Ladakh to launch India’s first high-altitude wildlife safari for snow leopard tourism

Ladakh will introduce India's first high-altitude wildlife safari featuring guided snow leopard and birdwatching tours. The SHAN Conservation Society will oversee community-led conservation, eco-tourism, wildlife awareness and sustainable livelihood initiatives aimed at protecting the region's fragile Himalayan ecosystem

Leh/Jammu: Ladakh is set to launch India’s first high-altitude wildlife safari, with Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena approving guided jeep safaris on snow leopard and birdwatching trails to promote sustainable eco-tourism while making local communities equal partners in wildlife conservation and economic development.

The decision was taken at the first governing body meeting of the newly constituted snow leopard and high-altitude nature (SHAN) conservation society, chaired by the LG, officials said.

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Under the initiative, the forest department has been directed to introduce guided jeep safaris, modelled on those operated in national parks such as Kaziranga and Ranthambore, using specially designed open-back vehicles driven by trained local drivers and guides, they said.

The move aims to curb illegal off-roading and minimise disturbance to wildlife while enhancing visitors’ experience through regulated and eco-friendly tourism, they added.

The forest department has also been asked to identify potential safari routes across Hemis national park, Changthang and Karakoram wildlife sanctuaries, besides wildlife-rich areas such as Nubra, Zanskar, Sham, Kargil and Drass, known for snow leopard sightings and rich birdlife.

As part of the initiative, 20 local youths will be selected and trained in birdwatching, bird identification and bird-spotting skills and equipped with binoculars. Ten birdwatching hides will also be established at major hotspots, they said.

Officials said Ladakh is home to India’s largest snow leopard population, with 477 of the country’s estimated 718 snow leopards.

The Union Territory also supports over 38 mammal species, around 340 bird species and nearly 1,800 vascular plant species, making it one of the country’s most significant biodiversity hotspots.

The SHAN society, constituted on June 16, has been tasked with preparing a comprehensive roadmap for community-led wildlife conservation, waste management, plastic-free tourism, sustainable livelihoods and responsible tourism across Ladakh.

The initiative envisages a governance model in which local communities become active stakeholders in protecting Ladakh’s fragile ecosystem while benefiting economically from conservation-linked tourism.

“Ladakh’s unique wildlife and fragile high-altitude ecosystem are its greatest natural assets. Conservation efforts can succeed only when local communities become equal partners in protecting nature and also benefit economically from it,” Saxena said.

“Through SHAN, we are creating a model that integrates wildlife conservation, responsible eco-tourism, environmental education, community empowerment and sustainable livelihoods. Our vision is to establish Ladakh as a global example of community-led conservation and responsible high-altitude mountain tourism,” he added.

The governing body also approved a series of conservation and awareness measures, including installation of 300 colour-coded waste bins across 40 villages, procurement of portable cart-based dustbins for waste segregation, and the launch of a plastic-free tourism campaign.

It also decided to establish SHAN Wildlife Clubs in 50 government schools with financial support of Rs 30,000 per school to organise wildlife excursions, besides introducing annual wildlife photography fellowships for 10 local youths, they said.

Other initiatives include installation of interpretative signages in protected areas to discourage littering, illegal off-roading and disturbance to wildlife, training 50 women artisans to produce wildlife-themed souvenirs, including miniature replicas of the snow leopard and black-necked crane, and setting up wildlife souvenir shops across Ladakh.

The LG directed all concerned departments to complete preparations before the start of the snow leopard sighting season during the coming winter.