Guarding the guardians of the Himalaya

In the icy wilderness areas of High Asia, snow leopards glide like shadows across the snows as the haunting howls of Himalayan wolves echo across the crags.

In Nepal, high mountain dwellers have forged a delicate balance with these two elusive Himalayan predators, a timeless coexistence of human livelihoods with the wild. Snow leopards inhabit steep slopes at elevations from 3,000 to 5,500m. Wolves patrol more open stretches across grasslands and mountain meadows.

With overlapping habitats, snow leopards and wolves share a similar prey base. Snow leopards primarily hunt Siberian ibex, blue sheep, and Himalayan tahr, while wolves target a range of large to medium-sized ungulates, both wild and domesticated, including yaks and blue sheep.

“The population density of snow leopards in a region is closely tied to the abundance of their wild prey,” explains Charu Dutt Mishra of Snow Leopard Trust. “To secure a single successful kill, they endure up to 25 failed hunting attempts.”

As apex predators, snow leopards are at the top of the food chain and are iconic representatives of their ecosystems. Protecting snow leopards therefore helps protect this delicate mountain ecosystem, now also threatened by climate breakdown.

“The health of an ecosystem can be gauged by the presence of snow leopards and wolves in a specific area,” says Sanjeevani Yonzan of Wildlife Conservation Nepal, “the abundance of predator species depends on a healthy prey population, reflecting a balanced and thriving ecosystem.”

Nepal is at the forefront of snow leopard conservation in the region and has the highest density of snow leopards, with a survey last month showing a count of 397 individuals. This is remarkable given that Nepal has just 2% of the species' range across Central Asia and the Himalaya.

Snow leopards are often referred to as the ‘Ghosts of the Himalayas’ and their protection with other predators like wolves needs active support of local communities. The big cats are often killed in retaliation for attacks on livestock.

Mishra did his PhD on snow leopards in India’s Spiti Valley and recalls an incident where local villagers had trapped and killed a snow leopard.“When I asked why, they explained that they lacked the resources and capacity to protect leopards that killed their livestock,” he says.

That same community in Spiti was later empowered and motivated to engage in conservation and in recognition was awarded the ‘Wildlife Tourism Award’ last year in New Delhi. “When communities are properly encouraged to coexist with wildlife, conservation efforts are bound to succeed,” he adds.

As human focus shifts more toward economic development, there is a growing disconnect with nature and biodiversity. Human-wildlife conflict, overgrazing, poaching, and now climate breakdown are the challenges.

In nature, the life cycles of most plants and animals are circular, with resources constantly reused and replenished. In contrast, humans follow a linear path, producing waste that disrupts this natural balance. Infrastructure and ‘development’ activities sharpens the problems.

Cultural attitudes play a crucial role in supporting conservation efforts. In many communities, snow leopards are considered spiritually significant, and are regarded as ‘God’s pets’. This cultural reverence fosters acceptance of the species, despite the risks they pose to livestock.

In contrast to more adversarial attitudes found elsewhere, this unique cultural perspective gives Nepal a distinct advantage in community-driven conservation.

Himalayan wolves, however, do not have such cultural associations and are mercilessly hunted. However, the Himalayan Wolves Project, led by researchers such as Naresh Kusi at Upper Humla focuses on studying their ecology and fostering coexistence through education and alternative livelihood options.

“Human well-being is deeply rooted in nature. Indigenous communities must be granted the authority and active involvement in conservation efforts,” says Mishra.

A new documentary, Snow Leopard Sisters, tells the inspiring story of two Nepali women Tenzin Bhuti Gurung and Tshiring Lhamu Lama, who are dedicated to the protection of snow leopards in the Dolpo region. They developed the Snow Leopard Trekking Trail to promote ecotourism and increase public awareness to restore the human-nature balance.

As Yonzan says: “In nature, there is a law of interconnectedness and interdependence that must be preserved to maintain balance.”