Blue sheep, ibex, snow leopards – How this Ladakh village stopped searching and took to tourism

The world’s most elusive big cat – a snow leopard | Photo: Global Himalayan Expedition

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I I had a fascination with wolves when I was a kid. When I heard of wolf sightings near my Sumda Chun village – in the Markha region of Ladakh – I harassed my father to bring me near one so I could have a closer look. My dad would laugh at me lovingly and say that if a wolf really decided to show up, I would run away in fear!

My wish to see a wolf up close remained unfulfilled. In those times, wild animals shied away from people and rarely came near our village.

In the past few years things have changed and how! We can now watch wild animals from the roofs of our homes! They come fearlessly near us. The Markha Valley now attracts many tourists and conservationists who brave the cold winter winds to observe wildlife, particularly the elusive big cat in the world – the snow leopard. You visit Hemis National Park in the Markha Valley between December and March each year, taking back stories and memories of snow leopard sightings.

What caused the change? How did the conflict between humans and animals end in this valley, which is blessed with extremely shy and rare animal species? This is how the incredible transformation happened.

Over two decades ago, the people of the Markha Valley were so poor that they had no access to the most basic necessities. The limited knowledge of conventional agriculture enabled us to grow wheat and barley only for our own consumption. Vegetables and fruit, most of which were imported, were luxuries that few could afford. We’d be lucky if we could eat a banana! Food shortages caused people to turn to the only available alternative – hunting.

A fox in the Markha Valley. Photo: Global Himalayan Expedition

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As hunting increased year after year, the wildlife in the area dwindled. Animals such as blue sheep, deer and ibex decreased significantly, which also reduced the population of the snow leopards that feed on these animals. Meat and tsampa (roasted barley flour) became staple foods. The limited availability of food in the harsh winters led to more hunting.

Lamas (monks) and rinpoches (chief monks in monasteries) were the earliest influencers who preached against the killing of animals and promoted living in harmony with all living beings – a core principle of Buddhism. Most of the villagers who were followers of Buddhism wanted to follow the teachings. For them, however, it was a choice between survival and spirituality. Survival won!

Blue sheep spotted in the Markha Valley. Photo: Global Himalayan Expedition

As a nature lover, I was often concerned about the increasing hunting activity in the valley and its effects on animals. I wondered if I could do something for nature conservation.

I have always longed to stay close and connected to nature. I believed that working in the tourism sector could help me achieve my wish. Shortly after completing primary school, I took the opportunity to work with a well-known tour operator in Ladakh. I started out as a helper and soon had my dream job – that of a travel guide – taking me to places I had never been before. I later also visited Darjeeling every winter to work as a shopkeeper at the travel agency.

Sonam Nurboo is negotiating a tough climb. Photo: Global Himalayan Expedition

The experience I gained working in different locations, particularly as a guide at Annapurna Base Camp in Nepal in 1996 and as a shop owner in Darjeeling, has helped me find out how the people there managed to protect wildlife . These places had better infrastructure and stricter laws against breakdowns in nature reserves. People respected wildlife as this brought tourism which in turn brought prosperity. That was not the case in the villages in the Markha Valley.

Could a similar approach work in the Markha Valley? I started to wonder. I was convinced that the conservation efforts in my region would also make a great contribution to the development of my region. None of this was possible in my individual capacity. To bring my ideas to a wider audience, I had to work closely with the local communities. My sense of responsibility and determination to help protect wildlife brought me back to the Markha Valley permanently in 2015.

Wild animals such as ibex were once threatened by hunting in the Markha region. Photo: Global Himalayan Expedition

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I decided to enter public life and fought for the choice of Sarpanch. Luck has favored me! People showed confidence in my earnings and I won the election. After my election, I wanted to prioritize efforts to protect wildlife. So I started engaging with the locals and also called on the representatives of the wildlife department who were already running awareness programs in the region. They happily agreed to band together. We discussed how tourism can help prevent damage to wildlife and promote development in the region. The teachings of the Lamas and Rinpoches also played an important role in spreading awareness against harmful animals.

Slowly, our efforts to improve tourism began to reap benefits and beneficial effects on wildlife. The basic question of sustainability remained, however. In order to keep attracting more tourists and making a real impact, we needed more finances. When I ran for the city council election and got a term, I decided to focus on two basic needs – food and infrastructure.

The main cause of animal hunting was limited food availability. To help farmers produce more food, we have teamed up with the agriculture department to train farmers in various farming methods. We have also provided advice to put up fences around farms to protect crops from being eaten by wild animals such as blue sheep, ibex and deer. Access to new technologies like greenhouse farming enabled people to produce food in winter.

A typical shop in a Ladakhi village. Photo: Global Himalayan Expedition

In order to promote wildlife tourism in the area, we decided to improve the infrastructure and spent some funds on building paths and roads to the villages of Sumda Chun, Rumbak and Sumda Chenmo.

In addition to better infrastructure and food availability, a number of socio-economic factors have helped us to reduce the hunting of animals by locals. Awareness programs raised awareness among the younger generation about the need to protect wildlife. As a result, children and adolescents began to influence the elderly not to kill animals. Lamas continued to promote a nonviolent lifestyle. All of these factors have contributed to the stable growth of wildlife and better harmony between villagers and animals.

A trekking group in Markha. Photo: Global Himalayan Expedition

Over the years tourism has brought prosperity to the villages in the Markha region. Host families for hikers and travelers bring a steady source of income. Village women make beautiful handcrafted toys from snow leopards and other woolly animals in winter and sell them to tourists.

Today there is a thriving population of blue sheep, ibex, wolves, deer and snow leopards in the Markha Valley! People have started to live in peace and harmony with wild animals, and animals have come closer to the villages without fear. Spotting these animals in nearby areas is common. Humans have learned the valuable lesson of living together with nature. It gives me hope … Maybe, maybe my childhood dream of seeing a wolf up close will come true one day!

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Sonam is a city councilor, mountaineer, nature lover and social activist in the Markha region in Ladakh. As an advocate of responsible tourism, he promotes host families in villages and was instrumental in the preservation and promotion of wildlife tourism. He also volunteers on the Global Himalayan Expedition (GHE). Views are personal.

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This article was republished with permission. Read the original article Here.

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