“Earlier, we thought the snow leopard was our enemy,” says Dolma Zangmo, a local resident. “Now we think their conservation is important.”<\/p>\n
Alongside survey work, the women help villagers access government insurance schemes for their livestock and promote the use of predator\u2011proof corrals – stone or mesh enclosures that protect animals at night.<\/p>\n
Their efforts come at a time of growing recognition for the region. Spiti Valley has recently been included in the Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve, a Unesco-recognised network aimed at conserving fragile ecosystems while supporting local livelihoods.<\/p>\n
As climate change reshapes the fragile trans-Himalayan landscape, conservationists say such community participation will be crucial to safeguarding species like the snow leopard.<\/p>\n
“Once communities are involved, conservation becomes more sustainable,” says Deepshikha Sharma, programme manager with NCF’s High Altitudes initiative.<\/p>\n
“These women are not just assisting, they are becoming practitioners of wildlife conservation and monitoring,” she adds.<\/p>\n
As for the women, their work makes them feel closer to their home, the village and the mountains that raised them, they say. <\/p>\n
“We were born here, this is all we know,” Lobzang says. “Sometimes we feel afraid because these snow leopards are after all predatory animals, but this is where we belong.”<\/p>\n
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