Water is essential for all life—even for cats, despite their longstanding grievance towards it! All animals rely on water—a limited resource in the more arid parts of snow leopard habitat. During our long-term research study in the Gobi Desert, we’ve encountered multiple examples of the tight connection between cats and water.
A recent study led by our team in Mongolia examined the ecological relationship between snow leopards and the Eurasian lynx. These two species share habitat across large swaths of Asia, including southern Mongolia. Despite this overlap, little is known about their interactions.
A small feline perhaps more elusive than the snow leopard, the Pallas’ cats remain understudied, and their full distribution is still largely unknown. An exciting discovery in the province of Himachal Pradesh, India, underscores the need for focused research and action for this little relative of our favorite big cat.
Snow Leopard Trust Senior Scientist Dr. Örjan Johannson has a bit of a reputation. Yes, he and our Mongolian team of conservationists have safely collared more snow leopards than all other studies put together, but what he’s really known for are his insightful and often dry email updates from the field. We’ve compiled a sampling below from the latest collaring effort in Mongolia. Enjoy!
Snow Leopard Trust’s partner organization in India, Nature Conservation Foundation, recently completed a population assessment of snow leopards in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar High Altitude National Park (KHANP). This is the first assessment of its kind in this area.
Horses are integral to the livelihood and culture of herding communities who coexist with snow leopards. Last year, one of our dedicated community partners in Mongolia, Enkhburen (Buren) Nyam, experienced the loss of a foal to a snow leopard attack. Both wolves and snow leopards pose a threat to young horses.
Snow Leopard Trust’s India Program based at the Nature Conservation Foundation, conducted a pilot camera trap survey across two valleys in the Great Himalayan National Park in the second half of last year. Cameras were set up along a gradient from 2500 to 4500 meters in an attempt to determine the elevation range where snow leopards and common leopards overlap and potentially compete for resources.
Snow Leopard Trust’s citizen-ranger program in Kyrgyzstan has been crucial in combating illegal wildlife trade. Building on this success, we are expanding the program to Mongolia and Pakistan to protect even more snow leopards across their vast habitat.
When we first saw Presnel on our research cameras in 2014, she was a fluffy cub trailing her mother in the wilds of Mongolia. Unexpectedly, she turned her little head to peer into the camera lens and in that moment, walked right into our hearts. Presnel is just one of many wild snow leopards you are helping us protect.
You may have seen recent international news coverage reporting that Mongolia is experiencing some of its most extreme winter weather conditions now extending into spring. Deep snow and ice have covered grazing areas, creating catastrophic challenges affecting hundreds of thousands of people and millions of livestock.
