A new paper by Snow Leopard Trust scientists shows how dispersing young snow leopards can navigate and travel long distances in flat terrain in search of territories. It also reveals what triggers them to set out and how fences and linear infrastructure can disrupt their movements.
As part of our long-term efforts to track and better understand snow leopards and their prey, we are currently following four GPS-collared cats. Since 2009, we have tracked a total of 37 snow leopards in this protected area.
It’s no secret that the BBC Studios Natural History Unit produces extraordinary wildlife programming. Their latest endeavor, Planet Earth III, is no exception. And, as always, the behind-the-scenes stories about the challenges the film crews faced are as gripping as the series itself.
“We collared a new snow leopard yesterday. I’ve said those words many times, and it never gets old. We had just finished dinner and were enjoying the warmth of the fire when the alarm went off. We rushed to our trapping site and found ourselves in the presence of a big male cat. He explained in a very clear way what he thought of us, growling all the while until he fell asleep from the drugs.” – Senior Scientist Dr. Örjan Johansson.
“Learning about snow leopard behavior, including their hunting habitat and frequency, is invaluable. It allows us to have informed conversations with local people when trying to address conflict situations.” ~ Purevjav Lkhagvajav, Director, Snow Leopard Conservation Foundation, Mongolia.
A rare falcon sighting in Mongolia’s Tost Tosonbumba Nature Reserve illustrates how protecting snow leopard habitat safeguards other wildlife as well. Once leased out for mining exploration and protected only after six years of effort by our team and the region’s local communities, this protected area is an important haven for many species beyond snow leopards.
Our researchers don’t go door-to-door (cave-to-cave?) counting snow leopards. Instead, we rely on dozens of well-placed cameras to help us estimate and monitor snow leopard populations.
Almost a decade after we first met Tsetsen, we are saying goodbye to this intrepid cat. His legacy will continue to shape our conservation efforts and the stories we tell about this iconic species.
The Pallas’s cat is a small cat species that lives throughout the steppes and mountain grasslands of Asia. Sometimes referred to as ‘the grumpiest cat in the world’ because of its looks, it’s one of the least studied wild cats.
When do snow leopards hunt their prey? When do they rest? While these questions may seem tangential to conservation, a better understanding of snow leopard activity patterns can help inform our conservation efforts to protect the species and prepare for any threats on the horizon. Read on to learn more about the days and nights in the life of a snow leopard.
