WWF Russia and partners present a unique snow leopard monitoring conservation at global summit
Russia for the first during the history of snow leopard conservation calls for using the innovative methodology in all snow leopard range countries. The unified approach to monitoring and processing of data on snow leopard numbers and distribution will contribute to collecting the reliable and comparable data worldwide.
The new snow leopard monitoring programme was presented at the International Snow Leopard and Ecosytems Forum in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The Forum brought together high-level delegates and international media to discuss solutions to secure a future for snow leopards. The summit aims to strengthen the 12 range countries’ ongoing efforts to protect the snow leopard and galvanize international support for their ambitious plan of securing 20 snow leopard landscapes by the year 2020.
All 12 snow leoaprd range countries signed the Bishkek Declaration 2017 to call upon worldwide snow leoaprd conservation. Globally WWF steps forward include: supporting the range states to come up with climate-smart snow leopard landscape plans; prioritizing snow leopards as a fundraising potential opportunity; and engaging actively in the 2018 Snow Leopard Forum, proposed to be hosted in China.
Alexander Karnaukhov, Senior Coordinator, WWF Altai-Sayan Programme said:
The new snow leopard monitoring programme was developed by WWF Russia experts in partnership with New York University and the contribution of Rodney Jackson, the Director of Snow Leopard Conservancy.
Dr. Rodney Jackson, Director of Snow Leopard Conservancy added:
The programme was presented at the International Snow Leopard Summit and Ecosystem Forum, hold in Bishkek, Republic of Kyrgyzstan. At the meeting the world leaders will hold critical talks to strengthen previous commitments to safeguard the future of the snow leopard and its habitat - the headwaters for rivers on which hundreds of millions directly depend as a source of freshwater.
