Project report

Project summary

Known as a haven for high-elevation wildlife, Zanskar in Ladakh is an important habitat for snow leopards. It is also home to 81 villages and over 15,000 people with 30,000 livestock. Snow leopards are under threat in this region in part because of their propensity to kill livestock in poorly constructed corrals at night - fuelling human-wildlife conflict.

In Zanskar, rampant infrastructure development, mass tourism and the exodus of youth from villages to bigger cities have also been detrimental to wildlife conservation - as well as to traditional livelihoods.

This project, in partnership with the Snow Leopard Conservancy India Trust, targets vulnerable groups, including women, youth and low-income families in remote parts of Ladakh, to address human-snow leopard conflicts and promote conservation. Key interventions include:

• Building snow leopard-proof corrals to reduce livestock losses and foster positive community attitudes toward conservation.
• Creating sustainable income opportunities through ecotourism and handicraft development, focusing on marginalised youth and women.
• Strengthening community-government collaboration to ensure long-term habitat protection and support for conservation initiatives.
• Raising awareness among college students about snow leopards’ ecological importance, climate change impacts and conservation needs.

By reducing conflict and promoting sustainable livelihoods, the project aims to secure a future for snow leopards and the communities of Zanskar.

Key project outcomes

In the first two years of the project, to April 30 2025, program highlights included:

Snow leopard-proof corral construction

At the start of the project, a pre-intervention survey identified 44 instances of livestock depredation by snow leopards within corrals across the five targeted villages. To address this issue, the project prioritised the construction of 12 snow leopard-proof corrals in these areas during the first two years of the project (five in Year 1 and seven in Year 2 of the project). They are now protecting the livestock of 1,612 people from 229 households in Icher, Lingshed, Zangla, Pan Kumic and Muney.

These corrals were strategically allocated to households most affected by livestock losses. Their completion represents a significant step in protecting livelihoods. Since the construction of these corrals, no incidents of livestock depredation inside the structures have been reported, demonstrating the effectiveness of this intervention in mitigating conflicts between communities and snow leopards.

Handicraft training for local women

The handicraft initiative aimed to improve livelihoods for low-income, agro-pastoralist women to reduce economic dependence on livestock and strengthen community support for snow leopard conservation. In Year 1, 30 women were trained to create snow leopard-themed crafts, with ongoing monitoring to support production for sale.

By Year 2, 57% earned supplemental income totaling ?69,050, especially in Zangla where regular tourist visits supported higher earnings. Lower production in Cha and Karsha was due to competing household duties and limited market access.

To work towards the 80% income-earning target, follow-up training, product diversification and a new hotel partnership in Zanskar are underway aimed at boosting visibility, improving market access and supporting long-term income generation.

Training marginalised youth as nature guides

An open call for applications was issued for a four-day Nature Guide Training in June 2024 at the Padum Tourism Centre, in collaboration with the Zanskar Tourism Department. Fourteen youths (13 men, 1 woman) completed the training, which was scheduled to align with their guiding responsibilities during peak tourist season.

The course covered local biodiversity, guiding skills, communication, safety protocols and conservation practices. It included field visits to Shila Phu and Tungri for hands-on wildlife observation, with expert input from local guides and a bird specialist from Leh.

Post-training follow-ups showed that 8 out of 14 participants (57%) secured guiding work, reporting improved confidence and client interaction. Future activities will focus on expanding outreach, increasing female participation and certifying more guides from additional villages.

By equipping local youth to become nature guides, the training supports sustainable tourism in Zanskar and the protection of snow leopard habitats.

The uptake of conservation initiatives by government bodies and local village institutions

To embed conservation into local governance systems and support sustainability the project team facilitated participatory planning sessions in Zangla and Stongdey using village action plans developed in year 1. A series of meetings involved key stakeholders, including village assemblies, the Executive Councillor, Block Development Officer, informal committees, women’s groups and the Zangla Nunnery who collaborated together on identifying priorities for conservation. Key outcomes from this community and local government coordination included:

• Approval for the local government to fund 10 predator-proof corrals
• Expanding waste management initiatives supported by the local government
• Women-led initiatives promoting reusable tableware at community events
• Strengthened collaboration with the Zangla Nunnery on waste and biodiversity issues

Appointment of formal environment committee member roles in both Zangla and Stongdey villages to oversee waste, water, tourism and conservation concerns. These outcomes have laid a strong foundation for enhanced cooperation and coordination between local government agencies and village institutions, supporting the long-term sustainability of snow leopard conservation efforts.

Research conducted by college students on snow leopards and the local ecology

In July Year 2, a proposal was submitted to Degree College Zanskar to involve students (ensuring at least 30% female participation) in biodiversity awareness and ecological surveys. An August orientation workshop engaged 43 students and 13 faculty, with experts presenting on Ladakh’s ecosystems, wildlife, and climate issues, concluding with training in field survey methods.

Twelve interested students (all girls) then joined a field survey in Honya Valley, Zangla, led by project staff. They received online and on-site training in vegetation sampling and animal sign surveys, most experiencing ecological fieldwork for the first time, encouraging their interest in local environmental research and fostering emerging leadership in conservation.

Pre- and post-assessments were conducted to measure changes in ecological literacy, with student presentation and findings due in Year 3. The activity meaningfully strengthened ecological awareness and field skills among Zanskar youth, laying the groundwork for future conservation leadership, deepening understanding of the snow leopard’s role in mountain ecosystems and raising awareness of climate change impacts and the importance of species conservation

Challenges

During the reporting period, the project faced challenges that impacted some participation and outcomes across different activities. Some women struggled to engage fully in handicraft production due to household, village and religious responsibilities, along with limited market access, resulting in lower-than-targeted income generation. Similarly, participation in the Nature Guide Training and ecological surveys fell short of targets, partly due to scheduling conflicts with tourist seasons and academic calendars, which highlighted the need for better coordination with local guides and the college. These challenges underscored the need for adaptive planning, identifying barriers to participation and stronger communication mechanisms in the next year to enhance engagement and inclusivity across all project components.

Lessons learned

• Close collaboration with local government enables communities to gain a clearer understanding of local government plans and strategy. This engagement has also provided a platform for community members to express their needs and priorities directly to local authorities.
• Timely communication with college administration is key to involving students effectively, given their academic schedules and long breaks. More broadly, regular and open communication proved essential across all activities, to maintain partnerships, address community needs, gather feedback and adapt plans accordingly.

What’s next?

In the third and last year of the project:

• Construction of 7 new snow leopard-proof corrals and monitoring of all existing corrals, including 10 government-funded corrals to ensure they follow the SLC-IT design and are fully predator-proof.
• Support for women’s handicraft production and income generation, including refresher training and liaison with local outlets to improve sales.
• Refresher training and employment support for youth nature guides to enhance skills and job opportunities.
• Strengthening of community conservation governance structures in two villages by supporting implementation of action plans and improving coordination with local government.
• Engagement of college students in ecological literacy and field-based research, including village presentations to raise awareness about the importance of snow leopard conservation.
• Implementation of post intervention surveys to assess % increase of people supportive of snow leopards and their habitat conservation at the end of the project.
• External evaluation of project impact with recommendations to guide future programming and sustainability planning.