President’s Budget Could Usher in Mass Horse Slaughter, Lethal “Management” aalberg Wed, 06/11/2025 - 18:30 photo by Aleksander Hunta June 11, 2025 Washington, DC—The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) is deeply concerned that the administration's proposed fiscal year 2026 budget omits critical protections for wild horses and burros, which could allow them to be sold off for commercial slaughter and lethally “managed” to reduce their numbers.Year after year, Congress and the American people have demonstrated their support for our nation’s wild herds. Polling consistently finds that Americans overwhelmingly oppose horse slaughter, and language barring the destruction of wild horses has long been included in appropriations bills for the US Department of the Interior. Moreover, management of federally protected wild horses and burros must be humane and focused on keeping herds in their natural habitats, as mandated by the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. For the coming fiscal year, however, the administration’s proposed budget does not include these safeguards, which could result in the mass killing of tens of thousands of animals. The proposal even allows for the large-scale transfer of our nation’s wild equines to foreign countries, many of which operate commercial horse slaughter plants.The Bureau of Land Management is tasked with managing the vast majority of this country’s wild horses and burros. For decades, as a method of limiting the number of wild equines on the range, the agency has relied on inhumane and costly roundups to chase wild horses into trap pens using low-flying helicopters rather than adopt a proactive approach using humane and proven fertility control methods. Currently, an estimated 64,000 wild horses and burros are being held in off-range holding facilities, making them potential targets for lethal control under this budget proposal. Today, Republican and Democratic co-chairs of the Congressional Wild Horse Caucus and Congressional Animal Protection Caucus sent a letter led by Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) to appropriations committee leaders urging them to “retain longstanding prohibitions against the lethal control and commercial destruction” of wild horses and burros.“The proposed budget poses an existential threat to federally protected wild horses by removing protections against slaughter and lethal control, presenting a real risk that these beloved animals could be killed en masse,” said Joanna Grossman, Ph.D., equine program director for AWI. “The leaders of the Congressional Wild Horse Caucus and Congressional Animal Protection Caucus have sent a clear message: These long-standing, widely supported protections cannot simply disappear.”As appropriations legislation advances, AWI will continue working to ensure that these cherished animals—who embody the spirit of freedom and resilience—will be protected for generations to come.  Media Contact Information Marjorie Fishman, Animal Welfare Institutemargie@awionline.org, (202) 446-2128 The Animal Welfare Institute (awionline.org) is a nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1951 and dedicated to alleviating animal suffering caused by people. We seek to improve the welfare of animals everywhere: in agriculture, in commerce, in our homes and communities, in research, and in the wild. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and LinkedIn for updates and other important animal protection news.

Rainforest Trust makes urgent call to protect the Amazon in its BBC Radio 4 Appeal

Yahoo! Japan Sells Polluted Whale and Dolphin Meat Products to Unsuspecting Consumers aalberg Mon, 06/16/2025 - 08:53 photo by EIA June 16, 2025 London—The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) and an international coalition of animal protection and environmental groups are calling on Yahoo! Japan and its parent company, the LY Corporation, to stop selling products containing whale and dolphin meat after a new investigation found high levels of toxins in some of the nearly 1,000 cetacean food items available for purchase on the massive search engine and web portal.In January, Yahoo! Japan’s shopping site listed 963 food products derived from whales, dolphins and porpoises (cetaceans), including 58 pet food products containing whale meat, according to a new report by the London-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA).These products come from multiple small and large cetacean species, primarily hunted domestically by Japan but also imported from Iceland and Norway, helping to prop up a damaging industry for whales and humans alike.Of 66 cetacean products purchased by EIA from Yahoo! Japan and tested by certified laboratories in Japan between 2007 to 2025, the average mercury concentration of 2.67 parts per million (ppm) was almost seven times higher than the advisory limit set by the Government of Japan.EIA’s report, “Ethics Over Profits—Why Yahoo! Japan must stop selling whale and dolphin products,” calls on Yahoo! Japan and the LY Corporation to immediately implement a complete and permanent ban on all cetacean product sales. The LY Corporation, which claims to be committed to biodiversity conservation, is scheduled to hold its annual meeting of shareholders on June 19.Clare Perry, EIA’s senior ocean adviser, said: “Yahoo! Japan is likely now the largest remaining e-commerce site still selling whale and dolphin products in Japan, not only a cause of great