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.

“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.

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.

The villagers sprang into action. They immediately informed the wildlife department of the situation expressing deep concern about the welfare of the snow leopard cub. They realized that trying to scare the feral dogs away could cause the cub to run down the Stupa and fall prey to the pack. The community stood guard at a respectful distance of 50 meters around the stranded snow leopard cub to protect it while waiting for the wildlife rescue team. Their commitment to wildlife preservation shone through as they patiently awaited professional assistance instead of attempting to intervene themselves. Within just hours, the wildlife rescue team arrived to find the frightened cub safe thanks to the community’s vigilant protection. This powerful example showcases how communities and government agencies can work together to safeguard endangered species in conservation emergencies. To ensure its safety, the rescue team sedated the cub, carefully removed it from the top of the Stupa and kept it under observation in a trap-cage away from the village until nightfall. The cub was then returned to where it was first spotted and released from the cage. The team achieved the ultimate conservation victory at 8:30 pm when they witnessed mother and cub reuniting, the young snow leopard trailing behind its mother into the darkness.  Feral dogs trapped this ibex in the river for hours before the ibex managed to escape. While this story had a happy ending, that’s not always the case. Growing populations of feral dogs in snow leopard habitat are a rapidly emerging threat to snow leopards, livestock, and people. It’s believed that some herders lose more livestock to feral dogs today than snow leopards and wolves. These dogs can also carry severe diseases like rabies, which pose risks to both humans and snow leopards. Our partner communities in Spiti Valley are working to humanely address this conservation and human health hazard by sterilizing and vaccinating as many dogs as possible. This enormous undertaking requires extensive collaboration between local administrations and communities, as well as considerable funding. The good news is that together we can fund compassionate solutions to fix this problem. From now until June 11, we’re raising $15,000 to fund ongoing community efforts to spay, neuter and vaccinate feral dogs to protect snow leopards. Will you help?  Click here to make a gift today.  Photo credits: Tsewang Rigzin, Rhetick Sengupta, NCF-India This story from Khardong Village was initially reported to us by Karma Sonam, Director of Conservation for Ladakh. The post Compassionate Conservation: How one community saved a snow leopard cub from feral dogs appeared first on Snow Leopard Trust.

The project’s origins trace back to a capacity-building workshop held for community rangers in January 2023. As they discussed challenges in their daily work, B. Ganbold, a ranger from a community in the western Khovd province, proposed a simple yet powerful idea: create mobile ‘knowledge’ boxes filled with informative conservation materials that could travel between households. These “nomadic trunks” now serve as portable libraries, filled with carefully curated collections of books, games and educational guides suitable for all ages. But they’re more than just educational resources—they’re catalysts for community connection. In Mongolia’s remote landscapes, where neighbouring households are often many kilometers apart, community rangers serve as vital links between families. As they patrol their territories to gather crucial information about wildlife sightings and potential conservation concerns, they now haul these nomadic trunks to each household they visit. The practice weaves seamlessly into Mongolia’s cherished tradition of hospitality. As families welcome rangers with the customary salt milk tea, these visits become opportunities for meaningful exchange about local wildlife and conservation efforts. The contents of the trunks and the new visitor spark conversations, inspire learning and strengthen the bonds between rangers and their communities. The project has already placed trunks with two communities and seen promising early results. We’re working together with 33 communities across Mongolia, with each typically composed of 15 households. The Nomadic Trunk Project exemplifies how Mongolia’s traditional pastoral cultural heritage can enhance modern conservation efforts. Sign up for our monthly E-News to get all the latest updates from the field. Photo credits: SLCF-Mongolia Acknowledgments: We would like to thank IKI (Small grants) The International Climate Initiative by the German government for funding.  The post The Traveling Trunk: Mongolia’s Mobile Conservation Project appeared first on Snow Leopard Trust.

