The Altai Project is thrilled to announce that Altai’s newest snow leopard protector, Mergen Markov, a former poacher, has been honored with a Disney Conservation Hero Award from Disney Conservation Fund!
UPDATE: Balancing Conservation and Hunting in Altai
Russian Ministry of Natural Resources considers allowing trophy-hunting for Altai argali. In response, Altai Republic considers a ban on all sport-hunting in Altai for 2-3 years.
Russian Ministry of Natural Resources Wants to Delist Argali Sheep and Allow Trophy-hunting
Russia’s Ministry of Natural Resources will consider a highly controversial proposal to delist the Altai argali mountain sheep from Red Book protection and specifically permit trophy-hunting.
Pipeline reprieve & other goings-on
June 10th came and went in Russia without a signed deal for the proposed Altai Gas Pipeline. Following a month of optimistic Gazprom and government announcements saying the deal would be finalized by today, this past week saw fairly diverse coverage of the issue, with some sources saying it was a sure deal, some naysayers, […]
Press Release on Mongol from Severtsov Institute
Visiting the Severtsev Institute’s website just now and we came across this status report on Mongol, dated 3/18/2011. Further browsing shows that on March 15, 2011 Severtsev Institute signed a 4-way research/monitoring agreement with Sayano-Shushensky, Khakassky, and Ubsunurskaya Kotlovina Zapovedniks. Research/study methods are described as “capture and fitting with satellite collars, photographic identification, non-invasive DNA […]
Wrongful snow leopard capture in Krasnoyarsk!
UNDP/GEF Altai-Sayan Program posted this commentary on their website regarding the not-too-distant Krasnoyarsk Krai cat-napping of a snow leopard for supposed research purposes, because the very same thing could easily have happened to Altai Republic’s snow leopards. We are working with people on the ground in Altai Republic to find out how the international community […]