After nearly two decades without a national-scale gathering, Mongolia’s snow leopard community came together recently to address an urgent reality: the threats facing these cats have fundamentally changed, and so must the response.
Category: country programs
Two Mothers, Two Different Survival Strategies
In the mountains of Tost, Mongolia, every snow leopard mother faces the same ultimate challenge: keeping her cubs alive. Our Senior Scientist, Dr. Örjan Johansson shares how two snow leopard mothers with new litters have chosen remarkably different strategies to ensure their cubs’ survival.
Sweet Solutions: How Honeybees Are Helping Snow Leopards
High in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan, an unlikely partnership is buzzing with possibility. Some local herding families are shifting their exclusive focus on livestock to include something sweeter—one that will make a difference for the endangered snow leopard. Beekeeping. What do honeybees have to do with snow leopards? Mountain communities have depended on grazing their …
Pakistan’s First Nationwide Snow Leopard Count Reveals Eye-Opening Results
For decades, the snow leopard has roamed silently across Pakistan’s high peaks, rarely seen and never counted. For the first time, researchers at our partner organization in the country, Snow Leopard Foundation, have produced a robust, nationwide estimate of its population. The results are sobering: the two independent methods employed yielded estimates of 155 and 167 individuals, scattered across some of the world’s most inhospitable terrain.
Stitch by Stitch: How a Young Woman is Reshaping Conservation in Pakistan
In the remote Kuju Valley of Chitral, a young woman with a passion for education and social impact is transforming her community through her leadership and commitment to conservation. This success story comes from our partner organization in Pakistan, Snow Leopard Foundation.
Size Matters: Study Reveals Snow Leopards Hunt Like No Other Big Cat
Findings from a new study have upended long-held assumptions about snow leopard eating habits. The results? Bigger is (almost) always better.
A Wildlife Ranger Honors His Family Legacy
In honor of World Ranger Day, we are shining the spotlight on Munkhtenger Tumursukh, a wildlife ranger from Mongolia. He was recently lauded as the Best of the Best among rangers in snow leopard habitat for 2024 in a ceremony organized by Snow Leopard Conservation Foundation. He stood shoulder to shoulder with 19 other rangers hailing from across the country, all celebrated for their service and commitment to protecting the vast natural diversity of Mongolia.
5 wild snow leopard cubs found thriving in secret mountain dens
Our recent discovery of 5 healthy cubs in two separate den sites in Mongolia’s Tost Mountains is another breakthrough moment for snow leopard science. Effective conservation depends on understanding the factors that drive population stability and growth. We use GPS collars and camera traps to monitor individual cats over many years, but these methods can’t capture the earliest stages of cub life. That’s why, when a rare occasion presents itself, our team conducts den visits using extreme care to minimize disturbance.
An unforgettable event at camp: The day we saw a snow leopard
Snow Leopard Trust Eco-Camps inspire school-aged children to connect with nature and support the conservation of Asia’s high mountain landscapes and wildlife. This firsthand (translated) account is from Iskenalieva, a seventh-grade student who recently attended a camp in Kyrgyzstan, who had the sighting of a lifetime!
Snow Leopard Field Chronicles: Part Two
The adventure continues from base camp in Mongolia! Our scientists and Mongolian conservation team are back with more news from their successful field expedition. Below, Senior Scientist Örjan Johansson shares his personal email updates. Then find out what each collared animal has been up to as we unlock new insights about these elusive mountain creatures.