Field update from April 24 We collared a new female snow leopard a couple of days ago, but we weren’t able to match her to any of our known females from the cameras. She is most likely in the database; we just haven’t found her yet. It would be a bit surprising if the cameras didn’t detect her. Her ID is F19, and we suspect that she is pregnant. A quick update on our ibex trapping: we’re seeing lots of ibex activity at Buren’s well, where our cage trap is. This is a small well in a ravine where Buren usually waters his horses. Over the years, the ibex have learned there is often leftover water in the troughs. They go in and out of the specially-designed trap and seem completely habituated to it now. About 500 meters from our camp, there’s another water hole which has a solar-powered pump that brings up about 500 liters of water per day.  We have already set up the poles for the dropnet at that location and the ibex don’t mind them at all. Our dropnet was custom-made in Sweden with mesh small enough to prevent ibex hooves or horns from getting caught. Unfortunately, it rained a couple of days after we arrived. There haven’t been any ibex visits since. We’re hoping that there isn’t enough green grass yet and that the ibex will return before we pack up camp. It’s great to see that they have gotten used to the cage trap and do not show any fear of the poles for the net. It would be nice to test if they accept the net, too. Unfortunately, all it takes is one rain shower for the entire trapping season to fail. If that happens, we will have to adjust our plans. Field update from April 28 The same female snow leopard ended up getting caught again this morning and we got better photos of her. We can now confirm that she is the cat known as ‘Guierrero Cub 2’, born in 2020. This makes her a sister (or half-sister) to One-Eye (F14) and grandcub of Suhder (F1). She has definitely had cubs before, but I don’t think we have detected her with cubs on the cameras, which is a little strange.  Today, we tried to catch an ibex for the first time during this trip. It didn’t work. We hid in the wrong place, the ibex passed by close to us and saw us. An old female simply laid down and stared at us, waiting for us to leave before they went into the trap. Clever girl. Bird side note #1 – There has been a bit of pied wheatear drama surrounding our capture site. We caught F19 early in the morning on the 28th. But halfway into the capture, the sun rose, and a pair of pied wheatears began flying around us, seemingly upset that a snow leopard was in their territory. They circled us for at least half an hour, landing and making lots of noise until we left. We were joking that they probably were trying to tell us “That the thing in front of you is a snow leopard. They’re bloody lethal for Pete’s sake!” Poor birds arrived not long ago, established their breeding territory, and now there is a darn snow leopard in it. Field update from April 29 We collared another cat this morning. This one is F16, Oluula (which means Together in Mongolian). She is the daughter of F12 Wilian and grandcub of Anu. She and her siblings dispersed from F12 sometime this winter. Her aunt F11 used to reside just west of where we caught F16, but the cameras didn’t detect her this past autumn. We’d also like to be able to collar F11, too, if she is still around.  Our data shows that F16’s mother, F12, moved around a lot this winter but is now back in her territory. Perhaps she was just out on ‘vacation’ in the few months when she was without cubs. She will likely give birth to a new litter in a few weeks. It will be exciting to see if she uses the same cave den as she did for her last litter (F16 and her siblings).  Bird side note #2: We caught F16 in the early morning, and the same thing happened with the birds as last time. When the sun rose, the wheatear pair noticed the snow leopard and again flew around protesting loudly. Poor birds must have cursed their bad luck—the same three nitwits had brought another snow leopard to their territory.  When we left, we saw the tiny birds diving in towards the cat. I guess they saw an opportunity to scare it away. I feel kind of bad for the birds. If we catch a third cat in that snare, we may have to carry it away a bit. Otherwise, they’ll probably pack up and leave for a new territory that is not infested with snow leopards.  Note – pied wheaters are very small birds, like a sparrow, and can’t do any harm to a snow leopard.  Field update from May 1 We tried with the ibex again today but had no luck. In the afternoon, it started raining and thundering, so we gave up and hurried back to camp to save our trap monitoring system from any nearby lightning strikes. Now, there are small puddles of water everywhere in the mountains, so the ibex won’t come and drink for a couple of days. To be continued in June . . . 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. Sign up for our monthly E-News to get all the latest updates from the field, including new information about the cats on air.   Photos: SLCF-Mongolia  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 Two New Female Snow Leopards On Air appeared first on Snow Leopard Trust.

