As a boy in Chilling, a small Ladakhi village, Khenrab Phuntsog often spotted snow leopards from afar while grazing goats and sheep. Living inside Hemis National Park, sightings came easily if one climbed high enough. But at age 12, during his grandmother’s cremation preparations, he saw one up close. The predator was waiting above a herd of blue sheep before leaping down for the kill. That moment never left him.
It pushed him to volunteer with the Wildlife Protection Department and later join as a wildlife guard in 2000. Since then, he has rescued 47 snow leopards across Ladakh.
Tracking the elusive predator
A 2012 survey using camera traps counted 11 snow leopards in Hemis National Park, up from 7 in 2006. Today, Khenrab estimates around 60 in the park and more than 250 in Ladakh. A new census using wider camera trap coverage is under way.
Khenrab and other guards install cameras along ridges, cliffs, valleys and rocky slopes where the cats travel. He reads the land for signs such as pugmarks, scrapes, faeces, scent marks and remains of kills. Early mornings and late evenings are best for sightings. The mating season from February to March sees them using marked rocks more often. These skills, honed over 20 years, make his work vital for the census.
Rescues and risks
Decades ago, villagers killed snow leopards in retaliation for livestock losses. Education and increased ecotourism have transformed attitudes. Today, village sightings are reported to rescue teams that return healthy animals to the wild.
During his early years, Khenrab had no equipment, employing merely sacks, rope and sticks. Rescues were of high risk since threatened leopards may strike. Equipment such as camouflage netting and tranquilliser guns were later introduced, though Khenrab frequently prefers to use manual captures to prevent risks of overdose. Rescues demand calmness, patience and precise planning to ensure that both man and beast are not harmed.
Present dangers
Retaliatory killings and poaching continue to happen, and as many as 45 snow leopards are lost each year in India. Habitat loss due to urban development and growth is reducing prey bases in Ladakh. Climate change is also reducing glacier-fed water sources.
Despite the challenges, Khenrab’s mission remains clear. “I like to believe I represent them,” he says. “They are vital for the ecological balance. We must protect them.”
(Inputs from the better india)
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