Drass, October 23, 2026: The Department of Zoology, Government Degree College (GDC) Drass, celebrated International Snow Leopard Day 2026 with a series of educational and conservation-oriented activities aimed at promoting snow leopard conservation, human–wildlife coexistence and student participation in citizen science.
The programme featured a keynote address by Dr. Koustubh Sharma, Director of Global Partnerships, International Snow Leopard Trust, and International Coordinator of the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection (GSLEP) Programme. In his video presentation, Dr. Sharma highlighted the importance of snow leopard conservation across the Himalayan countries.
Dr. Sharma appreciated the college’s initiative in documenting human–bear interactions and congratulated the students and faculty for their significant contribution to conservation. He also stated that he would highlight this student- and faculty-led initiative in his address at the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP), recognising the contribution of a small Himalayan college towards addressing an important conservation challenge.
A major highlight of the programme was the unveiling and presentation of the Human–Wildlife Interaction Atlas of Drass District by Dr. Javed M. Iqbal, Convener and Principal Investigator. The atlas is a student-led citizen science initiative documenting reported human–bear interactions across 17 villages of Drass District, Ladakh.
The initiative involved 32 student researchers and three faculty members of GDC Drass, who contributed to collecting and documenting information on human–bear interactions at the village level. The initiative aims to strengthen understanding of human–wildlife interactions and support conservation efforts through community-level documentation and student engagement.
The programme also featured a student presentation titled “The Ghost of the Mountains: Understanding and Conserving the Snow Leopard” by Ms. Kulsoom Banoo, a first-semester B.Sc. student of GDC Drass, highlighting the importance of protecting the snow leopard and its fragile Himalayan habitat.
As part of the global #23for23 campaign, students participated in an augmented reality (AR)-based eco-educational experience to mark International Snow Leopard Day. The programme also included a creative activity titled “Sketch and Colour the Snow Leopard” for students of Government Middle School Thrungos, Drass, encouraging young learners to express their interest in wildlife conservation through art.
The programme was held under the patronage of Mr. M. N. M. Shabani, Principal, Government Degree College Drass, and coordinated by the Department of Zoology with the support of conveners Dr. Javed M. Iqbal, Dr. Shabir Hussain and Dr. Mansoor, along with the college faculty and student community.
The proceedings were conducted by Ms. Khatija Banoo, a third-semester B.Sc. Zoology student of GDC Drass.
The celebration underscored the importance of academic institutions in promoting environmental awareness, encouraging youth participation in citizen science and advancing human–wildlife coexistence in the Himalayan region.