concern regarding their conservation but clearly a major reputational risk for the company and its owner, the LY Corporation. Many cetacean products on sale contain high concentrations of mercury, a neurotoxin which can cause neurological and behavioural disorders and is a major public health concern.”In total, 41 (62%) of the 66 Yahoo! Japan cetacean products tested at independent labs in Japan exceeded the government’s mercury advisory level of 0.4ppm. Sixteen (24%) contained mercury concentrations at least 10 times higher than the advisory level.The most polluted product of the samples tested was dried pilot whale from Taiji, Wakayama, sold by the Ajisaku company. The sample purchased by EIA in July 2019 contained a staggering 19ppm of mercury—more than 47 times higher than the advisory limit. A second sample purchased and tested in April 2025 revealed a mercury level of 8.2ppm—more than 20 times higher than the limit.“The world’s cetaceans are under threat as never before, with their marine habitat increasingly degraded through climate change, pollution, industrial fishing, vessel traffic, and more,” said Sue Fisher, senior policy advisor for AWI’s Marine Wildlife Program. “At the same time, cetaceans provide enormous ecosystem services, such as cycling nutrients, that are central to a functioning marine ecosystem. Yahoo! Japan must stop peddling toxic whale meat derived from a cruel, environmentally harmful industry.”The Government of Japan has consistently flouted the global ban on commercial whaling since it was first implemented by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in 1986. Between 1986 and 2024, Japan killed 24,899 great whales and more than 489,453 smaller whales, dolphins, and porpoises not protected by the ban.In 2019, Japan quit the IWC—the only international body mandated to manage commercial whaling—and has since operated completely outside international regulation. Japan’s whaling fleet recently returned from its newly expanded hunt bringing back 25 fin whales. Fin whales are the second largest animal on the planet and a species listed as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species.AWI, EIA, and five other nongovernmental organizations based in Japan, Australia, Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland have written to the LY Corporation and its owners—SoftBank Corp of Japan and Naver Corp of South Korea—urging them to commit to ending sales of products derived from whales, dolphins, and porpoises.Ren Yabuki, director of the Life Investigation Agency, a Japanese NGO, said: “Yahoo! Japan faced strong international criticism in the past for allowing illegal trade in ivory, rhinoceros horns, tiger pelts, and other items. If it continues to allow whale meat, it is inevitable that it will face further criticism. To maintain a healthy corporate image, Yahoo! Japan must stop selling whale meat immediately.”Naver is responsible for distributing whale and dolphin products not only in Japan but also in South Korea. Searching “whale meat” on Naver’s website reveals more than 900 online sellers, enabling users to buy cetacean meat products online.Naver is Korea’s second largest online shopping site, as well as the number one search engine and web portal. The coalition is also calling on Naver to immediately stop promoting whale and dolphin meat products on its own platform and on Yahoo! Japan, in line with the South Korean government’s stated position opposing commercial whaling.Editor’s Note:1. EIA investigates and campaigns against environmental crime and abuse. Our undercover investigations expose transnational wildlife crime, with a focus on elephants, pangolins and tigers, and forest crimes such as illegal logging and deforestation for cash crops such as palm oil. We work to safeguard global marine ecosystems by addressing the threats posed by plastic pollution, bycatch and commercial exploitation of whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Finally, we work to avert climate catastrophe by strengthening and enforcing regional and international agreements that tackle short-lived climate super-pollutants, including ozone-depleting substances, hydrofluorocarbons and methane, and advocating corporate and policy measures to promote transition to a sustainable cooling sector and away from fossil fuels.2. The seven NGOs are: Environmental Investigation Agency (UK, US), the Animal Welfare Institute (US), Pro Wildlife (Germany), OceanCare (Switzerland), Life Investigation Agency (Japan), Action for Dolphins (Australia), and Whale and Dolphin Conservation (UK)3. Read and download “Ethics Over Profits—Why Yahoo! Japan must stop selling whale and dolphin products” at https://eia-international.org/wp-content/uploads/EIA-UK-Ethics-Over-Profits-June-2025-FINAL.pdf4. Images of the whale products, certified mercury testing certificates, and of the Kangei Maru factory whaling ship (recently returned to Miyagi), are available on request. Media Contact Information Marjorie Fishman, Animal Welfare Institutemargie@awionline.org, (202) 446-2128 The Animal Welfare Institute (awionline.org) is a nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1951 and dedicated to alleviating animal suffering caused by people. We seek to improve the welfare of animals everywhere: in agriculture, in commerce, in our homes and communities, in research, and in the wild. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and LinkedIn for updates and other important animal protection news.

