“Have you seen the snow leopard? No! Isn’t that wonderful?” That famous quote by renowned author and naturalist Peter Matthiessen invokes a mysticism about the snow leopard like no other. Once-in-lifetime tourist expeditions to snow leopard habitat in search of the elusive mountain ghost are becoming increasingly popular. But should you go?
We’re excited to announce that we have two new snow leopards on air and these latest additions have turned our tracking study into a full-fledged family affair.
Snow Leopard Trust attracts talented conservationists from all over the world who contribute to our conservation efforts. Every year, our scientists support and guide Ph.D. students at the forefront of snow leopard and ecological research. Many of the stories and blogs we share come from their studies and published works. We’re shining a spotlight on some of these dedicated students, researchers and scientists so you can hear directly from them.
One hundred fifty honey bee hives were successfully delivered to their new homes in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Relocating the bees was a challenge, as Benazir, our Project Assistant, shares, “The delivery process was so nerve-wracking because we were transporting live creatures over a long distance. The delivery kept getting postponed due to rainy weather. To add to the complexity, honey bee families are supposed to be delivered at night so they can orient themselves once they are settled. Due to the specific challenges and risks involved, we did not sleep for two nights, constantly checking on the location of the truck with the bee families.”
In early April, Snow Leopard Trust scientists headed back to the field to restart our collaring program, which is part of our ongoing long-term ecological study of snow leopards and their habitat in Mongolia’s Tost Mountains.
Graduate student and researcher from Snow Leopard Conservation Foundation Otgontamir Chimed confirms the occurrence of the Pallas’s cat in Mongolia’s largest protected area. Yet, its range has shrunk in recent decades.
A recently published paper by SLT researcher Chagsaldulam Odonjavkhlan (Chagsaa) explores what allows similar herbivore species, a wild goat and a wild sheep, to coexist with little or no competition over resources. Her research examines the mechanisms of coexistence between two snow leopard prey species, the ibex and the argali.
Follow Adithi as she studies pheasants who find their way into our camera trap photos.
On World Wildlife Day, 16 rangers were awarded for their vital role in protecting Kyrgyzstan’s precious wildlife.
Snow Leopard Trust and its partners recently completed a three-year snow leopard population survey in Mongolia. Preliminary estimates of the snow leopard population are now available, and the final results are expected by the end of this year.
