SRINAGAR : India’s first scientific nationwide census of snow leopards has confirmed 718 individuals across the Himalayan landscapes, with Ladakh emerging as the country’s most important habitat for the elusive high-altitude predator. The Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI), whose findings were released in January 2024, has recorded only nine snow leopards in Jammu and Kashmir, reflecting both the fragmented terrain and the limited accessible habitat in the Union Territory. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday that the assessment marks a major milestone in understanding and protecting one of the world’s most threatened mountain species. Follow Us On G -N e w s | Whatsapp

The SPAI, conducted between 2

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