Last year, an award ceremony commemorated twenty of the best rangers from Mongolia’s snow leopard habitat. The ceremony was the first of its kind in the country and celebrated the brave accomplishments of the country’s wildlife protectors, especially community rangers whose work often goes unacknowledged. The initiative was funded by a grant from the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund of the UK Government. Boldbaatar, pictured above, was hailed as the “best of the best” among the 20 assembled rangers. He was awarded for his outstanding service in preventing and detecting illegal wildlife trade and poaching. He safeguards Tengis Shishged, a protected area in northern Mongolia’s Khuvsgul province. This protected area encompasses the taiga forest bordering Russia, also called the Red Taiga. With towering coniferous trees, this area is not a typical home for snow leopards. And yet, an adult snow leopard is said to have been detected in this region after 50 years, according to a nationwide population estimate in 2021. Researchers set up 43 camera traps in this northern area and captured photos of a single snow leopard three times. Click to view slideshow. More than snow leopards, this area is better known for its population of brown bears and is often called the Valley of Bears. Past studies suggest the area is part of the historic range for snow leopards. The lone wanderer detected on camera traps might indicate snow leopards recolonizing the Khoridol Saridag mountains after decades of mining and hunting that used to occur before this area came under the protection of rangers like Boldbaatar. Boldbaatar’s recognition comes with a remarkable list of accomplishments. In the past year, he has detected illegal hunting of wild boars, fined three individuals for trespassing and disturbing wildlife in a strictly protected area, prevented illegal fishing by tourists and extinguished an unattended wildfire hazard. Rangers go on regular patrols twice a month in their allocated area. In addition to looking out for illegal hunting or unlawful activity, they log all wildlife they encounter. Last year, Boldbaatar observed 51 species over 154 wildlife encounters during his monthly patrols in the taiga. He has spent a remarkable 197 days in the wild, including a 19-day “deep” patrol along the Russia-Mongolia border. His deep commitment, along with that of other rangers, ensures that Mongolia remains a sanctuary for snow leopards, even a lone wanderer in its most remote corner. Subscribe to our monthly E-news for more remarkable stories from the frontlines of conservation. Photo credits: Myagmar Ragchaa and Tumursukh Jal The Citizen-Ranger Wildlife Protection Program is funded by the UK Government through the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund. The post Guarding a Lone Wanderer In the Valley of Bears appeared first on Snow Leopard Trust.

“It was built as a herder station in Soviet time and served as a home for a herder for around 20 years. It became a ranger cabin in 1995 and I visited it many times over the last 15 years. It has a cozy small room, which serves as both a dining and sleeping area. The old metal stove can heat the room in a short time. When it rains or snows outside, herders bring their horse saddles inside. The familiar scent of horses, livestock dung burning in the stove and food mingle in the air. After a hard-working day, we have a quick dinner and go to bed early. When we are 7-8 people, we are like tinned fish. If we fall asleep early, I sometimes wake up around midnight. Our food attracts our little friends, the mice. They are noisy at night, organizing marathons in the room. They chase each other, run through our sleeping bags, noisily trying to make holes in our food bags. As the fire dies, the hot room starts to cool down. The old wood frames on the three windows let fresh, cold air enter the room and it touches my face. In the wilds of Sarychat, I get plenty of sleep in a short time. I wake up in the deep night, open my eyes, look at the clear sky from my bed and think about the galaxy and thousands of other things. I see hundreds of shining stars, falling stars. When the moon is up and there is snow, I can see the mountains clearly. Sometimes, I hear wolves howling. I used to think, what shall we do if a bear comes to the cabin? We often saw a bear’s pugmarks around the outside, even on the window glasses, but it never entered inside. Until this summer. This summer, a bear broke into the cabin at least four to five times. Fortunately, it entered when the rangers were not there. It broke all three windows and kitchen utensils. We set a camera trap inside and recorded how the bear was making a mess. But we enjoyed watching it and no one got angry. Bear in Cabin 1 Bear in cabin 2 We were able to pay for the cabin repairs thanks to funding from local responsible tourism efforts and the family of Nancy Wheatland Biglow, who made a donation in Nancy’s memory. We replaced the old wood frames with strong new ones and added metal protection on the windows and door to make them bear-resistant. Now, the cabin is warmer, safer, and a bit more comfortable. But maybe it lost a little something? I don’t think it will let me feel fresh and cool air on my face at night anymore. When I wake up in my bed in the city, I often think about Sarychat’s night view from the cabin window.” Kuban and Sarychat’s rangers use this cabin as a base for their work to protect snow leopards and their prey. Long-term conservation like this is only possible with consistent funding – which is why monthly donors are so vital to our mission. Will you join Team Snow Leopard as a monthly donor? If you join before Earth Day, you’ll be invited to a special online LIVE Chat Event with Kuban on April 22 at 9 pm ET / 6 pm PT. Photo credits: SLF-Kyrgyzstan, SLCF-Mongolia Acknowledgments: We thank the family of Nancy Wheatland Biglow for their generous donation in her memory. The post The Starlit Cabin: Where Wild Things and Rangers Meet appeared first on Snow Leopard Trust.

