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.
The third Friday in May is Endangered Species Day. It’s a day to celebrate, learn more about and get involved in the herculean efforts to protect threatened and endangered wildlife worldwide. Since we’ve had an influx of new supporters, we’d like to share more about our ever-evolving work to protect snow leopards for future generations.
Thanks to your support of our Long-term Ecological Study, (the first of its kind for snow leopards!), we are building a more comprehensive understanding of snow leopard ecology and behavior. This vital research provides insight into the threats they face and guides conservation policies to ensure the snow leopard’s future. Today, we know more about what these endangered animals need to survive and thrive than ever before.
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.
“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.
In October 2022, Snow Leopard Trust volunteer and dedicated supporter Linfang Yang had a striking idea about the possibility of using Virtual Reality (VR) as a camera trap training tool. Not only did she dream up an incredibly innovative concept, but she was persistent in bringing her immersive brainchild to life.
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.
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.
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.
