Mustang, Dec 22: A snow leopard population survey has begun for the first time in Mustang with the objective of determining the actual number of the elusive species in the district.
The Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), Mustang, has launched the survey through systematic camera trapping across four local levels since Saturday. The initiative marks a significant step toward scientific assessment of snow leopard populations in both Lower and Upper Mustang.
Although ACAP and other concerned organizations had previously conducted camera trapping in areas identified as potential snow leopard habitats, those efforts were insufficient to ascertain the species’ exact population, officials said.
Chief of ACAP Lomanthang, Umesh Poudel, said a total of 161 camera-trapping grids have been determined at intervals of five kilometres across Mustang. In addition, considering the recent trend of snow leopards descending to lower elevations in search of food during the winter season, Biocos Nepal and ACAP have installed 111 cameras at six additional locations in the Baragaon Mukti area and Gharapjhong Rural Municipality.
ACAP Lomanthang has divided human resources into three blocks for the camera-trapping operation, deputing more than a dozen personnel in the field. ACAP technicians, along with locally recruited human resources, are providing technical and logistical support, Poudel said.
The cameras will remain installed in the field for up to six months to collect sufficient data for the population assessment. #leopard #mustang #nepal
