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Camera traps in Altai Nature Reserve

Siberian scientists to track snow leopards using ‘photo traps’

16:38 03/09/2010

Russian scientists will install special video cameras – so-called photo traps – to monitor endangered snow leopards in southwestern Siberia, the Altai Nature Reserve’s deputy security head said on Friday.

Russia has an estimated total of 150 of the large mountain cats, which are in the Red Book of Endangered Species.

Usually weighing 35 to 55 kilograms, the snow leopard is slightly smaller than a leopard. Exceptional large males can weigh up to 75 kg. The head and body length is 100 to 130 cm, and the shoulder height is about 60 cm.

Seven photo traps have been already installed in the Argut River valley in the Altai mountains and 11 more cameras are due to be installed in the fall, Sergei Spitsyn said.

The U.S.-made gadgets are equipped with sensory devices that launch photo capturing when the animal approaches.

The scientists say photo shooting currently is the most effective method of monitoring animals inhabiting reserved areas. It has long been used in Russia’s Far East for supervision of the Far East leopard.
“Each snow leopard has a unique fur-pattern. Actually, if images of body parts are obtained, it will be possible to identify each animal,” Spitsyn said.

Snow leopards are hunted for their skin, meat and bones, which are widely used in traditional Chinese medicine.

NOVOSIBIRSK, September 3 (RIA Novosti)
http://en.rian.ru/Environment/20100903/160456508.html

Saving snow leopards in Tuva, Russia (includes information re: database of sightings)

Don’t shoot the irbis!
21 August 2010

Alexander Kuksin, Center of Asia, translated by Heda Jindrak
http://en.tuvaonline.ru/2010/08/21/irbis.html

Tuva holds an immense amount of treasures and mysteries. One of these treasures is irbis, the beautiful and mysterious snow leopard, to see whom is a rare fortune. However the officials of the republic are not at all concerned about the preservation of this red-book animal, and some would not even object to receiving the wonderful hide of the dead beauty as a present. And only thanks to the WWF is it possible to conduct work in Tuva for the purpose of protection of the snow leopard – there are about 100 of them here, which is about one half of their total number in Russia.

There are so few of them on our planet

In contrast to the usual idea about the white fur of this predator, generally the background coloring ranges from milky or cream to ochre.

Black spots are scattered all over this background, most of which have an elongated, semicircular form.

These spots are used by scientists to identify individual leopards in work with photo-traps, and this, in turn, allows them to determine which of the leopards permanently reside on the territory, and which are only using it in transit to other areas.

Irbis is a representative of the cat family, placed between the medium and large cats in terms of size. The body length is up to 130 cm, tail 110 cm; a large male may weigh between 45 – 50 kg.

The irbis lives only in the Asian part of the Eurasian continent mass, on the territory of 12 states, and the total numbers are no higher than sex or seven thousand.

The largest numbers of irbises live on Chinese territory. In Russia, on approximate evaluation, there are no more than 200 individuals.

And one half of them – about 100 individuals – is concentrated precisely in Tuva, in the high mountain regions that surround the republic: the ridges of the Sayans, Sengilen, Tannu-ola, Tsagan-Shibetu, Shapshal, Chikhacheva.

In the world of science there is a widespread idea about this cat as an inhabitant of very high mountain regions – from 3000 to 5500 meters above the sea level, but in Tuva they can be seen even at 600-800 meters above sea level.

The irbis can even show up in places totally exotic for them – at the border of forest and forested steppe regions. Once he was even seen on the territory of “Taiga” Nature park, which is only 50 km from Kyzyl.

The territory of the republic is important also for social life of irbises from different groups of the northern part of the area; individuals from Mongolia transit through Tuva when on the way to Krasnoyarsk Krai, Buryatia, or Altai. This is important for mating – it prevents inbreeding, which causes genetic defects. Tuva holds several areas which are crucial for continued propagation of these animals.

Who is watching whom

It is impossible for researchers to determine the exact numbers of snow leopards because of the secretive lifestyle of these predators.

It often happens that the researchers, who call themselves “irbisyatniki”, do not ever see the object of their research. But the object of their studies regularly observes the scientists, following their tracks, sniffing out just who these people are and what do they want from the irbis.

To meet an irbis, the scientist has to gather a lot of experience, studying the habits of the animals, and to become more subtle and alert than the animal. Regardless of its secretiveness, mysteriousness and unreachability, today the irbis is vulnerable, and its fate is totally dependent on human goodwill.

Cases of intentional destruction of the leopard are known – for profit by sale of the animal’s skin or to give it as a present to an official in exchange for favors.

People bring harm to irbis by shooting mountain goats, roe-deer, musk-deer, and marmots in the places where irtbis lives. Pastureland which spreads to the high mountain regions also displaces wild hoofed mammals, which again curtails the food base of the irbis.

In consequence, irbis attacks domestic livestock that is grazing in the areas of his range. And it is not the fault of the animal that it could not find any other wild prey because of poaching activities, until, faced with starvation, it finally risks an attack on a herdsman’s cattle.

Irbish-ool – a compliment for a man

People have known the irbis on Tuvan territory since ancient times. They revered him and worshipped him. To these times, to call a man Irbish-ool means a great compliment to his skill, intelligence and strength – the qualities of his mysterious namesake.

The small proportion of the population of the republic which lives in the mountain region and is more dependent on the vagaries of nature than on the will of the officials, who generally remember them only at election time, still speak of the irbis as of the Master.

This is especially strongly expressed by the herders of the Sengilen mountains in the Southeast part of the republic. The herders of that region believe that it is not allowed to harm the irbis, it is not permissible to be angry with him and to curse at him, because this will have negative consequences for the person and for his household. There will be punishment from above. They will tell you many true-life stories about local men who, having killed a snow leopard, ended their lives by a knife in a drunken brawl.

A light for the officials

People for whom nature is their real home never harm the irbis in contrast to “strong hunters”, whose poaching activities are currently without obstacle. Neither Tere-Khol, nor Mongun-Taiga kozhuuns have currently any inspectors from the State commission on hunting and fishing of Republic Tuva, charged with obligations to protect the world of animals.

The attitude of the leadership of the commission is totally incomprehensible; they ignore multiple reports of misconduct. Not just the irbis suffers, but all the other predators as well, and the above districts are one of the key areas in terms of population densities of a large number of animal species!

Regardless of the fact that irbis is listed in all kinds of Red Books of various levels, the attitude of the officials is, to put it gently, neutral.

