The Ghost of the Mountains by Kulbhushansingh Suryawanshi review - the secrets of the snow leopard

## A Gritty Portrait of the Snow Leopard Kulbhushansingh Suryawanshi's first book, "The Ghost of the Mountains", is a detailed and intimate look at the snow leopard, a species that is often misunderstood and endangered. As an Indian conservationist and mountaineer, Suryawanshi pursues the snow leopard through the Himalayas and Gobi desert, providing a gritty and realistic portrait of this elusive creature. The book is not just about the snow leopard, but also about the people who live alongside it, including local herders who have a complex relationship with the animal. ## A Critique of Conservation Narratives Suryawanshi's book is a critique of the traditional conservation narratives that often romanticize the snow leopard. Unlike the quest narratives of writers such as Peter Matthiessen and Sylvain Tesson, Suryawanshi's book is shorn of romance and recounts the grind of observing and counting snow leopards in remote parts of the world. He wades through snow, sets up camera traps, and tries to defuse tensions with local herders, providing a nuanced and realistic portrayal of the challenges of conservation work. ## A Call to Rethink Our Relationship with the Snow Leopard Suryawanshi's book is a call to rethink our relationship with the snow leopard and to recognize it as a part of an ecosystem, just like any other animal. He argues that the snow leopard has become a commodity, a symbol of the natural world that is often exploited for the benefit of humans. He notes that the snow leopard's diet consists of up to 70% livestock, leading to conflict with local people, and that women are often the most hostile to the animal due to their role in caring for livestock. Suryawanshi's work is dedicated to mediating conflict between the cats and locals, and he makes recommendations on schemes to compensate herders whose animals have been killed. ## A Challenge to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Suryawanshi and his colleagues at the Snow Leopard Trust opposed the International Union for Conservation of Nature's 2017 decision to downgrade the snow leopard from "endangered" to "vulnerable", arguing that the decision was based on flawed science and driven by political considerations. He believes that "racial power dynamics and colonial legacies of conservation and research" were at play in the decision. Suryawanshi's book is a challenge to the traditional conservation narratives and a call to rethink our relationship with the snow leopard.