AWI Statement on Trump Administration’s Plan to Reduce Animal Experimentation Amid Attack on Science aalberg Wed, 06/18/2025 - 14:42 photo by Jo-Anne McArthur/Te Protejo/We Animals Media June 18, 2025 Washington, DC—The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) applauds recent announcements by the National Institutes of Health and the US Food and Drug Administration about their plans to reduce the use of animals in research and testing.At the same time, however, the Trump administration has moved to cut funding for a wide swath of research—including innovative nonanimal alternatives—and dramatically reduce the number of scientists, veterinarians, and others in the federal workforce who have a role in protecting animal welfare. These moves call into question the feasibility of proposals by the NIH and the FDA to reduce animal use, and raise serious concerns about the potential impacts on animal welfare and science more generally. Indeed, the administration’s actions appear to be at cross-purposes with its purported goals. Replacing animal models with nonanimal ones requires robust funding for research and a sufficient number of scientists to carry out the work.The administration’s actions are more consistent with an anti-science agenda than a pro-animal one. A government dedicated to alleviating animal suffering would increase funding for nonanimal alternatives, not halt progress at labs advancing those technologies. It would form plans to rehome the animals currently in the system and increase protections, oversight, and regulations at the federal level. And it would allocate more—not fewer—resources for research aimed at managing and preserving threatened and endangered species. Instead, animals and some research into animal-replacing technologies have become collateral damage in the administration’s larger assault on science.In recent months, the administration has engaged in a multipronged strategy to drastically cut funding for scientific research by capping, canceling, or delaying funds provided by national funding agencies, including the NIH—the largest funder of biomedical research in the world. The administration has canceled research grants on specific topics it deems controversial. In addition, it announced that dozens of universities are currently “under investigation,” and it has already frozen or canceled billions of dollars in federal funding to several of those universities for failing to comply with the administration’s demands, which vary from institution to institution. Among the current casualties of this funding freeze is research at Harvard University’s Wyss Institute, which pioneered the most promising technology for replacing animals in tests and experiments: organ-on-a-chip. Much of that research relied on federal funding.All told, the administration has terminated at least $9.5 billion in research grants, and many of these actions remain embroiled in litigation. Further research cuts are included in the administration’s fiscal year 2026 budget proposal, such as slashing scientific funding across the board and reducing the budgets of the NIH and the National Science Foundation by roughly 40% and 55%, respectively. Already, the administration has fired or pushed out significant portions of the federal scientific workforce, including an estimated one-eighth of employees at the NIH and nearly 20% at the FDA. International toxicology experts have declared that the administration’s actions will “throw public health and safety back to the stone age of safety science,” and could significantly impede the advancement of nonanimal models.Replacing animals in laboratories entirely will require more innovative research, not less. This is because nonanimal models are still in the early phases of development, especially for “basic” research. This includes exploratory studies meant to advance general scientific knowledge, such as understanding the progression of disease, which comprise the bulk of research funded by the NIH. Nonanimal models are further along in regulatory testing programs, including those overseen by the FDA.In the meantime, millions of animals remain in laboratories across the country, their welfare and lives hanging in the balance. The administration has threatened to drastically reduce the amount of funds provided for “indirect costs” at universities. Indirect costs cover, in part, animal welfare-related expenses such as enrichment programs, facility upgrades, ethical reviews and approval of study protocols, semiannual inspections, and salaries for animal care staff. Hundreds of animals have already been euthanized in laboratories, and many more remain at risk. Animals who are not euthanized will likely face lower standards of care and oversight.For instance, the administration has already drastically reduced the US Department of Agriculture’s workforce, including employees tasked with enforcing the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) via its Deferred Resignation Program; further workforce reductions are anticipated. The USDA has a long history of failing to adequately enforce the AWA, due in part to insufficient staff. Continued loss of personnel and a renewed emphasis on deregulation will only exacerbate the situation, further diminishing the scant protections in place for animals in laboratories. This could result in even more violations of animal welfare laws and regulations—with less accountability.AWI strongly supports a thoughtful, science-based transition to nonanimal methodologies, both to advance science and reduce animal suffering. However, it is difficult to celebrate perceived wins for animals in laboratories in this uncertain climate—when the administration’s evolving plans could jeopardize their welfare, and public health and environmental protection research that may benefit all animals (human and nonhuman) screeches to a halt. Media Contact Information Marjorie Fishman, Animal Welfare Institutemargie@awionline.org, (202) 446-2128 The Animal Welfare Institute (awionline.org) is a nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1951 and dedicated to alleviating animal suffering caused by people. We seek to improve the welfare of animals everywhere: in agriculture, in commerce, in our homes and communities, in research, and in the wild. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and LinkedIn for updates and other important animal protection news.

