Set against the breathtaking yet unforgiving backdrop of Nepal’s remote Dolpo region, Snow Leopard Sisters is a documentary unlike any other. It follows the extraordinary journey of two women—Tshiring Lhamu Lama, a pioneering conservationist and single mother, and Tenzin Bhuti Gurung, a teenage girl facing early marriage and economic hardship after her family loses their livestock to snow leopard attacks.
Snow leopards, known as the “guardians of the mountain,” are both revered and resented in this region. Their numbers are dwindling—fewer than 400 remain in Nepal—yet as their habitat shrinks, they’re increasingly drawn toward villages in search of prey. This has led to a rise in human-wildlife conflict, with herders often responding to livestock losses by poisoning the very predators that are struggling to survive.
Tshiring, once part of Nepal’s national parks service, now works with the Snow Leopard Conservancy to break this cycle. Her work involves building predator-proof corrals, educating communities, and mentoring young people—particularly women—to take an active role in protecting both their livelihoods and the endangered cats.
The heart of the film lies in Tshiring’s mentorship of Tenzin. After her family loses over 50 goats in one night, Tenzin’s future narrows: no more school, marriage before adulthood. But during a two-week expedition with Tshiring—who treks for days through snow-covered passes to reach her—Tenzin discovers an entirely new way of seeing the world, and herself.
“When I see Tshiring,” she says, “I feel I can be somebody.”
Directed by Ben Ayers, Andrew Lynch, and Sonam Choekyi Lama—Tshiring’s sister and a native of Dolpo—the film brings a rare authenticity and emotional depth to conservation storytelling. Lama’s directorial debut offers a deeply personal look into the realities of life in Dolpo, where women are both caretakers of livestock and central to the success of conservation efforts.
The film premiered at the 2025 South by Southwest and Mountainfilm Festival to widespread acclaim. More than just a wildlife film, Snow Leopard Sisters is a call to action—one that shows how empowering local women can lead to lasting change, not only for communities but for the ecosystems they depend on.
At its core, this is a story about healing relationships: between people and nature, between generations of women, and between hope and hardship. The full story, written by our editor Rina Herzl, including behind-the-scenes insights and interviews, is featured in Ubuntu Magazine Issue 14.