Even such an omnipotent and mighty office like Administration of the Federal service of Russian nature supervision in Tuva, regardless of the facts of yearly losses of irbises during the past three years, can turn a blind eye to it and does not make any efforts to protect this red-book animal of federal significance.

To keep the leopard fed and the herdsman whole: the end of a promising project

Currently only the nature reserve “Ubsunur depression” pays any attention to the problem of snow leopard.

And not because the “rulers” are concerned, but only because of non-profit organizations like WWF, UN development projects, and the Global ecological Foundation. It is because of their support that the monitoring of snow leopard groups is going on in Western Tuva.

Since 2000, various activities associated with protection of the snow leopard have been going on in Tuva. The most important one of these projects was a program of voluntary insurance of domestic livestock from irbis depredations, which was carried out jointly by WWF and RESO-Garantiya” insurance company.

The project intended for the leopard to be fed without losses to the herdsmen. For that purpose, a contract was made with each herder who wished to insure his herd. The insurance was free for the herders: the compensation for the insured animals was put up by the Russian office of WWF. The crucial condition of the contract was the prevention of persecution of predators by herdsmen.

Every insured herder was issued a camera and film to document the consequences of irbis attack on his livestock. On presentation of the photo-documentation, an inspection with investigation of the scene of the attack would be performed by zoological experts.

Compensation was offered for every animal that died by the claw of the irbis: $100 for a cow or a horse, $30 for a sheep or a goat. These numbers, of course, do not represent the full value of the dead animal, however, for the herdsman who lost his herd, it is a substantial compensation.

In the year 2003, the herders became really interested in the project, developed faith in its effectiveness, and that the insurance can really help them to forget their rage towards the predator.

The project gave the people a chance to understand that the irbis attacks their herds not out of good life or love of delicacies, but because people have forgotten the ancient rules which allowed our ancestors to live in harmony with nature.

People who share the mountains with the irbis understand that this rare animal is important not just for their mountain world: it turns out that people all over the world are concerned about the problem of its protection and are prepared to pay money to suffering herdsmen to show consideration and mercy for the animal.

But, unfortunately, this year the project ended. It anticipated renewal with the condition of co-financing by the government of Tuva. Many requests by the WWF to the government of the republic allowed them to come to an agreement about co-operation, and to make a decision to establish a government foundation, but the because of the usual personnel changes and transfers the dream will remain a dream.

Fortify the koshara

In 2007-2009, a project was realized on the territories of Mongun-Taiga and Tere-Khol kozhuuns, involving the fortification of the kosharas to prevent entry by irbis.

During the research it became clear that an irbis attack on a pasture usually involves no more than three heads of small horned cattle, while if the attack occurs in the koshara, up to 70 heads may be killed. In such a situation the irbis usually only injures the majority of these animals, who then die later of their injuries or of wound infections.

In one entry of irbis into a koshara, the herdsman may lose up to 210 thousand rubles. At the same time, to fortify the koshara effectively costs no more than 1.5 thousand rubles.

To disseminate the experience, a brochure was worked out and published, “Fortification of koshara against irbis entry”, which was distributed for free among the interested herders in the areas of irbis habitat.

Living animal which brings income to people: our Mongun-taiga project

In 2010, with financial support by PROON/GEF project of “Ubsunur depression” nature reserve, a project was designed and is being realized which involves the organization of educational eco-tourism on the territory of Mongun-Taiga kozhuun. Local population is recruited to guide tours in the areas of habitat of rare animal species – irbis and argali – the Altai mountain sheep.

The project is basically simple but important: local herders welcome tourists – guests, who are interested in the irbis. The herders tell them real-life stories about irbis, show them signs of its presence on their land. And that way they get an income from tourism.

Irbis will attack the livestock just like before, but now the herder will get an advantage from that. If he preserves irbis and argali on his land, tourists who value wild nature will flock there, wishing to sample the local cuisine, to stay in a traditional Tuvan dwelling, and to obtain souvenirs hand-made by the herdsmen.

In parallel, scientists will observe the situation of the condition of the groups of irbis and argali, and recommend further areas for conducting tours.

In that way, that herder will have the greatest advantage, who continues to believe in the irbis: if he protects the irbis, he will be well fed and happy, if he harms the irbis, he will “swallow the saliva of envy”, watching the tourists flocking to his neighbor.

If you don’t believe that this is possible, review the experience in Nepal and Mongolia, where for several years the herders have been living without problems, with an income from eco-tourism, and the minimal losses of livestock by irbis attacks are considered good investment. As they say – “That is all right, he does not eat that much, and it brings in so much income when he lives at my place!”

In September of this year, a trial tour is planned, which will serve to start the next stage of the recruitment of local population and preservation of the biodiversity of Tuva.

And has he eaten a lot?

Has the irbis eaten a lot of cattle? In May of 2010, questioning of herders of Bai-Taiga kozhuun took place.

These are the results: in 9 years – from 2001 to 2010 on the territory of the district 127 heads of domestic cattle fell prey to irbises, out of which small horned cattle constituted 116, and large horned cattle 11 heads.

At the same time, according to data, just during 2009 and five months of 2010, in the same district 703 heads of livestock perished by wolf attacks, out of which 582 were small, 105 large, and 16 horses.

The work in protection of irbis and other rare animals, despite the difficulties, continues. I invite activists and nature protection organizations to become involved and to help us.

Stories about meeting the irbis

You can bring in your contribution to the data base of meetings, sightings and events connected with snow leopard, by sending a letter with the report about your meeting with him.

Include your name, surname, patronymic, name of the locality, date of the event, time of day, behavior of the animal (what he was doing when you saw him).

Send your letters to: 667010, Kyzyk, ul.Kalinina, 144a, “Ubsunur depression” nature preserve, Alexander Kuksin.

Or use e-mail: artovec@yandex.ru

Your reports are very important, remember that to see an irbis means great good fortune.

Editorial about George Schaller

Niexter: Nature’s champion
2010/08/25
By Naden Surya Munusamy, 14, Kedah
http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/Niexter_Nature__8217_schampion/Article/

SOME people describe heroes as those who lead by example.

They are the sort, no matter their age or gender, whom a person can look up to and strive to be like or emulate. They teach us what is right by practicing what they say. Heroes think of others before they think of themselves. A hero is not a publicity seeker. A hero is a champion for those who cannot defend themselves. Everyone and everything needs a champion and Nature’s hero, I feel, is George Schaller. The man is Michael Crichton’s hero (he wrote Jurassic Park) and mine too. Usually thought of as the greatest naturalist and conservationist of the 20th century, George Schaller has been all over the world studying animals. He’s written hundreds of magazine articles, and dozens of books, all about animals and why they do the things they do. In the 19th century, biologists studied exotic animals with the approach: “find it, kill it, and examine the corpse.” Schaller knew he could study these endangered animals by observing them in the wild. His aim was to protect not just signature species but whole ecosystems in remote parts of the world.