6 Endangered Species From Around The World

Refuge from Cruel Trapping Act Reintroduced to Protect Wildlife and Pets on Public Lands aalberg Tue, 06/24/2025 - 14:42 photo courtesy of AWI June 24, 2025 Washington, DC—The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) endorses the Refuge from Cruel Trapping Act, reintroduced today in the US House of Representatives by Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY). This bill would prohibit the use of archaic body-gripping traps within the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS), with limited exceptions. Body-gripping traps include steel-jaw leghold traps, Conibear traps, and snares.“Why should anyone—people, companion animals, or wildlife—have to fear stepping into a bone-crushing trap while enjoying our nation’s beautiful wildlife refuge system?” said Susan Millward, AWI’s executive director and CEO. “Public lands belong to all of us—not just the select few who wish to set traps that smash limbs or agonizingly strangle airways. Thank you to Representative Nadler for your commitment to ending the use of cruel traps in our country’s refuges.”“When Americans visit their local National Wildlife Refuges, most expect to enjoy nature without worrying that they—or their pets—will fall victim to a dangerous trap,” Nadler said. “However, trapping is still allowed in many of the more than 570 refuges across the country, putting people, pets, and endangered species in danger of serious injury. These cruel devices have no place on protected public lands, and my bill will make sure our refuges are safe from this inhumane practice.”The purpose of these protected lands is clear: to be a refuge where native wildlife can thrive and all Americans can enjoy our great outdoors. The NWRS contains one of the most diverse collections of fish and wildlife habitats in the world and provides a home for more than 380 endangered species. Yet nearly half of these refuges allow trapping. Body-gripping traps are inhumane and inherently nonselective, meaning they indiscriminately injure and kill nontarget animals.These brutal traps endanger not only wild animals but also the pets of millions of visitors who spend time in the nation’s refuges each year. There have been a number of incidents in which pets have been killed. In December 2022, for example, a three-year-old Shetland sheepdog died after her neck was caught in a Conibear trap near a wooded trail in Vermont—the state’s 13th incident of a pet being caught in a trap that year.To learn more about this issue, please visit https://awionline.org/content/refuge-cruel-trapping-act. Media Contact Information Marjorie Fishman, Animal Welfare Institutemargie@awionline.org, (202) 446-2128 The Animal Welfare Institute (awionline.org) is a nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1951 and dedicated to alleviating animal suffering caused by people. We seek to improve the welfare of animals everywhere: in agriculture, in commerce, in our homes and communities, in research, and in the wild. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and LinkedIn for updates and other important animal protection news.

Continued from May 2025   Field Update from May 11 We collared another female two days ago. I was hoping we would have received locations from the cat by now, but have not heard from the collar yet. Nothing strange, really. The collars try to send data every 25th hour, so only one communication opportunity has been missed. I may have buried the lede here. The big news is that we collared another female on May 9.  She is most likely a 2-year-old. Her ID is F20. Bayara was in camp and could join us, which was the best part of the whole experience! Everyone was so happy she could finally be with us during a collaring. She named the cat Gunj, which means Princess in Mongolian. It was really special for Bayara – as she put it, “ I was privileged to be there to witness my first snow leopard in the wild since I started working for snow leopard conservation in 1998. It was a big day for me.” We’re eager to see if F20 could be a sibling to F16. Unfortunately, it seems like the cameras deployed in F12’s range in last autumn’s survey didn’t work.  So we may not have any photos of her mother, F12, and these cubs when they are big. We’ll check to see if Buren had any cub cameras in her area. If these have been collected, then we may have photos of the litter. The capture was uneventful, which is obviously what we want. We caught her in the same snare where we caught F16 and F19 (the second time). It was also an early morning. I had said that we would carry the cat away from the snare if we caught another one to give the nesting wheatears some peace, but too many people were joining us to start carrying the cat. The birds were actually relatively invisible. Perhaps the people kept them in check. (In case you missed the pied wheatear drama, see part 1 of this field update.) Here you can see Ollie, Cecilia and me shading the cat from the sun. She woke up shortly after the photo was taken and looked back over her shoulder at us. When I put a hand on her shoulder, she lay down again. I gave the antidote and when we left, she just walked away. Then the wheatears appeared and started harassing and diving in on her. I feel a bit sorry for them, but it must also be quite a power rush for those two little birds to ’scare’ away a snow leopard from their territory three times in a bit more than a week. Pied wheatear Field Update from May 12 We received locations from Gunj’s collar today. She has travelled north and is more or less in the middle of the crater. She and F16 have travelled north parallel to each other and F16 is currently just west of the crater, almost at the edge of Tost. She’ll have to turn around now or cross over to Nemegt.  