A new survey has recorded 39 endangered snow leopards in the Namkha Rural Municipality of Humla District. 

The survey was conducted between 2022 and 2023 by the Division Forest Office, Humla, in collaboration with Upper Karnali Landscape Initiatives (UKALI) and Third Pole Conservation.

Researchers had installed 61 camera traps across the region, making it the most extensive study of snow leopards conducted outside protected areas in Nepal. Namkha, which borders the Tibet Autonomous Region and spans approximately 2,419.64 sq kms.

Lead researcher Rinzin Phunjok Lama, recipient of the Rolex Award for Enterprise, funded the project despite early financial challenges.

Nepal is home to an estimated 400 snow leopards, with the global population ranging between 3,921 and 6,290. The species is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The government has prioritised snow leopard conservation from 2024 to 2030, with growing support from local communities.