Schaller received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Alaska in 1955, and went to the University of Wisconsin-Madison to obtain his Ph.D. In 1959, when Schaller was only 26, he studied and lived with the mountain gorillas of the Virunga Volcanoes in Central Africa. Very little was known about the gorillas before his stay there, as most of the information at that time came from observing gorillas in captivity. Schaller has written of his two-year study in his book The Year of the Gorilla. And Schaller’s efforts have helped clear the Hollywood myths of gorillas being bad, and raising awareness of their intelligence and human-like behaviour.

In the fall of 1973, Schaller went to the Himalayan region to an area in Nepal to study the Himalayan Bharal, or blue sheep, and by chance saw a snow leopard, (something rarely seen in the wild). Schaller is one of only two westerners known to have seen a snow leopard.

In 1988, Schaller and his wife traveled to China to study the Giant Panda, and became the first westerners permitted to enter the remote region of Chang Tang. Schaller didn’t believe in the notion that the panda population was decreasing due to a lack of bamboo. He found that pandas of the region were being captured, and that this was the biggest threat to the population. During his stay, Schaller also found evidence that pandas were originally carnivores. Evidence showed that an evolutionary change occurred to adapt them to a diet of bamboo, which is difficult to digest, reducing the competition with other animals for food. Since Schaller’s research, the panda population has increased by 45 per cent. He was awarded National Geographic’s Adventure Lifetime Achievement Award. Schaller is considered the finest field biologist of our time and “… the most powerful voice for conservation in more than 100 years.” Schaller calls the work of conservation, a gigantic, continuous headache, as instead of just being a biologist, he must also be a fund-raiser, diplomat, politician, sociologist, anthropologist… everything at once.

Now 74, Schaller is trying to create an international refuge across parts of Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan and China to shelter the majestic and endangered Marco Polo sheep.

Read more: Niexter: Nature’s champion http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/Niexter_Nature__8217_schampion/Article/#ixzz0xk6fjPzk

Climatic calamities and endangered species

Written by Syed Mujahid Ali Shah, by email

15 August 2010 The recent heavy rains in northern mountainous belts of Pakistan are hardly going to spare wild fauna from devastating their habitats as that of human population.

Among all such animals, the most concerned specie is snow leopard. They are already threatened being left only a few hundreds in these mountain ranges due to ongoing prey depletion of theirs following dry conditions caused by ever increasing temperature trends. But a wet calamity of heavy rains during recent weeks anticipates a new threat.

The unusual heavy summer rainfall situations are opposite to that of normal weather conditions of snow leopard habitats in the Himalaya and Karakoram ranges of Gilgit Baltistan and Chitral. This drastic change in climate can create vegetation rich landscape situation where snow leopards and its prey species cannot live.

As the ideal habitat of these animals is open semi desert rocky mountains—out of dense vegetations like those of Chilghoza pine near nival zones of Himalayas and Karakoram. On the other hand huge rainfall situations, as some recently recorded 100 mm/h in Baltistan and Ladakh regions, being semi desert rocky hills, they are easily eroded and lose most of the soil. What leaves behind may be just rock, unable to produce enough fodder for the species of Markhor, ibex, Marcopolo sheep and the musk deer on which snow leopards thrive. Isn’t the world becoming so unsafe for both human and animals from carbon emissions in bulk? If timely steps were not taken to cut the greenhouse gases by the industrialised nations, such species would just wither away.

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?section=openspace&xfile=data/openspace/2010/august/openspace_august16.xml

2011 Altai scholarships for snow leopard conservation expedition from Biosphere Expeditions

Biosphere Expeditions: Matthias Hammer

After a very successful trial of our Altai scholarship programme this year, I am delighted to announce its continuation & our intention to keep this going for as long as we run expeditions to the Altai.

Biosphere Expeditions is now offering three free places to nationals or
residents of the Russian Federation and/or the Altai Republic with English
language skills to take part in our 2011 snow leopard conservation expedition to the Altai Republic.

The places will be given to applicants who can demonstrate a genuine
interest in wildlife research and conservation or a career in this
field.

More details are in the attached and at
www.biosphere-expeditions.org/scholarships.

I would be grateful if you could spread this news within your networks so that as many people as possible are aware of this opportunity.

Thank you & Regards

Dr. Matthias Hammer
Executive Director
www.biosphere-expeditions.org
———————————————————
Official partner of the United Nations
Year of Biodiversity 2010
———————————————————
Offices in UK, Germany, France, USA, Australia
www.biosphere-expeditions.org/offices

FREE SCHOLARSHIP PLACES TO TAKE PART IN SNOW LEOPARD EXPEDITION TO THE ALTAI REPUBLIC

Biosphere Expeditions is offering three free places to nationals or residents of the Russian Federation and/or the Altai Republic with English language skills to take part in a snow leopard conservation expedition in the Altai Republic. More information about the expedition is at
www.biosphere-expeditions.org/altai.

The places will be given to applicants who can demonstrate a genuine interest in wildlife research
and conservation or a career in this field. Successful applicants will then take part in the expedition
from 28 June – 10 July | 12 – 24 July | 26 July – 7 August 2011 respectively, depending on availability.

The successful applicants will be able to demonstrate a genuine interest in wildlife research and
conservation and that they will use the experience to carry the message to other people and
multiplying the effect of their experience.

Requirements
• National or resident of the Russian Federation and/or the Altai Republic
• Over 18 years of age
• Good English language skills
• A genuine interest in wildlife research and conservation or a career in this field
• After the expedition, the successful applicant will hold two talks or events about his or her experience on the expedition, one to his peer group and one to the general public

Application process
Your application should include a cover letter stating who you are, why we should take you, what the experience would mean for you and how you are going to use it. The cover letter should also
describe how you plan to fulfil the requirement of holding two talks or events as described above.
Please also state that if chosen, you would be free to attend on either 28 June – 10 July or 12 – 24
July or 26 July – 7 August 2011 and indicate which of the periods would be your preference. Finally, the cover letter should indicate clearly what your interest in wildlife research and conservation is.

The application should also include your CV and a picture of you.
Please send your application to Dr Matthias Hammer at m.hammer@biosphere-expeditions.org. Email applications are preferred and the application must be in English.

