In collaboration with Biocos Nepal and ACAP, cameras have been installed in the highlands of Mustang to study the number, diet, and conflict status of snow leopards.
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A study has been launched to determine the number of rare snow leopards in the mountainous district of Mustang.
Biocos Nepal and Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), Area Conservation Office Jomsom have jointly coordinated and collaborated to conduct a study and research through camera trapping to determine the number of snow leopards in the highlands here.
Biocos Nepal's field biologist Buddhi Bahadur Gurung informed that the study was started to determine the number of snow leopards in the highlands under Baragung Muktikshetra Rural Municipality here, to find out the status of food species and the conflict between humans and snow leopards. According to him, 15 cameras have been installed in the highlands of Jhong, Pudak, Chengur, Thorangphedi, Phalyak, Dharkajung and Mustang-Dolpa road of Baragung Muktikshetra here since last week.
He informed that now there is a program to install more cameras in the highlands of Syang, Marpha and Chimang villages under Gharpajhong Rural Municipality. Biocos representative biologist Gurung and assistant Praveen Lama are working on the camera installation. Similarly, Natural Resources Conservation Assistant Deepak Oli from ACAP Jomsom is also in the team.
The cameras placed in the potential habitat of the snow leopard will remain for two months. Biologist Gurung said that after two months, the camera will be taken out and the software will be updated to start collecting detailed information about the snow leopard. The data will be transferred to all ACAPs.
Biocos Nepal has been conducting camera trapping and other activities to study the snow leopard in various areas of the Annapurna Conservation Area Project. Camera trapping was conducted continuously in Manang for four years since 2022.
Recently, conflict between snow leopards and humans has increased in Mustang. Snow leopards are repeatedly leaving the highlands and entering roads and settlements, and entering the herds of livestock farmers here, causing damage to livestock and other animals. Due to climate change, grass has stopped growing in the pastures at high altitudes and water sources have dried up, and it has been found that the snow leopard's food source is moving down to the rivers and settlements.
