India is home to 718 snow leopards, accounting for roughly 10-15% of the big cat’s global population. Conducted by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), the Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI) Programme was carried out from 2019 to 2023 as part of the Population Assessment of the World’s Snow Leopards (PAWS), a global effort to determine the snow leopard’s numbers.

The survey covered approximately 120,000 sq kms of snow leopard habitat across the trans-Himalayan region. After camera traps identified 214 individual snow leopards, surveyors analysed leopard trails and other data to estimate the animal’s population at 718. Ladakh, with 477 individuals, is the leading snow leopard habitat in India, followed by Uttarakhand (124), Himachal Pradesh (51), Arunachal Pradesh (36), Sikkim (21), and Jammu and Kashmir (9).

The snow leopard is classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). In India, it is given the highest wildlife protection status. Its numbers in the wild face multiple threats, from habitat loss and poaching to infrastructure development.

Understanding the precise population of the snow leopard is important because of its role as the apex predator in the Himalayan ecosystem. Its population can indicate health of the ecosystem and help identify potential threats to its habitat, and shifts caused by climate change.

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Once upon a time, in a small village nestled in the heart of the forest, there lived a young girl named Lily. She was a kind and curious child, always eager to explore the world around her.

One day, while wandering in the forest, Lily stumbled upon a clearing she had never seen before. In the centre of the clearing stood a large, ancient tree unlike any she had ever seen. Its trunk was as wide as a house and its branches reached up to the sky as if they were trying to touch the clouds.

Lily approached the tree and placed her hand on its trunk. As she did, she felt a strange sensation, as if the tree was alive and communicating with her. She closed her eyes and listened closely, and to her surprise, she heard a voice.

“Hello, Lily,” said the tree. “I am the Guardian of the Forest. I have been watching you and I have chosen you to be my protector.”

Lily was shocked and a little scared, but she also felt a sense of excitement and purpose. She knew that this was a great honour, and promised that she would do her best to protect the forest and all of its inhabitants.

From that day on, Lily spent all her time in the forest, learning from the Guardian and protecting the animals and plants.

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The excellent manners of the big cats

You might see lions fighting over a meal, but tigers operate differently. If a male tiger encounters another during a hunt, they are likely to greet each other politely and even share the catch. Another stark difference between the lion and the tiger is that a tiger is often kind enough to wait for the tigress and cubs to feed before they sit down to enjoy the meal. Such perfect gentlemen of the animal kingdom!

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How can we protect our national animal? What can we do to better ensure the tiger’s long-term survival? A person who seriously thought about these questions five decades ago and dedicated his life to it is Ullas K. Karanth, an Indian wildlife conservation zoologist and a leading tiger expert. Dr Karanth has championed the cause of tigers through his groundbreaking works in India and other countries.

Ullas was born in 1948 in the wilderness landscape of Malenadu, Karnataka. He is the son of acclaimed Kannada writer Kota Shivarama Karanth who instilled in him a love for nature. Ullas studied in a Kannada-medium school. From his childhood days, he absolutely loved wildlife and read widely about animals. Though he originally trained to be an engineer at the National Institute of Technology, Surathkal (1971), because of his deep passion for wildlife biology, he obtained a Master’s degree in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Florida (1988) and a Doctorate in Applied Zoology from Mangalore University (1993).

Dr Karanth founded and led WCS-India, the Indian programme of the New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), in Bengaluru for nearly 30 years.

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I am a student of Class 10 about to enter Class 11. I am interested in wildlife and marine biology and want to make a career in both. Is it possible for me to be both a wildlife and a marine biologist? If so, please guide me as to which field to opt for in Class 11 and what I need to do after that.
Vasu Rodhia / St Luke’s Sr. Sec. School, Solan, Himachal Pradesh

Both fields are related and till graduation the courses are the same. Start with Physics, Chemistry and Biology in 10+2, followed by B.Sc. (Hons) in Biological sciences. Study covers a wide variety of subjects such as biochemistry, pathology, ecology, anatomy, ocean farming, development, reproduction, parasitology, conservation, etc. By that time, you will have a better idea about your interest. Later, you can go for 2 years M.Sc. in Marine Biology or Wildlife.

