Population genetics of the snow leopards (Panthera uncia) from the Western Himalayas, India

The snow leopard (Panthera uncia), one of the most threatened felids distributed along the high-altitude mountains in the Himalayas, has experienced a steady population decline in most of its distribution range due to the loss of suitable habitats, anthropogenic activities, and retaliatory killings. We undertook the genetic assessment of the snow leopard in the Western Himalaya, India, and identified 18 unique individuals. The snow leopard populations exhibited moderate genetic variability, i.e., effective number of alleles = 3.96 +/- 0.004, observed heterozygosity = 0.539 +/- 0.038 and no variation at mtDNA. We found the snow leopard populations under panmixia, possibly due to the long-ranging behavior and dispersal patterns. We present the first population genetic account of the snow leopard from the Western Himalayas and discuss the importance of non-invasive genetics in monitoring the snow leopard population in the tough terrain of the trans-Himalayan region of India.

Automated summary

Genetic assessment of snow leopard in the Western Himalaya, India, revealed 18 unique individuals with moderate genetic variability. The populations were found to be under panmixia, possibly due to long-ranging behavior and dispersal patterns. This study provides valuable insights into the population genetics of snow leopards in the trans-Himalayan region of India.