Safari in snow leopard home? Conservationists say Ladakh is no Kaziranga
Conservationists are raising concerns over the Ladakh government's plan to introduce guided wildlife safaris for snow leopard spotting. Experts argue that the fragile high-altitude ecosystem is not suitable for the mass-tourism model used in parks like Kaziranga.
Why it matters
The debate highlights the tension between promoting tourism revenue and preserving endangered species in sensitive ecological zones.
SRINAGAR: A safari car can roll past a rhino in Kaziranga. In Ranthambore, it can track a tiger. Put that car in Ladakh. For its elusive snow leopards — masters of camouflage in a landscape where survival depends on staying unseen — the question is whether tourism can get close enough to see them without making them disappear for good.Ladakh has planned to introduce guided wildlife safaris on popular snow leopard and bird-watching trails, triggering warnings from conservationists that turning a fragile high-altitude wilderness into a tourist circuit could disturb wildlife, commercialise off-roading and open the door to roads, eateries and other tourism infrastructure.“You cannot see a snow leopard from a jeep unless you do something illegal like placing bait or a sheep to lure it,” said Dr MK Ranjitsinh, emeritus member of Wildlife Trust of India, who has spent nearly 50 years shaping conservation strategies and played a key…
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