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The name David Attenborough is synonymous with utterly fascinating wildlife documentaries. He was the first to bring the wonders of the natural world to our screens and inspired hundreds of millions around the world to love and care for nature and wildlife. A mesmerizing storyteller, his messages have been heard on TV, radio, cinema, and of late, on Instagram. The impact of this 95-year-old world-renowned naturalist, writer and broadcaster is ever more astounding than you might imagine.

Born in 1926 in London, Attenborough was educated at Wyggeston Grammar School, Leicester, England. As a boy, he fell in love with the natural world, exploring his way through his neighbourhood in Leicester, looking for bugs, insects and amphibians. At 11, he used to make his pocket money by supplying newts to the zoology department at University College. In 1947, he graduated from Clare College, Cambridge, with a degree in Natural Sciences.

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Seek by iNaturalist (a joint venture by the National Geographic Society and the California Academy of Sciences) connects people with nature.

The app features live image recognition — it scans its database of millions of wildlife observations while users have their camera open and before they take a photo. Once Seek identifies the species, it prompts users to take a photo, unlocking further features. It will also display a map of where the species is located near the user, and awards them badges that go towards completing various challenges.

With the user’s permission, the app sends collected data to iNaturalist’s global biodiversity database, helping scientists to track the health of the planet.

Free for iOS and Android.

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I am a Class 12 Science student. I am very interested in wildlife and I want to become a wildlife biologist. What do I have to study to achieve my goal? Does this career have a good scope in India?
Sheril Mary Shaji (18) / St Paul’s Boarding and Day School, Kolkata

A wildlife biologist studies both animals and plants. It’s more common, however, that wildlife biologists only work with wild animals.

Here are some good institutes: Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun (wii.gov.in), National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bengaluru (ncbs.res.in), Centre for Wildlife Studies (CWS), Bengaluru (cwsindia.org), University of Kota, Rajasthan (uok.ac.in), Central University of Odisha, Koraput (cuo.ac.in), Amity Institute of wildlife sciences, Noida (amity.edu/aifw).

All these institutes offer a PG programme in wildlife sciences. Graduates in Botany, Zoology, Agriculture, Biotechnology, Nursing, Forestry, Veterinary or equivalent science degree are eligible to apply.

After completing the post-graduate course in wildlife sciences, students work with research labs, central and state natural resource agencies, conservation groups, forest industries, forest research institutes, wildlife research institutes, zoological parks, sanctuaries and with private consulting companies.

There is huge demand for wildlife biologists and a wonderful career in wildlife conservation awaits the trained and motivated. But be prepared as there is a lot more to being a wildlife biologist than just looking at animals in forests. All that is good enough only for amateurs. To be a biologist, you need to start making the transition from naturalist to a scientist.

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Naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough’s huge body of work spanning decades is now compiled into an app. Join the legend to explore more than 1000 of the greatest wildlife moments ever filmed — clips from his landmark BBC shows Planet Earth, Blue Planet, Zoo Quest and Life among others.

Explore extraordinary sequences of animals and plants, from iconic large species to rarely-seen enigmatic creatures. See them hunt, eat, travel and communicate in their natural habitats; ranging from the high mountains to the deepest oceans, across deserts, forests and the polar ice caps.

You can filter clips by species, behaviour and habitat, build your own collections and share your favourite moments with friends. The BBC has also included exclusive behind-the-scenes footage for you to hunt down inside the app.

Free for iOS and Android.

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I am a student of Std XII (Science) and I want to pursue wildlife photography. What courses should I take up and which institutions provide such courses?
Priyo Singha

To be a good wildlife photographer, it is essential to love and care for animals. Start observing your surroundings first and shoot common animals and birds. At this stage, a professional camera is not required. Later you can work for travel and geographic magazines, calendars as you travel around capturing waterfalls, landscapes, wildlife and other interesting shades of nature.

Wildlife photography is a specialized branch of photography. First you can join a basic photography course and build knowledge from there. Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad (http://jntu.ac.in) offers BFA (Photography). Other institutes include Xavier’s Institute of Communication, Mumbai (xaviercomm.org); Delhi School of Photography, New Delhi (delhischoolofphotography.in); Bharati Vidyapeeth, Pune (photography.bharatividyapeeth.edu) and National Institute of Photography, Mumbai (focusnip.com).

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