Science, Discovery, Tech and Environment · 18 June 2026

Ladakh to Establish Snow Leopard and High-Altitude Nature (SHAN) Conservation Society

Exam-focused facts from the 18 June 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

  • Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena approved the constitution of the Snow leopard and High-Altitude Nature (SHAN) conservation society in Ladakh.
  • SHAN will operate under the Department of Environment and Forests, Ladakh.
  • The society will serve as an institutional mechanism for wildlife conservation, scientific management of biodiversity, and community-led environmental stewardship.
  • According to the 2024 report of the Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India, India has 718 snow leopards, with Ladakh hosting 477.
  • SHAN will promote the conservation of Ladakh's unique alpine fauna, flora, wetlands, and fragile cold desert ecosystems.