Abstract: The failure of top-down environmental conservation practices gave rise to the so-called
`Community Based Conservation' or CBC approach. CBC promises to achieve the dual goals of
conserving nature and improving peoples' livelihoods. CBC programs also aim to involve local
communities as active partners in conservation efforts, and to use traditional knowledge and
local values in management of resources (Adams & Hulme 2001; Agrawal & Gibson 1999).
There are variations between different CBC programs; however, the underlying rationale of the
approach, common to all programs, is that introducing or changing economic incentives into the
conservation calculus of local people will bring about the behavioural change necessary for
successful conservation (Kellert et al 2000). Thus, the major emphasis in CBC programs is
conserving nature based on its utilitarian value. Since utilitarian value is measured in terms of
economics, hence the emphasis of CBCs on economic incentives in promoting conservation.
Recent evaluation of the CBC approach has shown that while local people may have benefited in
economic terms from the use of nature, no tangible improvements in biodiversity conservation
have occurred (Kellert et al 2000; Terborgh 1999). The disappointing performance of CBC
programs, which promised so much and yet have failed in practice to deliver, has recently lead to
a resurgence of the protectionist approach, calling for a renewed separation between the
conservation and human development objectives (Redford & Sanderson 2000; Terborgh 1999;
Oats 1999). Others, however, believe that the CBC approach has enormous potential, and that a
return to protectionist strategies would be disastrous, like `reinventing the square wheel'
(Brechin 2001; Wilhusen 2001). It is crucial that the flaws in the CBC approach are remedied if
there is to be any hope of a conservation agenda that does not conflict with the needs, aspirations
and interests of local people, and that therefore has a chance of having a long term, sustainable
conservation outcome.

Abstract: The counts of species populations such as Menzbier's marmot, roe-deer, ibex, wild boar, wolf, Tien Shan brown bear, and snow leopard has been made on permanent transects in the Chatkal reserve for 18 years. Data on of the population numbers is provided. 11 encounters with snow leopard were registered during a period of 1975 through 1979. Two encounters were recorded in 2000.

Abstract: The snow leopard (Uncia uncia) was listed by the CITES Parties in 1975 on Appendix I. Since then cross-border trade has become an ever increasing threat to snow leopards, but no further measures have been taken in the framework of the convention to stop the on-going illegal trade in live specimen, parts and derivatives. Many range countries did not become a party to CITES till the late 1990s and some have not joined at all. The species is fully protected in every range country under the respective national laws and hunting as well as the trade in live specimen and parts is prohibited. All range countries with the exception of Bhutan have difficulties in enforcing these provisions.
The national and international trade in live specimen, skins and bones is, according to the global network of snow leopard experts (SLN), the major threat to the survival of the species, particularly in Central Asia. (SLSS 2002).
This report is the first of its kind to assimilate the somewhat scarce information available, and to provide the Parties with evidence on the existence of this trade which, if no comprehensive measures are implemented as a matter of urgency, will lead to the extinction of this unique species. It also presents new trade data derived from investigations by the Kirghiz snow leopard enforcement group, Gruppa Bars, which is part of the joint Snow Leopard Conservation Programme of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan and the German Society for Nature Conservation (NABU).