Snow leopard’s lowland foray leaves experts puzzled

Lalitpur, Jan. 30: In a small enclosure at the Central Zoo in Jawalakhel, Lalitpur, there is a snow leopard. It is the first time the ‘mountain ghost’ landed in the Zoo, brought there after being rescued from an unusual location.

Normally found in high elevations (2,500 to 5,500 metres), it now remains restricted within a cage, at an altitude of 1,400 metres.

Observing the people in its nervous and confined state within the small cage, the snow leopard might think, "If I were outside, I could hunt them." It might feel uneasy in its small enclosure, perhaps dreaming of hunting in the wild.

It looked tired and aggressive when it was first brought to the Zoo on Wednesday, but by Friday, it started eating a bit of fresh meat and drinking water. The Zoo officials have been giving it antibiotics, painkillers, and vitamins to help it feel better.

It was an exciting moment for journalists, photojournalists, and individuals from various organisations to witness the mountain ghost in captivity in such a low terrain. People were roaming around the captive snow leopard, to have a close look or take pictures with wide-eyed wonder.

This young cub was brought to the zoo from the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve after rescuing it from Charghare of Urlabari Municipality-1 in Morang district on Wednesday. 

The Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC), in coordination with the National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC), organised a press briefing to inform the public about the condition of the rescued snow leopard. 

The briefing, was exclusively for media personnel and individuals as well as organisations working on wildlife conservation to take pictures and gather information, but it was not open to the general public.

Finding a snow leopard in the Tarai lowlands, at just 146 meters above sea level, has sparked a lot of discussion among conservationists. 

Conservationists have different opinions about the sighting. Some believe that the snow leopard may have explored new areas while looking for new territory after leaving its mother. On the other hand, some suspect that it might have been illegally captured and then escaped from the captive or released when its true identity was revealed.

Karan Shah, Professor, Tribhuvan University, who has studied snow leopards for a long time, said it is strange to find a snow leopard in low land Tarai. He thinks someone may have captured the leopard when it was young and then let it go when they found it difficult to tame. 

“The cub cannot travel and come there naturally as it has to walk for many days by crossing many big and small rivers to reach the area where it was rescued,” he expressed.

However, conservation scientist Dr. Madhu Chetri has a different opinion. He explained that young male snow leopards often leave their mothers to find their own territory. 

They can travel long distances, and it is possible this one got lost and ended up in Urlabari.

Unfortunately, experts were not able to examine the snow leopard's condition right away after it was rescued. But they are determined to find out how it ended up in the lowlands.

Director General of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, Dr. Sindhu Prasad Dhungana, informed that the government, with the help of experts, will look into how the snow leopard ended up in the Tarai region. 

The investigation has already started, he added.

He said that they do not plan to keep the snow leopard at the Central Zoo, instead, they intend to release it back into the wild once it fully recovered.

Sharad Chandra Adhikari, Member Secretary of the NTNC, expressed optimism about the snow leopard's speedy recovery so it can be returned to its natural habitat. 

He mentioned two possible scenarios -- either the leopard was raised in captivity and escaped, or it lost its way while searching for its territory. 

Snow leopards are endangered in Nepal, with their numbers decreasing due to various threats like habitat loss and poaching. 

They are usually found in the mountains along the northern border with China, living in protected areas. The government is working hard to protect these beautiful creatures and ensure their survival.

In Nepal, snow leopards are legally protected, but their population is still at risk. 

Conservation efforts are crucial to safeguard these majestic animals and their habitat for future generations.