Field Update from May 13 All three females collared this spring have made kills and are moving normally. Gunj (F20) must have made a kill in the crater, see map below. She moves back and forth between the kill where we found some pieces of bone and a daybed in the lower left corner. There is no scale, but the ‘kill cluster is about 15 x 15 m. NOTE: Depredation incidents like this underscore why reducing livestock losses and creating pathways for coexistence are central to our conservation approach throughout snow leopard range—supporting both snow leopard protection and community livelihoods. Field Update from May 15 We finally collared an ibex female today (ID IF11). She was waiting at the well when we arrived and went into the trap about 15 minutes after we had set up. She looked at the trap for a long while, but once she had decided, she walked in quickly and lay down to drink. From a scientific perspective, I should have dropped the doors immediately, but I didn’t have the heart to do that, so instead I tried to count to ten and then released the doors so she would have time to get some sips at least. I didn’t have to worry because she was very relaxed in the trap. She walked back and forth once when the doors closed and then lay down to drink again. The capture went smoothly. We learned a lot that will help us perfect the technique. She is lactating and we spotted a couple of kids (possibly hers) plus some other ibex higher up. She is the 14th ibex we’ve collared and the first that we’ve captured in the cage trap we built in 2017. Conditions are not ideal since it hasn’t rained and there is a fair bit of green grass, so the ibex don’t need to drink as often as they do before the grass emerges. If we had timed this better, we would have caught more, but we have learned a lot and are hopeful for the next trip. Since the ibex is a mom, Cecilia (a postdoc student working with us) named her Mama Mia, which means “my mother” in Italian. It’s also an Italian expression of surprise or excitement. We’ll call her Mia for short. Note that the Satellite communication is not activated, so it may be a few days before we get locations. She was in perfect shape when she left us. (read Cecilia’s field update here) Final field update Well, to wrap things up, we’ve collared ​​three snow leopards, one ibex, visited 46 clusters and had the pleasure of hosting the British ambassador and her team, who stopped by to see what we’re up to out here. Not a bad few weeks in the field. Buren Nyam, Gustaf Samelius, Örjan Johansson, Choidog Byambasuren listening for signals from a collar. WHAT HAVE THE COLLARED ANIMALS BEEN UP TO SINCE WE LEFT? When our science team returned from the field, they began piecing together the movements of these elusive cats. The maps below reveal each animal’s story through digital breadcrumbs in the form of GPS data points—every dot marks a location in space and time, every cluster of dots shows a hunting ground or resting spot. Together, these data points paint a picture of how these cats navigate their world, revealing the invisible boundaries of their home ranges and the hidden patterns that govern their daily lives. Snow Leopards F12 Wilian (red) F12 started moving outside her territory in late autumn, making several long-distance travels to the northern part of Tost. We don’t know if this was to introduce her cubs to the area before they left her to start their independent lives, or if she has been ousted from her territory. Her grown cubs left her sometime this winter.  Since then, she has been back in her normal range but also travelled outside of it. She may currently be denning, or she simply killed a very large prey. It is a little too early to tell just yet. If she is denning, she is outside of her territory, which would indicate that she has lost it. F16 Oluula (orange) F16 is Wilian’s (F12) daughter. She was collared in April 2025 at two years of age. She travels around over a large portion of Tost, apparently looking for a vacant area to settle in. We are eager to see where she will end up. F19 (purple) This is a grand-cub to the first female we collared, Suhder (F1). F19 was born in 2020. Her mother was never collared, but in the camera database, she is named Guierrero. We have not detected Guierrero on camera in a few years and believe she has passed away. While we do not know her exact territory, the camera data indicates that F19 has inherited roughly the same area.  F20 Gunj (pink) This is another two-year-old female we collared in the same site as F16. We think they are sisters, but we need better photos to confirm this. She left Tost and crossed about 40 km of steppe before reaching Nemegt, the mountain range North of Tost, a few days after collaring. We are very eager to see where she will settle down. Hopefully, we can identify her in the cameras to determine where she was raised. It’s possible she came from Nemegt, made a short visit to Tost and then returned. But she could also be one of F12’s cubs. M23 Salkh (blue) M23 remains in his territory in the eastern part of Tost. He covers about 1/3 of the southern mountain range, which is the average-sized territory for an adult male. M23 has a habit of covering his territory in clockwise ‘circles’. We have never seen a snow leopard with such regular movement patterns before. Most likely, the shape of the territory creates this type of movement. M24 Angarag (green) M24 is likely 4 years old now. He still moves around over a large portion of Tost, the movement pattern suggests that he has not found a vacant place to settle in.   