Long term conservation management plan has been implemented in (Wikramanayake, 1995). CONCLUSION Pro-conservation development programmes must be initiated like and community education, alternate economic opportunities for local people, along with scientific surveys and studies should be taken as soon as possible to gather baseline data which will help in formulating conservation plans. 2.3 STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION The total area of snow leopard habitat in China is estimated to be about 1,100,000 sq.km with 2,000-2,500 individuals (Fox, 1994), whereas potential habitat was estimated as 1,824,316 sq.km by Hunter & Jackson (1997), making china the most important country with as much as 60% of snow leopard range. Approximately 6% of this is to be under protected coverage (Hunter & Jackson, 1997). Snow leopards are present in six provinces or autonomous regions (, , , , Xinjiang and Xizang or ), but are on the verge of the extinction in . The snow leopard is severely affected throughout , but especially in Quinghai province. The distribution of snow leopard in has changed dramatically for several decades. The distribution areas have lessened then before in , and whereas increased in Xinjiang province but province is a new province added to the snow leopard distribution in recently. In province the districts i.e. southern flanks of Yinshan and Wulashan have reported snow leopard (yonzu, 1997). But it is said to be on the verge of extinction
National park (2,390sq.km) of Uttranchal, Kanchendzonga National Park (1,784sq.km) of Sikkim, Great Himalayan National Park (754sq.km) of Himanchal Pradesh, Nandadevi National Park (630sq.km) of Uttranchal, Govind National Park (472sq.km) of Uttranchal, Kishtwar National Park (400 sq.km), and Dachigam National Park (141sq.km) of Jammu & Kashmir, Valley of Flowers National Park (88sq.km) Uttranchal, Namdhapha National park (1,985sq.km) of Arunachal Pradesh and Wildlife Sanctuaries being Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary (957sq.km) Uttranchal, Sangla Wildlife Sanctuary (650sq.km) of Himanchal Pradesh, Askot Wildlife Sanctuary (600sq.km) Uttranchal, Govind Pashu Vihar Wildlife Sanctuary (481sq.km) of Himanchal Pradesh, Lipa-Asrang Wildlife Sanctuary (31sq.km) of Himanchal Pradesh, Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary (4,149sq.km) of Arunchal Pradesh, Sechu Tuan Nala Wildlife Sanctuary (103sq.km) of Himanchal Pradesh, Sainj Wildlife Sanctuary (90sq.km) of Himanchal Pradesh, Kanawar Wildlife Sanctuary (54 sq.km) of Himanchal Pradesh, Manali Wildlife Sanctuary (32sq.km) of Himanchal Pradesh may have snow leopards. Many of the Protected areas in the Greater Himalayas are having very small areas as snow leopard habitat and to such extent that they are not yet documented. And three National Parks and Five Wildlife Sanctuaries are such that presence of snow leopard is very doubtful because of small amounts of alpine habitat present in these protected areas is separated by snow leopard range by extensive forest cover (Jackson, 2002). THREATS AND CONSERVATION The snow leopard is often killed because it is seen as a menace to livestock (Chundawat et al., 1988). Mallon (1984) reported the killing of over ten snow leopards in the in the early 1980’s due to livestock lifting. One of the main reasons