Protecting Snow Leopards in Nepal forests

The snow leopard is commonly found in the high altitudes of central Asia. With less than 10,000 mature individuals, it is an endangered specie. More and more leopard excursions in Kathmandu are becoming frequent over the years. They are observed on streets, gardens, and even houses, threatening the life of people. As urban Kathmandu continues to expand, it encroaches more and more on the surrounding forests—the habitat of the leopard. This is the primary reason behind such recurring leopard excursions, say wildlife conservationists and national park officials.

Our crowddroner Sunil created this map from Nepal. We can notice how houses are constructed next to trees and very close to the forest. With less space for them to hunt, the leopards are forced to come out to the city in search of food and habitat.

But the number of leopard straying does not reflect the real costs that urban expansion is inflicting on these cats. An estimated 66 percent of their range in Africa and 85 percent in Eurasia—the two regions of the world where leopard populations thrive—have been destroyed over the past five decades. In many areas around the world, the only alternative left for these big cats is to attempt to survive alongside humans.

With accurate drone data, we can map out the extent of cities, monitor the growth of forests, and make sure that we do not tamper with the habitat of these leopards to preserve them.

Green urban space engineered with bio-corridors between forests allow human to live with wildlife in harmony which is a sustainable solution for human-wildlife conflicts. Drones has important part to play to map these movements. - Sunil Bogati

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