Understanding Wildlife Crime Scene Investigation  Wildlife Crime Scene Investigation is a crucial discipline that applies forensic science techniques to detect and investigate crimes involving protected species. Much like conventional crime scene investigations, WCSI involves collecting biological evidence such as DNA samples, footprints, fur, and skeletal remains, as well as analyzing ballistic and toxicological data to track down poachers and illegal traders. The training in Chitral focused on enhancing the skills of wildlife officials, law enforcement personnel, and conservation practitioners to improve their ability to curb illegal wildlife trade in the region.  Key Highlights of the Training Forensic Evidence Collection: Trainees learned how to collect, preserve, and analyze biological samples while ensuring proper legal documentation of wildlife crimes. Crime Scene Management: The training provided insights into securing crime scenes, documenting evidence, and understanding wildlife behavior to reconstruct poaching events. Legal Frameworks and Enforcement: Experts provided an overview of Pakistan’s Wildlife Acts and International Conventions such as CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime), and national laws like the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife and Biodiversity Act 2015. Case Studies & Practical Exercises: Participants analyzed real-life poaching cases in Pakistan and engaged in simulated crime scene investigations to practice their skills in a controlled environment. The Significance of Chitral for Wildlife Protection Chitral, home to a significant snow leopard population and other threatened species, has been identified as a critical region for conservation. However, poaching remains a persistent threat. The lack of resources, trained personnel, and awareness among law enforcement agencies has made wildlife crime investigation challenging in this region. According to studies, only 3% of reported wildlife crime cases in Pakistan reach law enforcement agencies, indicating a serious gap in enforcement and prosecution. Additionally, the maximum penalty for poaching a snow leopard in Pakistan is PKR 45,000 (approx. $160), which pales in comparison to the high black-market value of snow leopard pelts. Addressing this discrepancy is crucial in ensuring deterrence against illegal hunting and trade. About eight snow leopards are reportedly poached and traded per year. Global Perspective on Wildlife Crime Wildlife crime is a global issue, with illicit wildlife trade estimated to be worth $7–23 billion annually (UNEP, INTERPOL). Wildlife forensics, particularly DNA analysis and ballistics, has been crucial in tracing criminal networks and prosecuting offenders.  The Way Forward The Wildlife Crime Scene Investigation Training in Chitral marks a significant step toward enhancing Pakistan’s conservation efforts. However, much work remains. To effectively combat wildlife crimes, our country team provides the following recommendations: Strengthening Law Enforcement: Enhancing coordination between wildlife departments, police, and judiciary to ensure timely prosecution of offenders. Capacity Building: Expanding forensic training programs to more field officers and local conservationists. Community Engagement: Poaching and illegal wildlife trade can be disrupted through conservation partnerships with communities and incentivizing the reporting of illegal activities when they take place. Policy Reform: Increasing penalties for poaching and illegal trade to act as stronger deterrents. Technology Integration: Utilizing camera traps, GPS tracking, and AI-based monitoring systems to track wildlife movement and detect suspicious activities. As wildlife crime syndicates become more sophisticated, conservationists and law enforcement agencies must stay ahead by utilizing forensic science, legal reforms, and community-based conservation models. By enhancing field staff capabilities and enforcing stringent legal measures, Pakistan is moving toward a future where wildlife thrives in its natural habitat, with minimal threats of illegal hunting and trade. Subscribe to our monthly E-news for more remarkable stories from the frontlines of conservation. Photo credits: SLF-Pakistan Acknowledgments: We extend our sincere gratitude to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife Department for deputing its staff for the Wildlife Crime Scene Investigation Training in Chitral. Special thanks to Mr. Brian Petrar (Canada) for conducting the Training of Trainers and providing ongoing guidance. This initiative was made possible through the generous support of the UK Government via the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund (IWTCF). The post Forensics in the Field: Wildlife CSI Training in Pakistan appeared first on Snow Leopard Trust.

