Tracks of the wild: A boy’s journey into snow leopard’s habitat

“I never imagined a snow leopard’s habitat would look like this,” said Sajal Tilija, a seventh grader at Janabal Secondary School in Marpha, Mustang, as he stood in a rugged grassland near the base of a massive, barren mountain. “From what I’d read, I thought it would be a desert—dry and all red. But instead, I found some greenery, with pine trees and prickly shrubs,” he added.

Sajal was participating in a camp in Mustang to learn about the elusive snow leopard. He was joined by two classmates, a teacher, and students from other schools. Other participants included field rangers, citizen scientists, artists, journalists, trainers, photographers, community members, and conservationists. The two-day Snow Leopard Scout Monitoring Camp took place in Thorangphedi and Chongur grasslands, near the holy Muktinath temple, on August 29-30, 2024.

“We mostly learned about the local landscape and how climate change is affecting the snow leopard’s habitat. We also learned about snowstorms, avalanches, and how to stay safe in those situations,” Sajal shared.

The participants were also taught how to use camera traps and the essential tools for snow leopard monitoring, like GPS devices, spotting scopes, and binoculars.

At one point during the camp, a group of locals excitedly shouted after spotting a blue sheep on a distant hilltop. Everyone quickly grabbed their binoculars, scopes, and cameras to take a closer look. “It wasn’t easy to spot the blue sheep sitting so far away,” Sajal recalled. “Focusing the lenses was tough. The sheep sat proudly, like a king, high on the ridge above the rocks.”

The camp has been held in Mustang since 2011, providing students with hands-on training in snow leopard monitoring and teaching them to observe their natural habitat, including potential prey species. This initiative continues with support from the Snow Leopard Conservancy, while Teka Samuha Nepal organized this year’s event.

After returning to school, Sajal eagerly shared his adventure with his friends. “I wrote everything in my diary! We spotted a pika, a red fox, and even a mother blue sheep with her baby. We sometimes see blue sheep near the village, but this time felt special. No one believed we found red fox scat!” he said excitedly. He also explained how they set up camera traps and used GPS during the camp.

At school, conservation teacher Amar Ghatane showed images of snow leopards on a projector and encouraged students to share what they had learned with their families and community. “I often tell my sisters and grandmother about snow leopards,” Sajal said proudly.

Sajal’s elder sister, Prasansa, noted how keen he is to share his knowledge. “He’s always learning and sharing something new,” she said. “When we’re out gathering firewood, he reminds me how important it is to protect snow leopards because their extinction would hurt the environment.”

Laxmi, Sajal’s mother, remembered a time when snow leopards preyed on her goats and cows while she lived in a remote area called ‘Chhair’. Now, living in Marpha, jackals prey on her chickens. “Sajal once told me that snow leopards are smaller than tigers,” she recalled. “They live in the mountains and depend on natural prey, mainly blue sheep, which sometimes come into our village.”

The story of snow leopards and human coexistence is playing out in Nepal’s Himalayas. Sajal is just one example of students involved in snow leopard conservation education, an initiative spreading through Mustang and Taplejung. The program raises awareness among students, encourages positive messages within communities that share habitats with snow leopards, and advocates for including conservation topics in local textbooks—working toward long-term sustainability and institutionalizing these efforts.