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"The ghost of the mountains" is the name of the snow leopard that lives in 12 countries of the world, including the territories of the Central Asian republics. The snow leopard (irbis) is under threat from illegal wildlife trade. On International Mountain Day, which is celebrated on December 11, we suggest thinking about the fate of one of the rare inhabitants of the mountainous regions of Kazakhstan.

The main danger to the snow leopard is humans: these big cats are hunted for their skins, fur and other body parts used in traditional Chinese medicine.

In addition, due to global climate change, alpine meadows are becoming suitable for pastures, and the snow leopards and the animals they hunt are being forced out of their habitats.

 

ECO for leopards

Kazakhstani scientists with the support of the UN are preparing for the first time to apply the method of artificial insemination (IVF) to increase the population of the snow leopard.

“Our scientists have successful experience in using IVF to increase the population of such rare animals as argali and saigas. We hope that this experience will work for snow leopards as well, said Arman Kashkinbekov, director of the Snow Leopard Foundation, in an interview with the UN News Service. “Thanks to cooperation with international organizations such as UNDP, UNEP and WWF, we will be able to implement this very important project for the conservation of our biodiversity”.

Kazakhstan is one of the northernmost habitats of this animal. The population of the snow leopard in this country is only 130-140 individuals, and in the world as a whole there are about four thousand of them.

The IVF initiative in Kazakhstan is just a part of a large project that should start early next year. According to Kashkinbekov, scientists from the Almaty Institute of Zoology, together with specialists from the Snow Leopard Foundation, will analyze the current state of the snow leopard in Kazakhstan, establish the exact coordinates of its habitat, and develop recommendations for the development of ecotourism and the fight against poaching.

“The new project will be aimed at creating the first laboratory in the republic for the conservation, rehabilitation and breeding of snow leopards. The point is to place special enclosures on the territory of the Ile-Altai National Park, in the south of the republic, where leopards wounded during their own hunt or injured by poachers will receive medical assistance and treatment until they are fully recovered, ”said Arman Kashkinbekov.

The plans are to make the project international by joining forces with other countries where the snow leopard lives: with Russia, where, by the way, there is a successful experience in saving the Amur tiger, as well as with Mongolia and neighbors in the region - Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

The UN will provide assistance to Kazakhstan in the form of training the rangers of the Ile-Altai National Park, as well as providing them with special equipment, for example, "camera traps".

 

Increased punishment

This year, Kazakhstan has toughened punishments under the article "poaching": if earlier you could only get a fine for killing a snow leopard, now the poacher will face a punishment of 7 to 9 years in prison, and if this was done by an organized group of people, the term could be and all ten years.

“I must admit that this is a rather harsh, but quite fair punishment, since such a period, as a rule, was appointed for causing serious damage to human health,” Kashkinbekov stressed.

Another way to protect the "Red Book" beast is plans to introduce monetary compensation to farmers, villagers, whose livestock has become the prey of the snow leopard.

“Bars, as a rule, does not attack a person. This is an intelligent animal, but if there is not a sufficient food base in its places of residence, then it can descend from the mountains to the villages and eat a lamb. Such cases took place in neighboring Kyrgyzstan. With the support of such international organizations as the World Wildlife Fund and UNEP, in Altai and Kyrgyzstan, in compliance with all procedures, monetary compensation is provided to farmers and villagers so that they do not go to the mountains to take revenge on snow leopards. A similar experience can be introduced in Kazakhstan, ”summed up Arman Kashkinbekov.

Photo UN / M. Goncalec: The snow leopard is threatened by human advances and climate change.

news.un.org