As Sikkim marks its golden jubilee of statehood, the state has unveiled a significant achievement: the first-ever Snow Leopard Population Assessment Report. This report is a collaborative effort between the Forest and Environment Department and WWF-India.
The comprehensive study, which spanned two years and utilized camera traps across the challenging Himalayan terrain, has revealed the presence of 21 snow leopards in the high-altitude regions of North and West Sikkim.
Pradeep Kumar, IFS, Principal Secretary of the Forest and Environment Department, underscored Sikkim’s rich ecological diversity by recounting a remarkable event in which both a Royal Bengal tiger and a snow leopard were recorded on the same camera trap—a rare feat in wildlife monitoring.
“This is not just a scientific milestone, but a testament to Sikkim’s deeply rooted conservation policies,” he stated. Kumar emphasized that the state’s dedicated conservation efforts are enabling forest ecosystems to prosper. The report also indicates that the existing habitat could accommodate an even larger population of snow leopards, suggesting promising opportunities for future conservation initiatives.
To commemorate this achievement, Sikkim has introduced a new mascot—a snow leopard named “Kuzu”—which symbolizes the state’s unwavering commitment to wildlife protection and biodiversity.
Original Source: https://eastmojo.com/free-digest/2025/05/16/sikkim-21-snow-leopards-identified-across-state/
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Publish Date: 2025-05-16 16:40:00
