For centuries, agro-pastoral communities in the Trans-Himalayas have coexisted with predators like snow leopards, wolves, and brown bears. However, conflicts arise as predators attack livestock and bears damage crops, threatening both livelihoods and wildlife. 

In Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh, we’ve implemented a series of innovative conservation initiatives to address this issue. Our local team of eight, guided by the PARTNERS principles (Presence, Aptness, Responsiveness, Transparency, Negotiation, Empathy, Respect, and Strategic Support), is dedicated to fostering peaceful coexistence between humans and wildlife. Their efforts include spearheading the long-term snow leopard monitoring program in the Upper Spiti Landscape, a cornerstone of our conservation strategy.

One of the biggest challenges we face in these areas is the sheer scale of the landscape. Spanning over 20,000 square kilometers and covering more than 200 villages, the vastness of the area makes it nearly impossible for a small team to be present everywhere. To address this, we launched an initiative to develop local capacity through ‘Conservation Champions’. These individuals are trained to respond promptly to human-wildlife conflicts in their communities, helping reduce the likelihood of retaliation against wildlife.

In recent years, we have engaged champions across Spiti, Kinnaur, and Lahaul. These champions play a key role in ensuring that communities affected by conflict-related losses, particularly livestock depredation, have access to forest department compensation. Their presence has been instrumental in reducing incidents of retaliation against wildlife. Spiti is a critical habitat for snow leopards, but neighbouring valleys such as Hangrang in Upper Kinnaur, and Bhaga and Miyar in Lahaul are equally important for snow leopard conservation and other predators like wolves and bears. Our focus now is on strengthening the network of champions in these areas, where they will serve as the first point of contact for communities in emergencies related to wildlife conflicts, while continuing engagement with champions in Spiti.

In addition to on-the-ground support, we have developed a communication system to streamline conflict response. Where connectivity permits, champions and communities can use a dedicated phone number to report incidents, with WhatsApp groups facilitating fast communication. This system has enabled the prompt reporting and resolution of conflict cases, mostly involving livestock depredation by snow leopards. A key part of our conflict mitigation strategy is documentation.

Our network of local champions ensures that our conservation efforts are sustainable, building resilience within communities and helping secure a future where people and wildlife can thrive together.