly a dozen local women is now working alongside the Himachal Pradesh forest department and conservationists to play a crucial role in preserving this species. Locally known as Shen, the women have named their group Shenmo. They have been trained to set up and monitor camera traps that automatically capture images of snow leopards.
“Earlier, men used to install the cameras, and we kept wondering why we couldn’t do it too,” says Lobzang Yangchen, a local coordinator with the non-profit Nature Conservation Foundation.
Yangchen was part of the team that collected data for Himachal Pradesh’s 2024 snow leopard survey, which revealed the state is now home to 83 snow leopards, an increase from 51 in 2021.
The survey employed camera traps across nearly 26,000 square kilometers, identifying individual leopards by their distinct fur patterns. This data bolsters wider conservation strategies.
Collecting the data is demanding work, particularly in winter when snowfall drives snow leopards to lower altitudes. The women wake up early, handle household chores, and travel to camera sites often placed at elevations above 14,000 feet.
On survey days, after hours of trekking, signs of snow leopards are noted. “This shows the snow leopard has been here recently,” Yangchen points out, indicating fresh pugmarks in the snow.
Initially, the women joined the project out of curiosity and to earn a small income, but their work has changed how the community perceives these majestic creatures. Now they advocate for the conservation of snow leopards alongside improving livestock protection measures and assisting local farmers with government insurance schemes.
“Once communities are involved, conservation becomes more sustainable,” says Deepshikha Sharma from NCF. “These women are not just assisting; they are becoming practitioners of wildlife conservation.”
As climate change poses significant threats to the Himalayas, the active participation of local communities, spearheaded by these women, is crucial for safeguarding not only snow leopards but their entire habitat as well.
