Snow Leopard seen for the first time in Uttarakhand’s Darma Valley

In the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand’s Darma valley, a snow leopard has been seen for the first time.

On February 6, a group of researchers looking for high-Himalayan fauna discovered a lone member of this uncommon species in a snowy area above Dar village, says Pithoragarh Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Mohan Dagare.

He stated that the snow leopard was photographed by the explorers at a distance of roughly 20 metres.

According to Mr. Dagare, this is the first time a snow leopard has been discovered at these elevations.

Dar town is situated at just over 11,120 feet, but snow leopards are often found at elevations of over 12,000 feet.

The DFO says that, the animal may have left its natural habitat because of excessive snowfall in the higher elevations.

He said that snow leopards had previously been observed in the Ladakh region, sections of Himachal Pradesh, and the Nanda Devi range of the Garhwal Mountains.

The snow leopard, often referred to as the Ounce, is classified as vulnerable on the Red List by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).