Ladakh Greenlights Conservation Body for Snow Leopards and Fragile High-Altitude Habitats

Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has approved the constitution of the Snow Leopard and High-Altitude Nature Conservation Society, known as SHAN, to support conservation efforts in the Union Territory’s high-altitude ecosystems. 

Officials in Leh said the society has been set up as a dedicated institutional mechanism for wildlife conservation, biodiversity management and community participation in



environmental protection across Ladakh’s fragile mountain and cold desert landscapes.

The snow leopard, Ladakh’s state animal, is considered a key indicator of the health of the Trans-Himalayan ecosystem. 

Conservationists say protecting the species also helps safeguard mountain habitats, prey populations, watersheds and biodiversity that support local communities in the region.