• It is celebrated annually on 23^rd October.
• It came into being in 2013, following the adoption of the Bishkek Declaration in Kyrgyzstan where 12 countries that host snow leopard populations agreed to collaborate in their conservation efforts.
• Host Countries: Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

About Snow Leopards

• Scientific name: Panthera uncia
• They are considered medium-sized cats and are known for their elusive nature and ability to thrive in harsh, high-altitude environments.
• Habitat: They are native to the mountains of Central and South Asia and typically found at elevations between 9,800 and 17,000 feet in mountain ranges, including the Himalayas.
• States: Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Union territories of Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir.
• They are known as "ghosts of the mountains" due to their elusive nature and ability to blend into their surroundings.
• They possess thick, greyish-white fur that provides camouflage against snow and rocks.
• They communicate through growls, hisses, meows and a unique sound called a "chuff."
• Conservation Status
  • International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN): Vulnerable
  • Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES): Appendix I
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I
• As per the Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI) Program, the Snow leopard population is 718 individuals in India.
• The Government of India has identified the snow leopard as a flagship species for the high-altitude Himalayas.
• Hemis National Park in Ladakh is called the Snow Leopard capital of the world.