NOTE: Why we collar cats Tracking snow leopards reveals crucial information about these elusive animals that we couldn’t learn any other way. The collars, typically programmed to detach after 20 months, provide valuable information that directly shapes our conservation strategies to protect this endangered species. Ibex IF10 Emma Emma remains in the same area where she was collared in autumn 2024, close to our old Base Camp. She gave birth to a kid in early April. Her GPS data showed that she stayed high up in rugged terrain, a common antipredator strategy for ibex females with newborn kids. They use terrain that wolves and foxes have problems navigating. We saw the two of them on May 7th. Once the kids are fast and agile enough to escape onto the cliffs if a predator is detected, the females also use gentler slopes with better grazing. We saw this in Emma’s movements in early May.  IF11 Mia  Mia was collared in Spring 2025. She resides in the mountains surrounding the southern part of East Valley, where we collared snow leopards in spring. She also has a kid. We can’t say too much about her movements yet. Sign up for our monthly E-News to get all the latest updates from the field, including new info about the cats and ibex on air.   Photos: SLCF-Mongolia and Oliver Wearn for SLT Acknowledgments: This long-term ecological study is in collaboration with Snow Leopard Conservation Foundation in Mongolia and Snow Leopard Trust, with special thanks to the Ministry of Nature, Environment and Tourism, the Government of Mongolia, and the Mongolian Academy of Sciences for their support. We would also like to acknowledge: Acton Family Giving, Bioparc Zoo de Doue la Fontaine, David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, Idaho Falls Zoo at Tautphaus Park, John Ball Zoo, Kolmårdens Zoo, Korkeasaari Zoo, National Geographic Society, Nordens Ark, Parco Zoo Punta Verde, Play for Nature, Tierpark Berlin, The Big Cat Sanctuary/Wildlife Heritage Foundation, Tulsa Zoo, Whitley Fund for Nature, Zoo Basel, Zoo Dresden, Zoo New England and the many incredible partners who have supported programs like our Long-term Ecological Study and research in Mongolia since it began in 2008. We could not do this work without you. The post Snow Leopard Field Chronicles: Part Two appeared first on Snow Leopard Trust.

“I’m a postdoc at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, where I recently received a 4-year grant to study how large carnivores behave around human activities. My research focuses on three species—snow leopards, brown bears, and grey wolves—to understand whether these animals make calculated decisions when approaching human settlements. Essentially, do they weigh the benefits of finding food (like livestock) against the risk of being killed by humans? I’m collaborating with three established research projects that have been tracking these animals and studying their hunting patterns for years. Through this work, I became involved with the Snow Leopard Trust’s Long-Term Ecological Study in Tost, Mongolia. We’ll analyze GPS data from collared snow leopards to better understand the relationship between these cats and local people, specifically examining what drives snow leopards to prey on livestock of herding communities.  April 24 – following from the right distance (cluster checks) We arrived at Snow Leopard Trust base camp after almost two days of travel across the steppes of southern Mongolia. These incredible Tost mountains will be our home for more than a month. Snow leopards in Tost frequently rest up high, close to mountain peaks. Reaching those GPS clusters recorded by their collars is often exhausting. As you get closer, you look for signs of the snow leopard and try to understand why it passed through there and chose that spot. It appears to me that, like their domestic cat cousins, snow leopards might love high places where they can watch everything from above. From there, they can see if prey is nearby, or if another leopard or a shepherd with goats is passing through. It’s a bit like playing a smart detective game, trying to figure out what happened when the snow leopard was in that place. Sometimes it’s hard to tell and you can only guess. Other times, clear signs are left behind, telling the story step by step. You imagine a beautiful snow leopard moving among the rocks, stepping silently, so agile in this rocky landscape that’s almost impossible for us humans to navigate.  April 25 – outsmarted by our wild relatives To me, animals seem to understand patience far better than we humans do. Even though we do our best to observe, study, and understand them without disturbing them, it’s likely they do the same with us. They probably watch and study our movements around them, trying to figure out who we are and whether we’re a threat. We follow their tracks, collect their droppings, spy on them with binoculars, scopes and place camera traps in strategic spots to understand their behavior and social lives. One moment in particular during these 40 days reminded me of how much we watch each other, and how often our wild cousins outsmart us. It was a hot midday, Gustaf and I were out visiting a GPS cluster from M23, a snow leopard we’ve been studying closely through cluster checks during this spring field trip. The day before, M23 had spent the afternoon on a mountaintop before moving on, so we went to check what he had been doing there. We explored the area and found signs of his presence (scats, scrapes on the ground). He most likely rested on the rocks. Tired and hot, we sat down on those rocks for a couple of minutes, filled out our protocol, and looked across the valley. We joked that M23 might be watching us from the peaks right in front of us. Then we hiked back down. When we returned to base camp, Örjan greeted us with a smile. He told us the new GPS points had just come in—and, sure enough, M23 