Saving a Cat with a Precious Pelt

The Seattle Times examines the illegal (yet still widely accepted) selling of snow leopard skins in the markets of Kabul, Afghanistan. Although the practice is on the decline, Western aid workers and military personnel remain the primary consumers of these immoral and illegal products. SLN member Ghulam Malikyar of Save the Environment Afghanistan is especially applauded for his conservation efforts. The International Snow Leopard Trust’s Brad Rutherford (also an SLN member) brings attention to the plight of local people and their lack of livelihood options, reminding readers that efforts from ISLT and similar organizations are essential in preventing local people from poaching snow leopards, either to protect their flocks or to make money on the black market.

For the full story, see http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003530006_snowleopards18m0.html