KVO's field research team, in partnership with WWF Pakistan and Snow Leopard Trust, has completed the 2026 population census of snow leopards across Khunjrab National Park and the surrounding buffer zones. The results are encouraging: a total of 34 individual snow leopards were identified through camera trap images, pug mark surveys, and community sighting records — a 12% increase compared to the 2025 count.
Survey Methodology
The census used a combination of 62 camera traps deployed across 1,200 square kilometres of habitat, along with structured transect walks conducted by trained local rangers from six villages including Shimshal, Misgar, and Khunjerav. Each camera trap station was active for 60 consecutive days between November 2025 and January 2026, capturing a total of 4,800 trap-nights of data.
Community Rangers: The Backbone of Conservation
Much of the success of this year's survey is attributed to KVO's community ranger network. Twenty-two local rangers from Upper Gojal participated in the census, contributing over 1,800 hours of field time. Their deep knowledge of the terrain and traditional ecological knowledge proved invaluable in locating camera trap sites and interpreting animal behaviour.
"Seeing the numbers go up every year gives us hope," said Ali Khan, a community ranger from Shimshal. "Our grandfathers shared this land with these cats. We want our grandchildren to do the same."
What's Next
KVO will present the full census report at the upcoming Karakoram Conservation Conference in Gilgit in April 2026. The organisation is also working to expand the camera trap network by 20 stations in the Kilik-Mintaka corridor during the coming summer season.