had been exactly where we imagined him: across the valley, just 500 meters away from us. He had spent the entire day resting up there. A few days later, we visited that new cluster of GPS locations and found a beautiful bed of small stones and matted grass, with a few snow leopard hairs. It was sheltered from the wind and perfectly positioned at the top of the ridge, giving M23 a perfect view of the whole valley—and the two funny humans wandering below. April 30 – ibex rocks We are attempting to capture ibex, continuing a long-term effort started many years ago by this research project. They have tried many different methods and tricks to attract them but water seems to be the main way to succeed. It is not only the water itself but a very subtle and complex combination of conditions that can make an ibex capture successful, including the stage of the vegetation in the mountains, the routine of finding a reliable source of water in that spot, plus many other factors that increase the challenge. The team built a box trap using a model from Gran Paradiso National Park, now placed in Tost.  Hopefully, this will be one of the keys to capturing this fascinating mountain ungulate. We are in place, with our radios and capture equipment at hand, ready to be used in case an ibex gets in the box trap to drink. The wait feels endless. I keep looking at the same mountain slope, scanning it with my binoculars – rock by rock, meter by meter – searching for any sign of the ibex. It’s a test of patience and determination.  Every moment, I hope they will appear. I start to imagine: “It will come out from behind that sharp rock, or maybe from behind that bush. I’m sure it will show up on the next scan with the binoculars.” But nothing. The rocks are always the same, same place, same shape. Only the angle of the sunlight changes, casting new shadows that trick my eyes. They make me think I’ve seen an ibex, but it’s just the same rock from two hours ago. The complex geology of this place, with all its different colors of rocks, creates animal-like shapes – but they’re just rocks, optical illusions. May 1 – the night of the snow leopard The sun starts to set, and slowly we shift from golden light to the hour of the blue mountains, when the different layers of peaks overlap like stage curtains, getting ready for the night’s show. This is when the snow leopard’s hour begins. As the light fades, it’s their time to move, to cross through areas that are too exposed and risky during the day. In the valley, between the mountains, we’ve set traps to capture the leopards that pass through. These are passage zones, transition points, the borders between different leopard territories—strategic places to move from one peak to another across this rugged landscape. It takes a lot of care and experience to place the traps in just the right spots—on trails and corners where a leopard might step and place its paw exactly where the trap is. It’s a great privilege to be here with Örjan and Gustaf, to watch their careful work and be a small part of it. When that last bit of sunlight fades from the roof of the ger, your heart starts to beat faster—because in that moment, the chances of capturing a snow leopard suddenly rise. Dinner is in the making, the atmosphere is relaxed, but in the background, like a soundtrack, everything is more than ready in case the alarm goes off. The wait stretches into the night. During the first few nights, I had trouble falling asleep, even with the deep exhaustion that new places and new adventures put on my body. I was waiting, ready to meet my first snow leopard. May 9 – fragile realities It’s incredible to be immersed in this reality thanks to the research project I’ve just joined. So many years of work, dedication, collaboration, and the careful weaving of presence, relationships and trust. Last night, after a beautiful dinner shared by Swedes, Mongolians, British (Fiona, the British Ambassador, and Olli), and one Italian, I stepped out of the ger to catch the sunset light—and I was moved by the sight of the mountains turning blue in the fading light. I felt part of something much bigger: a major effort to protect the snow leopard and support the local communities of livestock herders. As Bayara said this morning, right after a successful snow leopard capture, this research project with collared snow leopards teaches us so much about their behavior and ecology, which until recently was largely unknown. That knowledge plays a vital role in understanding how to coexist with this animal who shares the mountains with herders, two fragile realities living alongside each other.  May 12 – Entering the snow leopard’s mind Snow leopards are habitat specialists. They are not satisfied with just any landscape, like a wolf might be, but are closely tied to a particular environment: the mountains. We don’t know exactly why, but we believe it’s linked to their behavior, ecology and the way they live. Snow leopards move through peaks and valleys, exploiting the morphology of the landscape to spot prey and stay out of sight, to hunt and to rest. Every part of the landscape plays a role in their lives. They use high ridges to travel, rest safely, and raise cubs in sheltered dens. Steep slopes make excellent hunting grounds, where the snow leopard ambushes its prey and chases it down into narrow ravines lower in the valley, where the prey can lose speed—and with it, its life. These narrow canyons also offer easy passage and small natural water sources. But how do we study all of this? How do we come to know where snow leopards hunt, rest, make dens, and raise their young? There are different techniques, and among them, GPS collars give us detailed and incredibly valuable information. They open a window