PHIDIM: Conservationists have successfully collared a snow leopard with a satellite-GPS device at the foot of Kanchanjunga, the world’s third tallest mountain.

Conservationists had trapped the snow leopard at Yangma of Olangchunggola VDC in Kanchenjunga Conservation Area and collared it with the satellite device two weeks ago.

Issuing a press statement today, World Wildlife Fund said that officials and technicians from World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Nature Conservation Fund, Kanchenjunga’s Area Development Council, and Snow Leopard Conservation Committee had succeeded in collaring the snow leopard.

Earlier, a snow leopard was collared with a satellite tracking device at Taplejung’s Khambachen area for the first time in 2013.

As many as four teams were deployed in the Kanchanjunga Conservation Area to collar the leopard.

Anil Shrestha, senior research officer at WWF, said the mobilised teams had set 28 traps in the areas identified as habitat of the snow leopard.

The snow leopard, a 41 kg adult male, approximately five years of age, was captured at Yangma, collared with a GPS-device, and released into the forest on May 21, 2015. Shrestha informed that after incessant efforts lasting 25 days, it took as many as 28 people to trap the snow leopard and install the device on its throat.

He added that the data received from the device would enable conservationists to identify the beast’s behaviour, nature and lifestyle.