The application deadline is 14 June 2011 and applicants will then be required to attend an interview in Novosibirsk or Gorno Altaisk sometime between 14 and 27 June 2011. Applicants will be informed of the judges’ decision by 27 June 2010 with the expedition taking place as stated above.

Prey clue to snow leopard habitat

In lambs, a whiff of elusive predator – Prey clue to snow leopard habitat

Posted by VoiceofSikkim on Aug 13, 2010
The Telegraph

Gangtok, Aug. 12: A two-year project in Sikkim has documented the habitat of snow leopards and their main prey, blue sheep and the Himalayan tahr. The predator is known to be elusive and the project’s aim was to collect evidence of its presence by tracking down its prey along the 4,200-sqkm trans-Himalayan corridors of East, West and North districts of Sikkim.

The project has been taken up jointly by The Mountain Institute India and Mysore-based Nature Conservation Foundation in consultation with the Sikkim forest department.

All the three high-altitude animals are highly endangered species and fall under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.

“This project is an effort to document the snow leopard’s presence in Sikkim using indirect evidences, the occurrence of their main prey. We also are developing an understanding of resource use by the local communities to factor in their needs and possible role in conservation,” said Ghanashyam Sharma, TMI-India programme manager.

The project, which started on April 1, 2008, concluded on March 31, 2010.

Over the past two years, NCF and TMI-India officials toured the areas of Sikkim above 5,000 metres, documenting snow leopard presence and keeping track of habitats of blue sheep and Himalayan tahr.

“The project will help identify critical snow leopard areas that can form the basis for landscape level conservation in the Sikkim Himalayas. In particular, the information on wildlife, local resource use, threats and local governance mechanism generated by this project will greatly aid in the landscape identification and preparation of the Management Plan mandated by the Project Snow Leopard,” said TMI-India in its report.

The state forest department has already identified snow leopard habitat spread over West, North and East Sikkim. This includes West and North Kanchenjungha National Park, Lhonak Valley, Tso Lhamo-Lashar-Yumesamdong complex and Tembawa-Jelep La based on extensive work conducted earlier in 2001-02 in addition to collaborative work with other institutions.

The forest department and other agencies have collected 33 snow leopard evidences that include scat as well as sightings made by herders and villagers in the high altitude areas since 1980. A bulk of these evidence were from the Dzongri-Lampokri area in West Sikkim and Tsho Lamu-Laseher in North district. The Wildlife Institute of India, Dehra Dun, had set up camera traps in 2009 and captured the photographs of two snow leopards.
A himal rakshak or honorary mountain guardian, Phupu Tshering Bhutia, had collected a fresh pug mark in Yambong in West Sikkim in 2009, the report said.
“We did not use high-tech gadgets and instead relied on information provided by the herders and physical evidence like scat,” said Suraj Subba, the research assistant for the project.

State wildlife officer Usha Lachungpa said the Union ministry for environment and forests had launched Project Snow Leopard in January 2009 covering Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. “We are currently drafting the funding proposal for the project that will strengthen conservation efforts,” she said.

Innovative conservation project in Pakistan sees a slow but sure rise in the number of the endangered big cats

Endangered snow leopard clawing its way back: Innovative conservation project in Pakistan sees a slow but sure rise in the number of the endangered big cats

Zofeen Ebrahim in Karachi, for IPS, part of the Guardian Environment Network guardian.co.uk, Thursday 12 August 2010 16.41 BST Article history

An endangered snow leopard. Photograph: Rupak De Chowdhuri/REUTERS

For more than 10 years, Shafqat Hussain has been on the trail of the endangered snow leopard. He has heard the beast’s growl, and has seen its pugmarks against a snowy track. But his dream, of coming eye-to-eye with the elusive nocturnal feline, remains unfulfilled. “If you’ve seen the cat, you’ve seen the Holy Grail,” says Hussain.

However, he is not as much “driven by sighting the animal, as ensuring its survival”, says the 41-year-old Hussain, an environmentalist and anthropology professor at Trinity College in the United States.

Snow leopards are globally “endangered”, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, with total population estimated at between 4,000 and 7,000.

While the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) bans the trade of snow leopards and its body parts, the wild feline – found only in the mountainous regions of central and south Asia – faces much antagonism from local herders who kill them in retaliation for attacks on their goats, Hussain says.

In 1999, Hussain started an innovative insurance programme in two Baltistan villages, named Project Snow Leopard, with funding from the Royal Geographical Society and the U.S.-based Snow Leopard Conservancy.

“I’m not totally indifferent to the loss the local community bears at the loss of their goats,” Hussain told IPS in a telephone interview during his annual visit to Skardu – the capital town of Baltistan, a northern Pakistani region bordering Xinjiang, China.

His “alternate approach”, Hussain explains, “helps in the conservation and protection of the snow leopards, but also compensates the local herders for every goat killed by the feline, on the condition that the villagers will not kill it”.

Some six months ago, a snow leopard attacked Ghulam Mehdi’s herd in Hushey village in Baltistan. “They (Project Snow Leopard) paid me a compensation of 4,500 rupees (52 U.S. dollars),” says Mehdi, a 35-year-old goat herder.

Mehdi has insured all his goats. “We pay two rupees (2 cents) per month for each goat. The project registers our livestock and keeps count,” he says. “They only compensate if the goat has been killed by a leopard, not by a wolf or another wild animal. They can tell which animal has attacked our goats.”

The key to the success of the programme – which has over 5,000 herders in it – is that the villagers own and run it. Residents have been trained to use and maintain remote cameras installed at various locations to monitor and study the snow leopard.

Project Snow Leopard has expanded to 10 Pakistani villages, and has been replicated in neighbouring countries like Nepal, China and India.

Indeed, “such programmes only succeed if the community is involved,” says Ejaz Ahmad, the deputy director general of the World Wildlife Fund Pakistan. Similar programmes are underway for the common leopard in the resort towns of the Galiaath region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

“Over the years,” he explains, “there is less and less reporting of the community involved in retaliatory killing of the both the species of the cats.”

Humans are the biggest threat to the survival of snow leopards, found in the Himalayan mountain ranges in Afghanistan, China, India, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. They have been spotted as far north as Siberia.

Weighing between 27 and 54 kilogrammes, the snow leopard can grow to lengths of up to 130 centimetres and sits at the top of the food chain. “One less species of the cat can cause the ecosystem to topple,” says Hussain.

This can trigger environmental changes such as the denudation of vegetation cover, he explains. It can cause the population of wild goats to increase, which may lead to degradation of pastures that in turn causes soil erosion.

