They call them the guardians of the mountains: Nepal’s snow leopards, masters of camouflage in a landscape that seems to touch the sky. For centuries, these cats were seen as enemies of the shepherds who work these peaks. But in the remote region of Dolpo, a pioneering conservationist is rewriting this ancient narrative, turning conflict into cooperation and enemies into allies.
Today we’re traveling to the remote region of Dolpo, where I had the incredible opportunity to speak with Tshiring Lama, a remarkable snow leopard conservationist who’s rewriting the rules of coexistence in her hometown. After witnessing the heart-wrenching reality of human-wildlife conflict during her research, Tshiring founded Snow Leopard Journey, a women-led tourism company, that’s proving conservation and community prosperity can go hand in hand.
In this conversation, Tshiring and I follow her path from her early days researching the complex relationship between caterpillar fungus harvesting and snow leopard habitat disturbance, to her transformative journey with legendary conservationist Dr. George Schaller. Then we explore how she’s turning local herders into conservation champions and creating a future where snow leopards and communities don’t just coexist—they thrive together. You’ll come away understanding why these mysterious cats are worth saving and how sustainable tourism might be a key to their survival.
If one snow leopard isn’t enough for you, scroll through the archives back to Episode 38 with Rinzin Lama who is also studying and conserving snow leopards in his remote hometown of Humla, Nepal.
Alright, that’s enough from me. Let’s venture into the world of snow leopard conservation with the inspiring Tshiring Lama!
Episode Transcript
Disclaimer: Transcripts are AI-generated, unedited, and may contain error