U'khand to come up with snow leopard conservation centre

The Uttarakhand government will set up a snow leopard conservation centre in Uttarkashi to give a boost to winter tourism in the hill state. At present, the state has 86 snow leopards and a majority of them have been sighted in Uttarkashi and Pithoragarh districts, according to camera trap records and various researches in the field.

The Uttarakhand government will set up a snow leopard conservation centre in Uttarkashi to give a boost to winter tourism in the hill state. The centre will come up at Lanka in Bhairoghhati area of Uttarkashi forest division, Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat announced on Saturday.

Rawat held a meeting with Forest Minister Harak Singh Rawat and directed officials to conduct a census of snow leopards by identifying areas where they have been sighted in recent years. At present, the state has 86 snow leopards and a majority of them have been sighted in Uttarkashi and Pithoragarh districts, according to camera trap records and various researches in the field.