into the life of such an elusive species, often called the ghost of the mountains. So, where do you start? It’s a slow process, with many steps that build on each other. As Örjan told me, you first have to understand how snow leopards move through the mountains, their travel routes, and how they use rocks and natural trails to mark their territory. Even before building and placing any traps, everything started with exploring these mountains, looking for traces of the snow leopard’s passage. It was a strategy built on patience and time—a lot of time. You can’t search the entire landscape, so you choose the most likely areas, drive in as far as you can, and then hike. Year after year, they’ve learned to enter the mind of the snow leopard, to understand where it might walk. Trapping is a craft that blends animal behavior and careful prediction; a few centimeters can make all the difference. There are two key parts: the macro and the micro habitat. The macro habitat is the general area, the travel routes that snow leopards use to move through the mountains, for example, a valley that cuts between peaks. The microhabitat is the exact spot where you place the trap. There have to be signs that snow leopards use that space, and it needs to be a safe location, without sharp rocks, so the animal won’t get hurt if caught. The trap must sit on a natural path where a snow leopard would choose to pass. These are almost always right up against a rock wall on the side of a canyon or valley, where snow leopards leave signs: urine, scats, or scrapes on the ground. After years of experience, failed attempts and successful ones, they have learned how to find the ideal combination of micro and macro.” Thanks to Cecilia for sharing her experience with us. This fieldwork in Tost represents more than just data collection—it’s a testament to the power of long-term research partnerships and the patient dedication required to understand some of our planet’s most elusive species. We’re not only advancing our scientific understanding of snow leopards, but also working toward solutions that support both wildlife conservation and the communities that share these stunning landscapes.  Sign up for our monthly E-News to get all the latest updates from the field. Photos: Cecilia Di Bernardi and Oliver Wearn for SLT The post Chasing Shadows: 40 Days at a Snow Leopard Research Camp appeared first on Snow Leopard Trust.

SLF’s biannual vaccination drive covered 19 villages along seven valleys in Upper and Lower Chitral, addressing the seasonal health needs of livestock in these mountain communities. The campaign focused on the preventive treatment of critical livestock diseases that pose serious threats to livestock and rural livelihoods. Key vaccines administered during this round included Enterotoxemia (ETV), Black Quarter (BQV), Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), and Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia (CCPP). This vaccination program is uniquely community-driven, responding directly to the expressed needs and requests of Snow Leopard Conservation Organization (SLCO) members. By aligning with local priorities, SLF has ensured a responsive and need-based approach to veterinary support. Livestock are a cornerstone of rural life in Chitral, playing a vital role in ensuring food security, generating income and providing agricultural labor. However, outbreaks of diseases like FMD and BQV can severely undermine these benefits by: Reducing milk and meat production Impairing animal growth and reproduction Causing livestock mortality Restricting market access due to disease-related quarantines Vaccination remains a cost-effective and sustainable solution to counter these challenges. Through this initiative, we are supporting our community partners to: Prevent disease outbreaks and livestock loss Boost animal productivity, enhancing household income Reduce antibiotic use, contributing to antimicrobial resistance control Promote food security through a stable supply of animal products Build resilience of vulnerable households against animal health shocks Strengthen human-wildlife coexistence by minimizing disease transmission risks  The second round of vaccinations will be held later in the year. The team will also continue to organize awareness sessions focused on livestock management, disease prevention, and community-led solutions to veterinary challenges. “Healthy livestock herds are essential for maintaining healthy ecosystems and boosting the livelihoods of the mountain communities. The biannual vaccination drives launched under our Ecosystem Health Program ensure peaceful coexistence between agropastoral communities and predators in Pakistan’s high mountains. By safeguarding rural incomes, we help secure a future for both people and Pakistan’s iconic mountain wildlife.” – Dr. Jaffar Ud Din, Deputy Director, SLF Protecting livestock from disease creates conditions where communities can better tolerate the presence of snow leopards and demonstrates how conservation success depends on supporting the people who live alongside wildlife every day. This story first appeared in the May issue of Peaks’ Whisper. Sign up for our monthly E-News to get all the latest updates from the field. Photo credits: SLF-Pakistan Acknowledgments: We appreciate the valuable support and collaboration of the SLF program site communities, the Wildlife Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the Livestock Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in facilitating the successful implementation of the vaccination drive. The post A Surprising Conservation Tool: Livestock Vaccinations appeared first on Snow Leopard Trust.

Project Lifecycle: Monitoring Wildlife Presence, Behavior, and Diversity