HP to restart breeding project of snow leopards

SHIMLA: In an attempt to save its endangered state animal, the wildlife wing of the Himachal Pradesh forest department has said it will restart the project of breeding of elusive snow leopards at Himalayan Nature Park at Kufri, 18 km from Shimla.

The state government recently shot off a proposal to the Central Zoo Authority of India (CZAI) and urged it to reinitiate the project in the hill state. “Efforts are on to conserve the endangered snow leopard. We have written to the Zoo Authority of India regarding restarting breeding of snow leopard in the Himalayan Nature Park,” said , chief conservator of forests (CCF).

Snow leopard is found in Kibber in Lahaul and Spiti district. They have also been sighted near Komic, Hikkim and Demul areas of the tribal district. The wildlife wing claims to have tracked more than 30 snow leopards in Spiti valley alone through trap cameras.

In 2004, the state brought two leopards — Subhash and Sapna — from Darjeeling to Kufri under an exchange programme. While the female leopard died, Subhash was shifted back to Darjeeling in 2013. The department is again contemplating to reinitiate the conservation plan through breeding.

The state wildlife wing and Mysore’s Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF) have, meanwhile, been leading efforts related to research and conservation of snow leopard in Spiti.

They had prepared a detailed landscape and participatory management plan for Spiti wildlife division. Under the project, focus was laid on increasing population of wild ibex and blue sheep — the main food of snow leopards.