A new study by the Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF) and Wildlife Protection Department of Jammu & Kashmir has confirmed year-round presence and breeding activity of snow leopards in the Union Territory. It marks a significant breakthrough for high-altitude biodiversity conservation in India. 

Conducted between 2022 and 2025 across the Kishtwar Himalayas, this effort was launched under the nationwide Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI) protocol.

While earlier years confirmed the presence of snow leopards in the Union Territory for the first time, the 2024–25 phase brought new insights — recording snow leopards during winter months in both Paddar (Jammu division) and Zojila (Kashmir division). This suggests year-round use of the landscape, a critical indicator of stable habitat and a resident population.

Over 3,000 camera trap nights across Kishtwar High Altitude National Park (KHANP), Paddar, and Zojila resulted in the identification of at least 12 adult snow leopards, with an estimated presence of up to 20 individuals. Notably, the presence of at least a mother with cubs in Kishtwar confirms that this is a breeding population.

“These findings reaffirm the importance of Jammu and Kashmir as a key snow leopard stronghold. It is time to treat the Kishtwar Himalayas not as isolated valleys, but as part of an interconnected conservation landscape,” said Dr Shahid Hameed, Wildlife Research and Project Coordinator at NCF.