2015 Field report and photos

Sergei Spitsyn and his team returned from a field expedition with new snow leopard evidence, incredible photos, and the successful removal of poachers’ snares.

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Community-Led Big Cat Protection in 2014 – Thank You, Disney!

Two snow leopard kittens tumbling playfully on a rocky slope

The snow leopard population in Argut has been declining over the years. It is thought that the area can sustain more than 20 leopards, but in the 80s and 90s, poaching almost completely extirpated the big cat. When conservation efforts began in 2010, there were perhaps only 3-6 cats. Thanks almost entirely to Altaisky State…

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Lake Kindyktykul [2015]

Lake Kindyktykul (“Kin-dik-tik-kool”) borders Chikhachev Ridge in southeastern Altai and is home to over 20 species of endangered birds.

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Studying Snow Leopards in Argut and around Altai – 2011

In 2010 Panthera awarded a generous conservation research grant to SUNY-ESF’s James Gibbs to support the first high-tech snow leopard research in Altai Republic. The grant provided for the purchase of camera traps and supported expedition time to study the snow leopard population in the Argut River watershed. This, in combination with financial and material…

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First video footage of Altai snow leopards [2012]

In 2012 our partner and snow leopard expert provided us with the first ever video footage of a snow leopard on Chikhachev Ridge in southeastern Altai Republic. Video footage of snow leopards is important not only to provide clear evidence of which snow leopards are visiting and how they behave, but it also allows scientists…

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