The number of snow leopards has rebound in Dolpa district, according to the Divisional Forest Office of Dolpa. The office has released a study report claiming to have found a total 120 snow leopards in the district. 

According to the report, 90 snow leopards were found in Shey Phoksundo National Park, and an additional 30 snow leopards were found in the surrounding community forests.

Dolpa is known to have the densest snow leopard population in the world.

Shey Phoksundo National Park is known for its effort to conserve the elusive snow leopard. Due to its desolate, remote terrain, characterized by a cold climate, including both alpine and rain shadow terrains, it is a favorable habitat for the wild cats. The area boasts an abundance of prey species, ranging from alpine steppe to cliff-dwelling ones, including blue sheep, ghoral, great Tibetan sheep, and Himalayan tahr among others. 

In 2009, the first-ever study conducted by the government of Nepal and the WWF estimated that there were 110 to 130 snow leopards in the national park. In 2019, there were 90 snow leopards in the park. 

The increase in the number of snow leopards in the past few years is still low considering the combined effort of the park and WWF, and the growth observed in population of other big cats, such as the Royal Bengal Tiger, which has seen a remarkable increase of 190 percent to 355 since 2009 despite habitat shrinkage.

The census results, derived from camera trap analysis, have since elicited a mixed reaction among policymakers and conservationists. Some have celebrated the results, others express concern and question the reliability of past estimates. But both agree on one thing: that there is an urgent need for comprehensive scientific surveys across the entire snow leopard habitat in Nepal to have informed understanding of its population, behaviour and food habits.

Madhu Chetri, a zoologist renowned for extensive research on the snow leopard, said that the snow leopard remains one of the least studied big cats, not only in Nepal but globally. He asserted that without increased investment in research, conservation efforts and policies are unlikely to yield significant results. "There is a need for more scientific research to learn about the snow leopard. It would be a good start if we do a census similar to what we do for tigers. The current population estimate is more of a guesstimate and may not be accurate," Chhetri said, while stressing on the need to focus studies on several other aspects such as territorial behaviours, prey habit and population trends.

Chetri said that the current population estimate was based on sampling in some areas and lacked robustness. Nuance was also lacking in various behavioral aspects of the animal known as the ghost of the mountain due to its reclusive nature.  

“In one instance, we found a collared snow leopard traveling deep in Tibet, hundreds of miles away from its home in the central mountains. This was unheard of before. Such insights needed for nuanced understanding are mostly lacking," he said.

Nepal is believed to be home to around 300-400 snow leopards, which, according to the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC),  is an estimate based on sign surveys carried out in the last decade. Though the reliability of the figure has been questioned, it represents a sizable portion of the world’s snow leopard population estimate, which is also largely guesstimate.

Listed as a vulnerable species by the IUCN, the snow leopard (Panthera uncia) inhabits 12 range countries and has experienced a decline over the past century. Globally, its population is estimated at approximately 3,921 to 6,290.

Experts say the limited knowledge about snow leopards has been a barrier in coming up with the right conservation interventions, exposing the wildlife to various problems, arising from poaching, retaliatory killing and conflict with humans, degradation of habitat and short supply of prey.  

Recent years have seen an alarming increase in conflicts between snow leopards and humans, with reports of snow leopards targeting livestock, raising fears of retaliatory attacks from the local communities.

According to the DNPWC, snow leopards have killed over 5,000 cattle since 2021, predominantly sheep and goats. It is believed that the actual number of killings could be higher, as many farmers do not report such incidents due to the remote locations. Some of the incidents include instances of mass killing by leopards, according to Rabin Chaudhary, warden of Annapurna Conservation Area.

Citing anecdotal cases, DNPWC officials said that various factors such as snow sliding from peaks and foothills to lower areas, climate change, increased tourist activity, and promises of easy prey are bringing snow leopards closer to human settlements and grazing land. 

One such incident came to light in January this year when a snow leopard was found at an altitude of approximately 150 meters above sea level at Urlabari in the eastern plain, a significantly lower elevation than where these animals are typically found. "It was surprising to find the snow leopard at this elevation, considering that the two closest snow leopard habitats, Kanchenjunga and Makalu, are quite far away," said Nabin Raj Dahal, a local forest officer.

Three months on, the DNPWC has yet to tell whether the snow leopard reached there after losing its way or escaped while in captivity, as some suspect.

While most killings by snow leopard are reported, the instances of retaliatory killing of snow leopard by farmers are seldom reported or found, largely due to remoteness of the area. Conservationists however say that the occasional reports of police pounding snow leopard hides and collared snow leopards dying under suspicious circumstances hint at possible retaliatory killings.

Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network Traffic estimates that poaching remains a significant threat, with an annual average of 221-450 snow leopards poached since 2008, primarily in retaliation for livestock attacks or through non-targeted methods like snares.

Madhu Chetri said that there were issues not only with the existing knowledge of the snow leopard but also with misguided conservation efforts, which are largely based on ad hoc knowledge. "Many of these problems could be addressed with increased investment in focused studies covering all aspects of the snow leopard," said Chetri.