Rishikesh: The number of snow leopards has increased to 121 in Uttarakhand, according to the latest census.
State’s Chief Wildlife Warden Samir Sinha said the 2022 snow leopard census was conducted on the orders of the Centre.
Sinha said the census, conducted under the joint aegis of the Forest Department and Wildlife Institute of India, has shown encouraging results.
Eighty-six snow leopards were found in the state when the last such census was conducted six years ago.
Expressing happiness over the results of the census, Uttarakhand Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal said conservation of wildlife in the state is in the right direction and it will give further impetus to wildlife tourism in the future.
Only 12 countries in the world have snow leopards and India is one of them. The population of snow leopards in these countries is estimated to be between 3,000 and 7,000. In the 2016 census, 516 snow leopards were found in India.
PTI

Press Trust of India