1. What makes the snow leopard truly extraordinary (aside from its obvious beauty)? This endangered cat is considered an umbrella species in its fragile mountain ecosystem. When we protect snow leopards and their habitat, we safeguard countless other species and preserve vital freshwater sources that sustain millions of people who depend upon them downstream. Unfortunately, there may be as few as 4,000 snow leopards left in the wild. If they disappear, the delicate balance unravels, threatening the entire ecosystem as well as humans. It’s up to all of us to ensure that doesn’t happen. 2. Did you know snow leopards have the power to unite people and bring nations together? Thanks to the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program (GSLEP), an extraordinary alliance has formed among the 12 nations that share the snow leopard’s mountain habitat. Many member countries have experienced recent armed conflicts with each other and some lack bilateral relations due to geopolitical disputes. Yet the shared mission of protecting snow leopards transcends these differences. These nations set aside their political tensions to partner with each other—and with us—a powerful example of how snow leopard conservation can build bridges and hope. 3. Can traditional beliefs play a role in protecting an endangered species? Yes! Many Indigenous cultures in Asia regard snow leopards as sacred animals and spiritual protectors. With protection and snow leopard tourism, some have started holding snow leopard festivals and celebrations to honor this magnificent creature. This deep cultural connection translates into direct conservation action to protect snow leopards, their prey species and their habitat.  Snow Leopard Festival in Kibber Village in India’s Spiti Valley. People here have been protecting snow leopards in collaboration with us for 28 years, and today, Spiti is known for snow leopard tourism.  4. Would you protect a predator that threatens your livelihood? This is the reality for communities living alongside snow leopards, where a single predation event can cause devastating emotional and financial harm. Yet remarkably, Snow Leopard Trust partner communities are committed to coexistence, developing non-lethal solutions that protect both their valuable livestock and these endangered cats. These include: Community-managed livestock insurance programs to help alleviate the financial burden of snow leopard predation by sharing economic loss and offering compensation for lost animals. Livestock vaccination programs improve animal health, increasing incomes and making it easier to withstand occasional losses to predators. Predator-proof corrals help herders keep livestock safe from snow leopards and other predators. Livelihood enhancement programs such as beekeeping, planting fruit trees, and dairy production improve quality of life, reduce economic impacts from snow leopard predation and promote coexistence with wildlife. Kuban Jumabai, Director of our Kyrgyzstan Program, stands in front of a predator-proof corral.  5. Did you know the people who have the most at stake are doing their utmost to protect these threatened cats? Snow Leopard Trust’s conservation initiatives prioritize collaboration with local and Indigenous communities who coexist with predators living in their backyards. While this is not easy for them to do, these communities have become some of the snow leopard’s fiercest allies. Together, they are currently safeguarding over 60,000 square kilometers of snow leopard habitat from illegal hunting and habitat degradation.  The Snow Leopard Trust conservation programs you support help make all this possible. Chuka and Davkharbayar Dashzeveg are conservation champions in their community even though a snow leopard attacked one of their horses years ago.  The story of the snow leopard is ultimately our own story, told through the eyes of a creature who reminds us of what we stand to lose and what we might still preserve. If you’re looking for a way to make a difference for snow leopards and the planet, this is your chance.   Our conservation strategies to protect these endangered cats and their habitat are working. However, long-term conservation is only possible if we have consistent funding – which is why monthly donors are so vital to our mission. Will you join Team Snow Leopard as a monthly donor?  Photo credits: Jake Davis, Behzad Larry, Prasen Yadav, SLF-Kyrgyzstan, SLCF-Mongolia The post Five Incredible Facts about Snow Leopards and Us appeared first on Snow Leopard Trust.