Protecting Snow Leopards

For thousands of years, snow leopards were king of the mountains surviving off an abundant habitat rich with prey. However, over the last 100 years the threats facing snow leopards have continued to grow and they are now listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Through funding holistic initiatives, DSWF are working alongside communities, governments and law enforcement experts in Asia to provide snow leopards with the greatest form of protection and ensure they have a bright future.

 Snow Leopard Conservation Updates 2017-2018

 Mongolia:

• It was an incredibly exciting year for DSWF in Mongolia, following the first successful collaring of ibex ever recorded, the prime prey species of snow leopard. In April, our partners also collared four snow leopards, leading to the discovery of a den and two healthy cubs. This research will provide vital understanding of these mysterious animals and valuable data to maximise conservation efforts. 
• DSWF supported 220 snow leopard awareness eco-lessons for 3,359 children, alongside two five-day eco camps reaching 40 children and their teachers, in the Tost Nature Reserve.                                        
• Building on a successful programme, our project partners in Mongolia held further successful training workshops for 87 women from five local communities in South Gobi. In Spring 2017, they completed two rounds of handicraft purchasing from 207 women, who earned $16,546. In the Autumn, 181 women made 12,383 handicrafts earning $13,311. 
• DSWF continued funding livestock insurance programmes, allowing communities to insure their livestock against snow leopard predation. Almost 10,270 livestock from 52 households are currently insured. Twenty corrals (pens) have also been predator proofed, with herders agreeing to pay back the money over 2-3 years. Evidence shows that predators are now unable to climb over the fencing and no livestock have been lost inside the newly built corrals. As a result, in coordination with environmental officials, no evidence was found that snow leopards or their wild prey had been harmed within any community areas in the last few years.