Based on a survey he conducted in 2003, Hussain estimates there are some 450 snow leopards left in Pakistan, spread across Chitral in the Gilgit-Baltistan territory; in the Dir, Swat, Kohistan districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; and in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

“Its population grows, slowly,” Hussain says, confident he will find improved figures when he carries out the next survey in 2013.

But snow leopards also continue to attack domesticated animals, though there is no scarcity of natural prey like the ibex and the markhor. “It’s easier to kill a goat than stalking wild prey,” explains Hussain.

Another reason for these attacks is the rapidly growing human population that is encroaching on the leopard’s habitat. “But even that is not so much a concern as the attitude,” Hussain points out. “There is a growing intolerance of the human race to let other species exist.”

“The local people always held the view that the leopard was a threat that needed to be eliminated,” Hussain says. “Over the centuries, with advancement in weapons, the negative slant has been transformed into negative action and thus its indiscriminate killing.”

“There is a lot of pressure on the wild animals,” acknowledges Ahmad of WWF. But he opines that it is not easy for the leopard to attack goats as herders take extra precautions. “The feline will only attack when its natural prey is unavailable and the cat is very hungry.”

With a sprinkling of 212 villages across 50 percent of the snow leopard’s habitat, Hussain acknowledges that his project has long way more to go. “Protecting and conserving animal species is the responsibility of the state,” he says. “Hopefully we’ve provided a model to emulate.”

Field studies evaluating argali populations took place in Russia

http://altai-sayan.org/news/detail.php?ID=766

28 July 2010

Field studies evaluating argali populations took place

Between July 16 and 23rd, field work to assess transboundary argali
populations took place as part of a program to study this rare and
large subspecies of the arkhar sheep. The early results of the survey
are now available. There are approximately 700 individuals in Russia.
The total transboundary population will be publicized when data is
received from Mongolian colleagues.

… This field work was made possible with the financial and
informational support of the UNDP/GEF “Preserving Biodiversity in the
Altai-Sayan Ecoregion.”

During this field work, all modern argali habitats in the Russian
Federation were studied: Tsagan-Shibetu Ridge, Mongun-Taiga Massif
(Republic of Tuva), Chikhachev Ridge (Altai Republic, Republic of
Tuva), Sailyugem Ridge and Ukok Plateau (Altai Republic). Mongolian
specialists conducted synchronous counts on the other side of the
border. On the Tsagan-Shibetu Ridge and the Mongun-Taiga Massif no
argali were found during the summer of 2010. 240-250 individuals were
counted on Chikhachoev and Talduair, and 440-450 on the Sailyugem Ridge.

While argali are concentrated in several relatively isolated groupings
on the Chikhachev Ridge (Builyukem-Mount Chernaya-Bogoyash 11%, Bert-
Adyr-KochkorLu-Akkayaluozek 27%, Tekelyu 11%, Talduair 12%, BarBurgazy-
KaraOyuk-NarynGol-ChaganGol 16%, Oristy-Boguty 23%) on Sailyugem
Ridge, the majority of sheep (93%) keep to one large pocket – Kara-Su
– Bayan-Chagan – Sarzhematy – Kalanegir – Kuruk.

During the 2009-2010 winter, mountainous ungulates and livestock
experienced severe conditions. There was great loss of livestock on
both sides of the border. Despite this, wild ungulates fared better.
During field studies, the bodies of 14 argali were notes, including 7
deaths caused by poachers, but there was not indication of a large die-
off. This does not exceed the number of dead argali found in an
average year during such expeditions. However, all observers did note
a reduced percentage of lambs in the groups, relative to easier years.
Apparently the difficult winter had an impact on the viability of
offspring.

Poaching incidents were noted in the Ak-Adyr area (Republic of Tuva)
and Bayan-Chagan (Altai Republic). Poaching activities in Ak-Adyr have
become traditional (noted during each expedition). This winter, 3
argali (one male and two females) were killed right on the border, and
another two males seem to have been injured. They died there and were
eaten by foxes and carrion-eating birds. In the location from which
the shots were likely fired – cliff near the border – fresh
cartridges from a 223 Remington were found. These cartridges were
collected with the goal of establishing the rifle’s ownership with a
query to the federal bullet and shell casing registry. It should also
be noted that there are new signs of a serious anthropogenic impact on
the argali population – industrial mining of tungsten deposits, using
open pits, in argali habitat on the Chikhachev Ridge (Karakulskoye
deposit). Fragile high-elevation ecosystems and argali habitat can be
destroyed when prospecting pits and pit mines are strip mined, as well
as the impacts of road-building. In addition, argali are also
disturbed by sounds coming from such operations and by vehicles, as
well as the presence of a large number of people. Currently, mining
operations have stopped for economic reasons, and there are currently
only two guards on site. Future continuation of mining here will lead
to the isolation of arkhar in the northern part of the Chikhachev
Ridge, will all the resulting impacts, as the commercial pit mine and
deposit are located along the argali’s seasonal migration route.

Translation thanks to Jennifer Castner.

28.07.2010 В рамках проекта прошли полевые работы по оценке численности трансграничных группировок аргали

В период с 16 июня по 23 июля 2010 г. на территории России и Монголии проводились полевые работы по оценке численности трансграничных группировок аргали в соответствии с программой мониторинга этого самого редкого и крупного подвида архаров. Сейчас подведены предварительные итоги учета. На территории России учтено около 700 особей. Общая численность трансграничных группировок станет известна, когда будут получены учетные сведения от монгольских коллег.

С российской стороны в работе приняли участие сотрудники двух соседних заповедников: Спицын С.В. – руководитель работ (Алтайский заповедник, Республика Алтай), Донгак С.Б., Куулар С.М., Бегзи С.Ф.(заповедник Убсунурская котловина, Республика Тыва). Полевые работы проводились при финансовой и информационной поддержке Проекта ПРООН/ГЭФ «Сохранение биоразнообразия Алтае-Саянского экорегиона».

В ходе полевых работ были обследованы все современные места обитания аргали в российской федерации: хребет Цаган-Шибету, массив Монгун-Тайга (Республика Тыва), хребет Чихачева (Республика Тыва, Республика Алтай), хребет Сайлюгем и плато Укок (Республика Алтай). Монгольские специалисты проводили синхронные учеты по другую сторону границы. На хребте Цаган-Шибету и массиве Монгун-Тайга летом 2010 г. аргали не обнаружены. На хребте Чихачева и Талдуаире учтено 240 – 250 особей, на хребте Сайлюгем – 440 – 450. Если аргали на хребте Чихачева концентрируются в нескольких относительно обособленных очагах (Буйлюкем – г. Черная – Богояш (11%); Берт-Адыр – Кочкор-Лу – Аккаялуозек (27%); Текелю (11%); Талдуаир (12%); Бар-Бургазы – Кара-Оюк – Нарын-Гол – Чаган-Гол (16%); Ористы – Богуты (23%)), то на хребте Сайлюгем большая часть баранов местной группировки (93 %) держится в одном крупном очаге обитания – Кара-Су – Баян-Чаган – Саржематы – Каланегир – Курук.

