News & Stories

Citizen/Ranger Rewards = Stronger Protection for Snow Leopards

In 2021, park rangers, environmental specialists and local citizens in Kyrgyzstan, intercepted poachers with pelts and bones of snow leopards and other species bound for illegal wildlife markets. Many mountain ungulates were also confiscated, most of which were illegally hunted for bushmeat. The illegal trade in endangered species is a significant threat to snow leopards and their wild prey. This success story reinforces how conservation partnerships can help ensure a future for snow leopards.

Finding a needle in a boundless haystack

Locating wild snow leopards isn’t easy. These threatened cats live across vast and often inaccessible mountain territory. Some individuals use home ranges that can be several hundred square kilometers large. These factors make it extremely challenging to find and monitor them. But we’ve learned never to underestimate the skill and expertise of our field teams!