India Marks International Snow Leopard Day with Nationwide ‘#23for23 Initiative’
First-ever Snow Leopard Census recorded 718 individual Snow Leopards across the Indian Himalayas: Shri Bhupender Yadav
India today observed International Snow Leopard Day with a unique initiative titled ‘#23for23’, encouraging people across the country to engage in physical activities for 23 minutes to raise awareness about the conservation of snow leopards and their fragile habitats.
Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, led the celebrations and lauded the participation of citizens, institutions, and the Indian Army in this creative awareness campaign.
Highlighting India’s conservation success under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Minister noted that the country’s snow leopard conservation programme has shown encouraging results. The recently concluded first-ever Snow Leopard Census has recorded 718 individual snow leopards across the Indian Himalayas, with Ladakh alone hosting 477 of them.
The International Snow Leopard Day marks a reaffirmation of India’s dedication to the goals of the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Programme (GSLEP) and reflects the Nation’s continued emphasis on science-based monitoring, habitat protection, and community engagement for ensuring the long-term survival of this iconic species.
