UN launches monitoring effort to preserve snow leopard population
While most snow leopard populations are threatened by poaching and habitat loss, the ghosts of the Kyrgyzstan mountains are also imperilled by climate change.
By ZACHARY KEYSERUN launches monitoring effort to preserve snow leopard population.(photo credit: THE UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME (UNEP))
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) launched a new monitoring effort to observe the snow leopard population inhabiting the areas surrounding Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, the UN agency announced this week.The population of the elusive snow leopard - known as the "ghost of the mountains" - are distributed across the mountainous regions of Central Asia, including Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Mongolia, China, Nepal, Pakistan and Afghanistan.UN launches monitoring effort to preserve snow leopard population. (UNEP)Its population, however, has been classified as "vulnerable," according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) - one step up from the "endangered" classification they held until 2016.According to the IUCN, there are an estimated 10,000 mature snow leopards living in the wild, and conservationists evaluate that their population will decrease by 10% by 2040.While most snow leopard populations are threatened by poaching and habitat loss, the ghosts of the Kyrgyzstan mountains are also imperiled by climate change.According to the UNEP, the warmer climates that accompany climate change are forcing shepherds further up into the mountains to find suitable pastures for their livestock to graze on - putting them in direct contention with the snow leopard population, causing increased conflict between the local communities and the elusive cats. Studies suggest that climate change will reduce the snow leopards habitats globally by two-thirds, as early as 2070.“If snow leopards could roar, we would hear them cry out for our help,” said UNEP Europe Office Director Bruno Pozzi. “Climate change is hitting Central Asian mountains. Conflicts between snow leopards and local communities and livestock are likely to become more frequent. This may also result in a possible increase in poaching and illegal wildlife trade. Greater interaction between humans and wildlife may increase the chances of transfer of zoonotic diseases like COVID-19. The Vanishing Treasures program targets solutions that work for people and nature.”UN launches monitoring effort to preserve snow leopard population. (UNEP)In response to the quarrels between the shepherds and snow leopards, who inadvertently are competing for the same land leading to attacks on livestock by the cats and retaliatory killings by humans, the UNEP launched a conservative effort called Vanishing Treasures - funded by the Luxembourg government - to assist people in "diversifying their livelihoods" through ecotourism, beekeeping and horticulture - hopefully fostering a coexisting relationship between the snow leopards and the local communities.
The Snow Leopard Trust, recently surveyed 15 adult snow leopards living in the Kyrgyz Republic’s Ala Too mountain range by way of motion-sensed infrared cameras.A few of the cats were observed within 40 kilometers of the Kyrgyzstan capital, additionally two sets of cubs were surveyed alongside them, meaning that there is a possibility the snow leopards are breeding close to the city. Both human and cat depend on the mountains for survival.A common misconception is that snow leopards live only at high altitudes, when in reality they live closer to humans than most people realize, according to Zoologist Alexey Grachyov, who works with the Snow Leopard Foundation."This is a unique population that has adapted to human presence. Every snow leopard probably sees humans, cars, sees the city every day, sees it encroach on its habitat," said Grachyov.UN launches monitoring effort to preserve snow leopard population. (UNEP)“People used to very rarely meet snow leopards,” said Sasykulov Azim Kurmankulovich, a farmer and ranger from Shamshy in the Chuy region in the AlaToo range. “Maybe they attack livestock because their prey base has decreased. If we protect wildlife in the mountains, snow leopards would not need to attack livestock.”In addition, the Vanishing Treasure initiative will also monitor and map livestock losses directly correlated to the snow leopard's proximity to the city, the retaliatory killings of the cats as a direct result of the losses as well as evaluate pasture conditions and crop damage affected by other species of wildlife. Altogether, the data will help identify "conflict hotspots" to which the UNEP could assess and build, for example, predator-proof corrals for livestock or provide lifestock insurance to areas most affected.It will also investigate case studies covering the transfer of zoonotic diseases between humans, wildlife and livestock.“Kyrgyzstan was the first country to raise the issue of conservation of the snow leopard and its prey,” said Musaev Almaz Mustafaevich, Biodiversity Director at the country’s State Agency for Environmental Protection. “Further to the signing of the Bishkek Declaration, we are working with neighboring countries to study habitats and monitor the snow leopard.”
