India, May 19 -- Recently, a snow leopard killed a bull in our village Tar. Earlier, families would immediately remove the carcass, seeing the animal only as a threat. This time, the family that owned the bull left the meat for the snow leopard. For a week, the animal returned to feed on the carcass," says Sherap Chosphel, referring to a behavioural change in residents of his village.

A settlement of 15 households and about 100 residents, Tar is located at an altitude of over 2,300 m in Leh district of Ladakh. The village is not motorable, and it takes about a 30-minute trek to reach Tar from the nearest road. However, the village is known for sightings of the elusive snow leopard (Panthera uncia) which are found on the mountains that su...