Students prepare to take an assessment, evaluating their understanding of snow leopards and the high-mountain ecosystem. – Photo: Teka Samuha Nepal

Making Snow Leopard Conservation Education Accessible in Nepal

Teka Samuha Nepal (TSN) designed their ongoing snow leopard conservation education initiative for secondary students in the remote high mountains of Nepal to solidify a culture of coexistence between mountain communities and snow leopards. The collective goal of this program is to combine formal education with memorable, participatory experiences for all. The program also seeks to highlight local voices and their experience of living among snow leopards. This diverse approach deepens understanding of human-wildlife coexistence and empowers local residents to become conservation advocates within their own communities.

In 2025, TSN continued its education outreach program at 12 schools, reaching nearly 600 students; all who reside in snow leopard habitat. At the start of the school year, TSN staff visited these classrooms to distribute new conservation reference books. They also conducted teacher training for 18 local educators. At these workshops, teachers reviewed the curriculum and received training on how to deliver content effectively. A significant outcome from the teachers’ training was that the teachers mobilized as advocates for adopting the snow leopard reference books as part of the standard curriculum.

Also in 2025, TSN printed 750 new snow leopard conservation reference books for students. As a new initiative, each student now gets to keep a copy of their book to take home. Having this easily accessible resource promotes ongoing learning beyond the classroom.

Prior to the start of the lessons, teachers conducted an evaluation to assess current knowledge for incoming Grade 6 students. There was one interesting takeaway from the pre-test given in 2025. Despite living in snow leopard habitat, only 48% of Grade 6 students had heard of snow leopards. This suggests that TSN’s snow leopard conservation education initiative will play a critical role in building awareness and understanding. In addition, in some communities, snow leopards were incorrectly referred to as tigers, also demonstrating the need for education to correct misconceptions and to build a proper understanding of the species and its ecological role in mountain ecosystems.