Зима 2009 – 2010 г подвергла суровому испытанию горных копытных и домашний скот. По обе стороны границы отмечен большой падеж скота. Однако дикие копытные лучше справились с зимовкой. В ходе полевого обследования территории установлена гибель 14 аргали, из них 7 от рук браконьеров, а массовых случаев гибели не выявлено. Это не превышает число находок останков аргали в обычные годы при такого рода экспедициях. Однако при учетах наблюдателями все же отмечался меньший процент ягнят в группах, чем в более благоприятные годы. Видимо трудности зимовки отразились на жизнестойкости потомства.

Случаи браконьерства зафиксированы в урочище Ак-Адыр (Республика Тыва) и Баян-Чаган (Республика Алтай). В урочище Ак-Адыр браконьерские охоты на аргали уже стали традиционными (отмечаются каждую экспедицию). В эту зиму здесь прямо на границе добыли 3 аргали (1 самца и 2 самок), еще двух самцов, видимо ранили. Они погибли здесь же, и были съедены лисами и пернатыми падальщиками. На месте предполагаемой засады стрелка, на скале прямо рядом с границей найдены свежие стреляные гильзы калибра 223 Remington. Гильзы изъяты с целью установления владельца оружия через запрос в федеральную пулегильзотеку. Необходимо также отметить серьезный фактор антропогенного воздействия на популяцию аргали, которого не было многие годы – промышленная разработка месторождений металлов (вольфрам) открытым способом в местообитаниях аргали на хребте Чихачева (Каракульское месторождение). Хрупкие высокогорные экосистемы подвергаются разрушению – производится вскрыша шурфов и карьеров, прокладка дорог – тем самым уничтожается среда обитания архаров. Среди прочего – шум механизмов и машин, присутствие большого количества людей. В настоящее время работы приостановлены по экономическим причинам, и на руднике находятся только 2 сторожа. Дальнейшее продолжение добычи приведет к изоляции архаров в северной части хребта Чихачева со всеми вытекающими последствиями, так как промышленный карьер и рудник находятся как раз на пути сезонных перекочевок аргали.

WWF introduces Tuva journalists to the snow leopard (Mongun-Taiga district)

“Tos Ertine”: Searching for the snow leopard

7 August 2010

This summer, Tuvan journalists had the fortuate opportunity to meet the living treasure of Tuva – the snow leopard. On July 21-23, the WWF organized a press- tour for journalists of GTRK “Tuva”, TK “Novyi Vek”, and journal “Plyus Inform” to visit the camp of the expedition as part of the learge-scale Tuvan project “Tos Ertine” – “Nine Treasures”.

The journalists spent three days in Mongun-Taiga district, so that they could personally experience how the snow leopards live and survive in places which were once their hunting range, and now they are settled by people.
They found out how the poachers capture leopard cubs to sell to private zoos of rich people. How, being squeezed out from their natural places by decreased availability of food – wild hoofed animals, the irbis is forced to attack domestic livestock, for which he is subjected to persecution by herdsmen.

The visit to snow leopards was annexed to the work in Mongun-Taiga by the expedition of RAN – Severtsev Institute of evolution. The work was made possible in the framework of the program of study of snow leopards on the territory of Russian Federation with support of the government of RF. The scientists have been working here since June, and every day they carefully set up and check their photo-traps. Their goal is to try out new methods of study of the groupings of irbis on Tuvan territory: setting up photo-traps, analysis of genetic material, and satellite monitoring.

The group of journalists with the staff members of “Ubsunur depression” nature preserve and WWF leaves Kyzyl early in the morning. The journey is not short, and is difficult. As the UAZ approaches Mongun-Taiga, the lively conversation imperceptibly fades into silence.

“Mongun-Taiga just suddenly loomed over me, – exclaims Tatiana Ramazanova, journalist from “Plyus Inform”. – The landscape changed so smoothly, gradually. And suddenly Mongun-Taiga just loomed…”.

Snowy mountaintops in the distance, narrow stony road, squeezed between to hills, stone scree on the slopes. The size of the mountains emphasizes the rough severity of the locality. Trees, tormented by by winds and cold are scrawny and short. Even ivan-chai, which stretches its pink branches as tall as a human being in the valleys, here is no taller than a dandelion. In winter, temperatures in Mongun-Taiga fall below -40 degrees centigrade. The winds can push even legendary giants off their feet. The snow covers the mountains as soon as October, and in some places it stays through the summer.

In these rough, remote high mountains it is still possible to meet surviving snow leopards. They have no equal in endurance or strength. Only the bravest, most courageous and the strongest people are given the honor of carrying its name!

Tuvans have worshipped and respected the “Master of the mountains” since time immemorial, ascribing supernatural abilities to him. The image of the snow leopard is present in epics and legends of Tuvan people, in stories and songs; images of irbis as decorative art were found in the famous ancient kurgans on territory of Republic Tuva. Scythian images of irbis are often associated with hunt scenes. That is evidence that the status of irbis is no less than that of “Tsar of animals” of Tuvan high mountain ranges. To this day the people of Tuva believe that to meet an irbis is an omen of some significant event that will play a special role in the life of this person or his family. Irbis attacks on livestock were (and still are, by some people) viewed by herdsmen as a punishment from above for transgressions of ancient laws of life in harmony with nature. To this time, the residents of the remote Sengilen mountains in the south-east of Tuva identifi the irbis as “Spirit of the mountains”, and are afraid to kill one of these animals, who are able to wreak vengeance on their killer even after death, destroying their cattle and their family.

Alexander Kuksin, employee of “Ubsunur depression” preserve, who was brought in by WWF as an expert, tells us about his meeting with a snow leopard in a mysterious, hypnotic voice. These stories present rich material for dreaming for those who wish to see a snow leopard in the wild. Alexander is the only person, who in the March of this year managed to photograph a snow leopard with a camera.

