Source: Down to Earth

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Context

• Research Significance: The study by Kyoto University highlights an unexpected dietary behavior in snow leopards, showing that they consume plants, particularly Myricaria, which could impact conservation strategies and captive care.
• Research Methodology: Researchers collected faecal samples from the Sarychat-Ertash Reserve in Kyrgyzstan and used metabarcoding analysis to identify plant and prey DNA, revealing significant plant consumption by snow leopards.

Details

Key Points

• Snow Leopard Habitat:
  • Snow leopards live above the tree line in High Mountain Asia, particularly in areas like the Tien-Shan Mountains.
• Dietary Habits:
  • New research shows snow leopards consume plants, specifically Myricaria genus, indicating dietary flexibility beyond carnivorous habits.
• Research Techniques:
  • Metabarcoding analysis was used to identify plant and prey DNA in snow leopard faeces.
• Conservation Implications:
  • Understanding plant consumption by snow leopards can inform better conservation strategies and improve conditions in captivity.
• Geographical Focus:
  • The study was conducted in the Sarychat-Ertash Reserve in Kyrgyzstan's Tien-Shan Mountain range.

Snow Leopard

Habitat:

• In India, snow leopards inhabit the high-altitude regions of the Himalayas, spanning across states like Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
• They are typically found at elevations between 3,000 to 4,500 meters above sea level, thriving in rugged terrains with sparse vegetation.

Endemic Range:

• Snow leopards are endemic to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia, including the Himalayas, Karakoram, Pamirs, and Tien Shan.
• In India, they are primarily concentrated in the Trans-Himalayan region, which provides the cold, arid conditions they require.

Snow Leopard Programme in India:

• The Government of India launched the "Project Snow Leopard" in 2009 to ensure the conservation of snow leopards and their habitat.
• The project involves community participation, scientific research, and transboundary cooperation.
• Additionally, India is part of the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program (GSLEP), which aims to secure 20 snow leopard landscapes by 2020 across the range countries

Sources:

Indian Express

PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Consider the following statements regarding the snow leopard: Snow leopards are primarily found in the high-altitude regions of the Himalayas in India. Project Snow Leopard was launched to increase tourism in high-altitude regions of India. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both 1 and 2 d) None Answer: a)