Prime Highlights:
- A group of local women in Spiti Valley, called “Shenmo,” are trained to track and protect snow leopards using camera traps.
- Their work is helping change community attitudes, showing that snow leopards are vital for the mountain ecosystem.
Key Facts:
- The 2024 snow leopard survey in Himachal Pradesh recorded 83 snow leopards, up from 51 in 2021.
- Spiti Valley is now part of the Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve, highlighting the importance of conservation in the region.
Background:
In one of the coldest and most isolated parts of India, local women are stepping forward to protect the rare snow leopard. In the Spiti Valley of Himachal Pradesh, these animals are no longer seen only as a danger to livestock but as an important part of the mountain ecosystem.
Snow leopards, known locally as Shen, live in only a few countries across Asia, and India is home to a large number of them. In Spiti, about a dozen women from villages such as Kibber are now actively involved in their protection. They work closely with the forest department and the Nature Conservation Foundation to monitor snow leopard movements.
The women call themselves Shenmo. They have been trained to set up and manage camera traps that capture photos of snow leopards as they pass through the mountains. Earlier, this work was mostly done by men, but the women wanted to be part of it too. Over time, they learned how to handle equipment and even analyse images using computers.
Their work helped with the state’s 2024 snow leopard survey, which showed an increase in snow leopard numbers. The survey also recorded many other wildlife species in the area.
The job is physically demanding. The women travel long distances in very cold weather and at high mountain heights while carrying heavy equipment.
The women help villagers keep livestock safe and get government insurance. Their work is key, as the Spiti Valley is now part of the Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve. It also connects them more to their land while protecting the mountains and their future.
