Mountain Ghost
Kyrgyzstan Snow Leopard Conservation
Snow leopards, also known as mountain ghosts, are among the most endangered big cats on earth.
1,400snow leopards roamed Kyrgyzstan’s mountain ranges in the 1980s
~300are estimated to remain in the country today
During the Soviet era, snow leopards were heavily hunted for their fur. Poaching the elusive cats has been banned under Kyrgyz law since 1999, but their habitat continues to be encroached upon by humans.
To protect the high-altitude ecosystem, the Kyrgyz government set up nature reserves where large populations of snow leopards and their prey can be found. The reserves keep livestock from grazing the land, and only authorised personnel such as rangers and conservationists may enter.
