Save the Snow Leopard

Help end the poaching and killing of snow leopards.

Poaching of snow leopards is very real and is taking place right now. According to an October 2016 report by TRAFFIC, the wildlife monitoring network, more than 480 snow leopards were killed and traded between 2003 and 2012. That's at least four cats a week. The actual numbers could be even higher as many killings go undetected. With as few as 4,000 snow leopards possibly left in the wild, stopping poaching is an extremely high conservation priority for Snow Leopard Trust.

In Kyrgyzstan, where we estimated that 200-400 snow leopards range, poaching and trophy hunting are the most serious threats to the cats and their wild prey. Although Kyrgyzstan has more than 20 protected areas, wildlife rangers responsible for patrolling these areas are poorly paid, and many lack the formal training to apprehend poachers and bring them to justice. This is where the Trust has stepped in.

We are providing top-notch law enforcement training for park rangers through Interpol, the world's largest police organization. We are also giving rangers Interpol crime scene manuals (translated into Kyrgyz), and the necessary equipment to document poaching incidents. Rangers who apprehend poachers and bring them to justice are publicly recognized and rewarded at a yearly event. In March 2017, a group of rangers was rewarded for catching a poacher with a snow leopard pelt and skull, intent on selling them. The man has since paid a fine of $7,200.

You can help. With your support, Snow Leopard Trust can help Kyrgyzstan'™s dedicated rangers do their important work to keep snow leopards and their wild prey safe.

The Snow Leopard Trust's mission is to protect the endangered snow leopard and its mountain ecosystem through rigorous science, community-based conservation, education and international advocacy. They support field offices in China, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia and Pakistan, which combined are home to 75% of the world's remaining snow leopards.