Predator enters livestock pen in Marfa; incident comes as Nepal reports updated national snow leopard estimate
KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 12
Nineteen livestock were killed in a snow leopard attack near the Temperate Horticulture Development Centre at Gharpajong-2, Marfa, on Wednesday night.
According to the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) Jomsom, the snow leopard entered the sheep pen of local resident Santosh Pariyar, killing 16 sheep and three mountain goats. Pariyar had 45 sheep in total. The estimated loss amounts to around Rs 600,000, ACAP Jomsom chief Rajesh Gupta said. Teams from ACAP and the District Police Office have reached the site for on-ground assessment.
Incidents of human–snow leopard conflict have become increasingly visible in Mustang in recent years, particularly during winter, when lack of grass in higher grazing areas pushes the predators closer to human settlements in search of prey. Climate-change-driven shifts in habitat and prey availability have further complicated coexistence, prompting some herders in the district to abandon livestock rearing.
Nepal recently announced a revised national estimate of its snow leopard population, marking a major milestone in conservation efforts. The country now estimates 397 snow leopards across its mountainous range, with an average density of 1.56 individuals per 100 square kilometres. The assessment, led by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation and the Department of Forests and Soil Conservation, analysed data collected from 2015 to 2024 across seven regions, according to a WWF Nepal press release.
(With inputs from RSS)