“This photo did not come easy, – says Alexander Kuksin. – In the spring, we were working with our Mongolian colleagues on the Tsagaan-Shibetu ridge, and as part of monitoring we were conducting a census of the irbis, collecting genetic material. In the morning we found a victim of irbises – a sarlyk (Tuvan yak), surrounded by footprints of no fewer than three individuals. We followed these footprints, we tracked the animals through snow and ice. One of our Mongolian colleagues almost perished, falling into an icy ravine. Then suddenly we saw the snow leopards – a female with two kittens, as they cautiously peered at us from behind rocks. I photographed them, after which they disappeared just as unexpectedly as they appeared…”

The scientists’ camp welcomes us with rain. Mongun-Taiga watchfully admits the aliens into its holy of holies – the irbis country. Our place of dislocation for the next two days will be a canyon between two mountain ridges, in a valley of a tiny cold mountain stream. Scree underfoot, a sea of flowers and small trees complete the majestic picture. And orange tents – bright spots like gigantic embers.

“Yes, yes, already for the second day there is the feeling as if somebody was watching you, – laughs the expedition member Jose Ernandes-Blanco, as he notices the cameraman of “Novyi vek”, Volodya Dongak, turn around yet again and attentively look up to the tops of the ridges between which the camp is squeezed. – Here we are planning to find the irbis, and this very moment he may be observing us from the mountaintops, laughing – “what idiots”.

“According to expert evaluation, today about 15 snow leopards live on the Tsagaan-Shibetu ridge, and on Shapshal ridge about 20 individuals, – Kuksin explains. – Until the beginning of 20th century, the range of the irbis was quite large, and the density of their population was sufficient. The demand for snow leopard pelts started growing as trade developed, exchange with other states and within Russia. It was believed, and among people of Central Asia it still is, that owner of a snow leopard pelt must be a brave and skillful hunter. And wherever there is demand, supply will appear – the fashion of having carpets of snow leopard pelts as well as the leopards themselves, has done its job. The numbers of the irbis started to decrease.”

The rain quiets down and surprisingly the sun peeks out. “What can you do, this is a sharply continental climate”, somebody said. “Nasty continental climate”, somebody else added.

The entire delegation then took off to the nearest place with a photo-trap. One kilometer through a rocky canyon and along a disintegrating bank of a mountain stream gives us an idea about the daily trek of the scientists, who go to check the photo-traps, so that afterwards, getting back to the “headquarters tent”, they turn on the computer and, with bated breath, search endless succession of snapshots made by the cameras… Here’s grass, bushes, more grass, ground squirrel, a sable, marmot, butterfly, bird… And there it is, success!
Every member of the expedition thinks about this in his heart: “Oh, if only we had put the trap just a little bit lower, we would have gotten a great picture of the irbis. He walked right up to it, the camera was working just fine, but we have aimed it too high, and the sky came out really well, – remembers Poyarkov.
Today, more than 40 photo-traps are set up on Tsagaan-Shibetu ridge. The very first sharp image of the irbis was photographed by the REKONIKS camera right on the day the journalists arrived in the camp.
“Well, isn’t it symbolic, – Tatiana Ivanitskaya, the WWF press-secretary said, – The animal decided to show himself specially to us!”
The photo is in grayish fog, but a distinct silhouette of a snow leopard can be seen in right profile, the irbis moving along the path in early dusk.
It is not the first photo since the start of this expedition, but the other images were not at all suitable for scientific analysis. It seemed the irbis has been playing with the people. Curious just like all cats, the irbises show interest in the cameras, sneak up on them from the rear, sniff them, in such a way that the photos consist of separate unfocused body parts of the predator.
Today, Republic Tuva is one of very few corners of the world where it is still possible to see the snow leopard. The greatest portion of the range of this predator in Russia is precisely here.
The Mongun-Taiga and Bai-Taiga kozhuuns is the true Snow Leopard Country, where the local herdsmen can meet irbis and also tell about eye-to-eye meetings with the predator people and irbis live here side by side and try not to interfere with each other.
“This is a leopard nursery, – smiles the head of Mongun-Taiga district, Ochur-ool Alexei Oorzhakovich. – Of course we know that such rare animals live here, and we understand that they need to be protected.”
Nevertheless, cases of poaching are known, even though they are carefully covered up. In the high mountainous districts of Tuva, where people survive by livestock herding, there is a conflict of interest between the herders and the irbis. The conflict originated when local herders started grazing their cattle in the areas inhabited by this rare predator, and at the same time the population of wild hoofed animals (the main natural prey of the irbis) was sharply reduced by poaching. Being deprived of its natural prey, snow leopards started attacking cattle. The leopards attack sheep and goats, more rarely the large domestic animals – yaks and horses, mostly young individuals. however there was a case of a female irbis with two kittens having killed a massive eight-year-old yak.
According to WWF data, in the spring of 2010 on the Tsagaan-Shibetu range, during the period from November 2009 to February 2010, 6 cases of leopard attacks on domestic cattle were documented. Especially large losses of sheep and goats – up to 80-90% of total number of perished animals – occur when an irbis gets into a koshara ( roofed enclosure for sheep). When an irbis gets inside a koshara through a ventilation opening, the irbis becomes crazed either by the sheer amount of available food or from just plain excitement, and kills and injures a huge number of livestock trapped in the koshara with him; then it sometimes happens that, after eating his full, the irbis cannot jump back outside. Herdsmen coming into the koshara then may become eyewitnesses to the slaughter, and stand face to face with the snow leopard, as he is trying to sneak out through the open door. There were cases when the herdsmen would shoot the leopard in vengeance for such an attack, or track the animal and kill it, or attack it an stab it to death right in the koshara with pitchforks.
“Irbis attacks domestic livestock, – Alexander Kuksin continues. – We explain to people why this happens: “They attack because now there are few arkhars, wild goats, other wild hoofed mammals, which are being killed off illegally, out of control, and then there is nothing much left for the irbis. The pressure created by poaching has reached immense dimensions. Some herders understand this and say – it is our own fault.”
“To protect the cattle and to avoid the killings, a simple but effective method has been worked out. With the support of the PROON GEF project by organization “Art”, and with the staff of the “Uvsunur depression” nature preserve, the ventilation openings of kosharas in Mongun-Taiga and Bai-Taiga have been reinforced with simple wire netting, which successfully prevents irbis incursions into the enclosures. We published an accessible and comprehensible brochure telling the herdsmen about this simple and effective method. In two years there has not been a single case of an irbis entering a koshara.
Now it only remains to solve the problem of irbis attacks on cattle in open pastures. So far this has not been easy. People have to understand that, living side by side with the irbis, they have to delimit their pastures.”
All that is left in Tuva is to get a video film of irbis. The cameramen pensively look into the distance and promise to think about returning here in the fall and winter for photo or video hunt.
Thank you, Mongun-Taiga! Thank you for opening up at least some of your secrets, that you did not drench us with rains and frozen us with cold winds, and instead you gave us a chance to touch your holy places, to learn at least a few secrets of your immense treasury, and permitted us to generate in our hearts eternal love for your ridges, snow-white mountains, cold mountain rivers, steadfast forests, and especially – to the invisible and mysterious “spirit of Tuvan mountains” – the snow leopard.
We return home.
Already as we are leaving Kyzyl, the militia on duty decide to search an immense backpack carried by a young girl who is going to Krasnoyarsk. “That was us who went to Mongun-Taiga, to visit the snow leopard, to see how they study it, – Tatiana Ivanitskaya, the WWF press secretary explains. The officer on duty becomes animated. “Yes, and how? How interesting! Do you know, here in Tuva we believe that whoever sees a leopard will be extremely fortunate, – he says thoughtfully. – Do you know, some drivers coming through here told me that they saw a snow leopard crossing the road right at Buyba, they almost ran him over!” . “You have an interesting job, – he adds, gesturing that it is OK to stop ravaging that backpack. – Have a good trip!”

