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Explanation: For
many, the snow leopard is the ultimate symbol of wildness both due to its
appearance and the soaring
mountain habitats where it occurs. Ranging
through twelve countries from Afghanistan through the Himalayas to China
and north to Mongolia, the snow leopard as a species has a huge geographic
range but occurs in low densities throughout because of the scattered nature
of its wild sheep and goat prey.
In most places, the likelihood of encountering the
“Gray Ghost,” as the snow leopard is sometimes referred to by naturalists
and wildlife enthusiasts, is close to zero because it is secretive, superbly
camouflaged, and occurs in vast mountain landscapes where access for people is
usually very limited.
One exception is the northern India region of Ladakh,
where reasonable accessibility and trained local guides with spotting scopes
sometimes locate snow leopards using endless patience, thorough knowledge of
the habitats and habits of individual cats, and a bit of old-fashioned
luck!
A sharp-eyed Ladakhi guide scans the landscape for snow leopards.
The only realistic time for snow leopard viewing is
during the winter breeding season (January to March) when the cats vocalize
and are concentrated into a lower-elevation winter range. That is when my trek
to search for the Gray Ghost began.
Our small group set off in late February with winter
camping gear, several local guides, and high hopes. Within a few hours,
we were hiking up a river valley that brought us into the middle of snow leopard country, but
it was obvious based on the rugged terrain that sighting the elusive cats was
not going to be easy! A small group of bharal
(“blue sheep,” the main snow leopard prey
species) and a soaring lammergeier (“bearded vulture”) were the first
animals encountered on our quest.
It was also obvious that we were not alone in our desire
to view snow leopards based on the large number of tents at the main campsite,
at least partly a result of online photos and reports from the previous winter
detailing successful pursuits of the snow leopards in this area.
A portion of the main campsite along a frozen stream where
snow leopard enthusiasts and guides gathered to begin their search efforts.
Although more eyeballs searching meant that the odds of
a sighting increased, environmental degradation from the small village of
tents and wildlife enthusiasts was a concern that was to become a topic of
conversation at mealtimes and during hikes to and from potential viewing
areas.
At all times, however, we honored the camping ethic of
packing out all that we had packed in, and to leave no damage on the landscape
beyond our footprints on the naked rocks and snow.
Fresh snow leopard tracks along a frozen
stream near our campsite --
conclusive evidence that the Gray Ghost is present in the area!
Follow my journey’s conclusion in next week’s
episode of Ecology Picture of the Week.
To be continued!
Information:
Madan, S., and L. Rawat.
2000. The
impacts of tourism on the environment of Mussoorie, Garhwal Himalaya,
India. The
Environmentalist 20:249-255.
Also see:
Environmental impact of tourism on Himalayas:
http://environmentalissuestt.blogspot.com/
WWF-India urges tourists traveling to the Himalayas
to go green:
http://www.wwfindia.org/?4380/Green-Hiker-campaign
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