01. Photographer pick: Sascha Fonseca
Sascha is a photographer whose current project is photographing snow leopards, one of the most iconic animals of the Himalayan region. Fonseca is from Germany and specializes in photographing big cats. His photo “World of the snow leopard” won the Wildlife Photographer of the Year People's Choice Award. His work can be seen at https://instagram.com/sascha.fonseca and https://saschafonseca.com.
There could be as few as 4,000 snow leopards left in the wild, though they’re elusive animals so the exact number is uncertain. Photo by Sascha Fonseca
02. Article pick: Best of 2022 on The Third Pole: The complexity of saving Himalayan biodiversity
This article in The Third Pole is actually a compilation of the best articles written on the site that have to do with biodiversity in the Himalayan region, all of which are worth reading. This article itself goes into the UN Convention on Biological Diversity CoP15 summit held at the end of 2022, whose goal is to reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. Other stories touched on here are how Himalayan wolves have made a recent resurgence, which is only known because of the livestock they’ve killed, and how invasive species are making their way into the Himalayan region.
Animal life is more abundant in the foothills of the Himalayas than in the mountainous regions, with animals such as rhinos and tigers being a part of the population. Photo by Ashes Sitoula, Unsplash.
03. Book pick: Wildlife of the Himalayas and the Terai Region
“Wildlife of the Himalayas and the Terai Region” by B.F. Chhapgar and Ashok S. Kothari is a 2012 book that discusses the wildlife of the Himalayas, its foothills, and the adjoining terai and duar grassland-forests. It includes many photographs and illustrations, and is the fourth in the Bombay Natural History Society's series of books about India’s flora and fauna. Chhapgar is a scientific writer who has discovered six animal species, written over a hundred scientific papers and articles and 13 books. Kothari is Honorary Secretary of Bombay Natural History Society and has contributed nearly 1,200 articles to Indian language and English dailies and magazines.
04. Video pick: Snow Leopard of the Himalaya: most magnificent cat
This video from Wild Films India, “Snow Leopard of the Himalaya: most magnificent cat,” gives insight into the habits of snow leopards and the harsh climate they live in. The visuals in this 16-minute video are worth watching alone, as the high definition aerial views are stunning. Top moments include when a snow leopard grabs and kills its prey as they fall continuously down a mountain.
Quote of the Week
“The snow leopard is absolutely magnificent. It represents really what endangered species are all about.”
— Jack Hanna