India’s first snow leopard conservation centre to come up in Uttarakhand

DEHRADUN: India’s first Snow Leopard Conservation Centre is all set to be constructed in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi forests. Trivendra Singh Rawat, Chief Minister, Uttarakhand, along with the state forest minister and officials of the forest department discussed plans of the upcoming conservation centre on Saturday, August 1. According to the officials, the centre will be developed by the Uttarakhand forest department along with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The centre will serve the purpose of conserving and restoring the Himalayan ecosystem and creation of livelihood opportunities for the people of the region. The project also aims at conservation of elusive snow leopards and various other endangered Himalayan species.

“The total number of snow leopards should be counted in the state, special efforts should be made to preserve and increase the number of snow leopards. In the last few years, the areas where snow leopards have been seen should be identified by the forest department by the cooperation of local people and military forces. These areas should be calculated by making grids,” said Rawat. Furthermore, the conservation of snow leopards will encourage tourism in Uttarakhand’s harsh winters. He added that the mountain ranges in the state are home to a host of diverse species of wildlife which are the centre of attraction for tourists. Thus, efforts need to be made to conserve them and save them from extinction.

During the meeting, it was also discussed that snow leopards have been spotted in various spots across the Uttarkashi and Pithoragarh districts. However, their exact number is not known. Based on several researches, Uttarakhand is home to 86 snow leopards at present. Besides the conservation centre, Uttarakhand is also making efforts to develop six city forests to expand the total green area in urban regions of the state. The Uttarakhand forest department has announced plans to develop city forests in Kumaon region, two in the plains and four in hilly districts. According to the officials, the aim of developing forests in the city is to increase the green cover in urban regions and to connect people with greenery and clean environment. The regions have been identified as Dehradun, Nainital, Almora, Bageshwar, Pithoragarh, and Champawat.