Snow Leopard Survey Commences in Mustang

The Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) has officially launched the first detailed survey to determine the exact population of snow leopards in the Mustang district. Starting Saturday, technical teams began deploying camera traps across four local municipalities. While previous monitoring efforts provided general information about the species’ habitat, this initiative marks the first time a scientific grid system has been used to establish a definitive count.

To ensure accuracy, ACAP has established a standardized grid across Upper and Lower Mustang. Umesh Paudel, head of the ACAP office in Lo Manthang, stated that 161 camera trap locations have been mapped at intervals of five kilometers. The timing of the survey is strategic; during the winter season, snow leopards and their prey typically migrate to lower altitudes to avoid heavy snow in the high mountains, making them easier to track.

The survey utilizes a coordinated network of specialized equipment. Currently, 111 cameras are being activated simultaneously, including 99 units in Upper Mustang and 16 units previously installed by ACAP and Biocos Nepal in the Varagung Muktikshetra and Gharapjhong areas. The cameras are designed to trigger automatically when they detect movement, capturing high-resolution images of the elusive predators.

A specialized workforce has been deployed to manage the field operations. ACAP has divided its personnel into three distinct blocks, consisting of more than a dozen technicians and local experts. These teams are responsible for installing the equipment in rugged terrain and monitoring the grid locations to ensure the cameras remain functional throughout the survey period.

The cameras are scheduled to remain in the field for several months to capture sufficient data. While the project allows for a maximum of six months of monitoring, ACAP plans to retrieve the devices by the end of April. Once the cameras are collected, the captured images will undergo rigorous analysis to identify individual snow leopards and calculate the total population density in the region.