Tatiana Ivanitskaya, translated by Heda Jindrak

http://en.tuvaonline.ru/2010/08/07/irbis.html

WWF Altai-Sayan Newsletter issue #12: April – June, 2010

WWF Russia and WWF Mongolia share the main achievements of both offices in Altai – Sayan Ecoregion regarding species conservation, protected areas, ecotourism, public awareness, education, eco clubs, fresh water. Several articles reference snow leopards:

WWF Mongolia
Argali population observation in transboundary area

WWF Mongolia has been doing observation of argali sheep movement in the transboundary area between Mongolia and Russia for the last 6 years through radio-collar on new-born lambs. This year 10 more lambs were collared. The total number of collared lambs in Uvs province reached\s up to 43 individuals. This year WWF Mongolia expanded the observation area to Siilkhem mountain range which is located in Bayan-Ulgii province. The process involved the local people, rangers and state border officers who are expected to carry out the further observations.

WWF Russia
Ecotourism camps in the habitats of a snow leopard and argali WWF and UNDP

Project started a joined program devoted to development of transboundary ecotourism route in snow leopard and Altai argali habitats in Altai, Tuva and Western Mongolia. The project is based on local communities living in the habitats of endangered species. Thus, in May-June two eco-camps for tourists were organized in Altai on the base of the communities of telengits – the indigenous people of Sailyugem Ridge. Three traditional telengit yurts, a sauna, a guest house and the solar panels were established in the eco – camps in collaboration with Ere – Chui, the Association of Telengit Communities. Poaching – is one of the major threat for argali and snow leopard in Sailyugem, where Sailugem National Park was established recently. A chance to watch a snow leopard and its prey in the wild is supposed to be a specific trait of the planning eco-tours. Rare species conservation will become an indispensable condition for income generation of the local people. The communities receive the equipment and constructions for tourists in exchange for argali and snow leopard conservation. In case of poaching among the participants of the ecotourism projectall equipment and constructions will be confiscated. The involvement of the local people into ecotourism activities secures the requisites for snow leopard and argali protection. Community inspection was organized in Sailugem Ridge as a part of the project. So, telengits now can take active part in anti-poaching activities in cooperation with government agencies.

WWF Russia
WWF assessed the level of conflict between herders and a snow leopard in Republic of Tyva

The understanding of local people’s attitude towards a snow leopard is crucial for conservation of this endangered species. In May 2010 special reseach was supported by WWF Russia to collect information on snow leopard attacs to livestock on Shapshal Ridge – one of the most important species shelter in Altai-Sayan. WWF experts discivered that only 127 heads of livestock were killed by a snow leopard in Shapshal Ridge area in 2001-2010 (for 10 years). So, snow leopards kill on an average 12 – 13 heads of livestock a year (to compare a wolfs kill 703 heads of livestock annually – which is 6 times more than a snow leopards kill for 10 years!).

«There are the herders’ camps where a snow leopard attacks livestock every year, – says Alexander Kuksin, Ubsunurskaya Kotlovina Nature Reserve. – The shepherds themselves relate this fact with a mating period of this wild cat when snow leopards become more active. They say once a herder saw a snow leopard killing his goat on a pasture at daytime. The tuvinian drove away a leopard’s kill however at night a snow leopard got into “koshara (a sheep shed) and killed 30 goats and sheep there”.

Local people poll opinion’s results proved that the shepherds had either neutral or negative attitude towards a rare animal. The people are perfectly aware of a punishment for killing a snow leopard however the cases of poaching are known. One shepherd tried to shoot a snow leopard two years ago but missed, a female snow leopard was shot as a revenge for killing cattle, another animal was caught in a wire loop in 2007. The case is still being investigated. WWF experts consider the measures for the conflict mitigation. The activities proposed include the active propaganda of snow leopard conservation among the local people, the promotion of a snow leopard image as a sacred symbol of Altai – Sayan, ecotourism development involving the herders, souvenirs productions (a snow leopard statuettes). The planning Shui Nature Park will provide for the conservation of a rare animal as well.

WWF Russia
The first ecological festival in the history of Mountain Altai for snow leopard conservation!

The festival called “ A Snow Leopard Day” was hold in Republic of Altai in May, 2010. This unique and very attractive way of promoting rare species conservation was used for the first time and worked very well. 78 schoolchildren of Ulagansky and Kosh – Agachsky regions of Republic of Altai – two key sites for snow leopard conservation in Mountain Altai – ecame the participants of the event. The Head of the Directorate of protected areas of Mongolian Altai Mantai Khavilkhan was the guest of the festival. The results of two contests on the best legend “Snow Leopard – the Legend of Mountains” and the best drawing or craftwork “Save a Snow Leopard” were summed up at the festival. The amazing craftworks made by schoolchildren – a snow leopard and other rare species statuettes made of ceramics, wax, dough and wheat, paper applications were exhibited during the festival. The different songs, dances, performances and even power point presentation were presented for the jury to choose the winner. The wish to help a vulnerable animal and care for its future were seen through children’s appeal to save a snow leopard. ”I was surprised how knowledgeable the children are, – marked Mikhail Paltsyn, – the projects coordinator in Altai – Sayan Ecoregion. – It is extremely important to make a base for nature conservation in the souls of the people form the very early age. Our children will make our future”.

The regional level festival is planned to be promoted up to the level of Republic. The children proposed to name 26, May the Snow Leopard Day and next year invite the children form Republic of Tyva and Mongolia.