Uttarakhand Tourism To Organise First Ever Snow Leopard Tours In State's Uttarkashi District In February

Uttarakhand Tourism is all set to organise snow leopard tours in the state. These tours will be organised in Harsil, Uttarkashi district.

The tours are part of the SECURE Himalaya Project — Securing livelihoods, conservation, sustainable use and restoration of high range Himalayan ecosystems.

The programme is reportedly led by the Indian government and United Nations Development Programme(UNDP). With Global Environment Facility (GEF)'s support, it aims to work towards the conservation of "locally and globally significant biodiversity" and the land and forest resources in the upper Himalayan ecosystem.

Uttarakhand launched India’s first Snow Leopard Conservation Centre in Uttarkashi last year. The state reportedly has 86 snow leopards.

The snow leopard is a Schedule I animal under India's Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, under which the animals are provided absolute protection and offences under this Schedule are prescribed the highest penalties.