Snow Leopard Conservation

Conservation efforts for snow leopards are being made. There are several strands to conservation efforts.

• Research to find out more about snow leopards;
• Sanctuaries to give snow leopards who are no longer able to live in the wild a home;
• Education and working with local populations so they understand and support conservation efforts and also wider education about snow leopards;
• Fur and traditional medicine trade – campaigning and highlighting the dangers;
• Breeding, using a reserve that allows rescued snow leopards to breed and for the resulting cubs to be trained and returned to the wild where possible.

Conservation projects are often local so they can adapt to local needs and include:

• In India and Pakistan domestic animal vaccination and livestock insurance projects run to reduce losses of domestic herds to disease and replace animals lost to hunters such as snow leopards. This helps reduce retribution killings of snow leopards blamed for loss of domestic animals. Excess domestic animals are sold to raise funds for the herders and maintain original herd sizes.
• In Mongolia a group of herders set up a self-help organisation in the Yamaat Valley, raising standards of animal husbandry and pasture management to avoid over-grazing wildlife habitats so domestic and wild animals could both thrive. Herders estimate the loss of 144 domestic animals in 2007 to wolves and snow leopards so conflict exists between herders and snow leopards.
• Snow Leopard Enterprises encourages herders to make toys and ornaments from sheep wool which creates income that the herders can use to pay for food, medicine and education.
• Children’s eco-camps which take children on an outdoor adventure holiday but also includes education about snow leopards and prizes for best drawing and best story about snow leopards.