ASTANA – On International Snow Leopard Day, marked on Oct. 23, The Astana Times explores Kazakhstan’s journey to preserve snow leopards, one of the world’s rarest mammals often referred to as “ghost of the mountains.”
The number of snow leopards in Kazakhstan has doubled over the past 30 years and has seen a more than 20% increase since 2019. Photo credit: Saltore Saparbayev/UNDP
In the remote high-altitude expanses of the Dzhungar Alatau mountains, camera traps are shedding light on the secret lives of snow leopards, aiding the conservation and research efforts of these elusive animals.
With poaching, habitat loss and a reduction in numbers of prey, snow leopards have been on the verge of extinction in Kazakhstan, but timely efforts have helped to preserve and increase their numbers.
The number of snow leopards in Kazakhstan has doubled over the past 30 years and has seen a more than 20% increase since 2019. There are between 152-189 snow leopards in Kazakhstan, according to the latest data from the Kazakh Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources. With a global population of snow leopards only in thousands, every individual counts.
The snow leopard lives in 12 countries and is included in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and in the red books of the countries of its habitat. Their habitat in Kazakhstan covers the mountain ecosystems of the Altai, Zhetysu Alatau, Saur, and Tien Shan.
Kazakhstan and UNDP efforts in conservation
In 2018, Kazakhstan launched a significant project, financially backed by the Global Environment Facility and in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Kazakh Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources. The project was aimed to study and preserve snow leopards in Kazakhstan.
To raise awareness of snow leopards, UNDP Kazakhstan has released a video with rare camera trap footage of the cats and the stories of scientists who have dedicated their lives to safeguarding them.
“The southwestern foothills of the Dzhungar Alatau in Altyn Emel National Park are desert-like mountains with scarce water sources and prone to dry summers. Despite that atypical to snow leopards climate conditions, there is the highest density of them in Kazakhstan and possibly among the whole Central Asia,” said Alexey Grachyov, head of the snow leopard monitoring center at the Institute of Zoology of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, in the video.
In the Altyn Emel National Park, where summer temperatures can soar above 40 degrees Celsius, snow leopards spend time in the caves and venture out to hunt at night. The remnants of the mountain goat – the primary prey of the snow leopard – could also be found in caves.
Grachyov has been working with UNDP to better understand one of the most vulnerable species in the world. Back in 2012, the country’s far reaches had barely been examined and there was almost no data on the snow leopard population available.
“Studying them is a formidable challenge. The snow leopard is known as the world’s most elusive feline. It is rare and inhabits hard-to-reach mountain terrains. Spotting and identifying them is a rarity,” said Grachyov.
When the scientists set up motion-sensor cameras in 2018, they were able to see snow leopards still lurking in the mountains of Kazakhstan. A growing network of camera traps now covers all key areas of their habitat, enabling scientists to identify individuals and their areas of distribution.
“Each snow leopard has a unique pattern on its fur. We analyze these images to count the snow leopard population. We create a special ID card for each snow leopard and continue to monitor them,” said Grachyov.
Since 2018, UNDP has deployed 294 camera traps that are now monitoring leopards and other wildlife, along with 14 quadcopters, 190 smartphones, and 14 thermal imagers in specially protected natural areas.
In 2021, the Institute of Zoology, in partnership with UNDP, began fitting snow leopards in Kazakhstan with GPS (satellite) collars to track their movements and hunting territories. Since then, 10 leopards have been tagged as part of the project.
Leopards can also be distinguished through DNA analysis of excrement.
“In addition to using camera traps and satellite collars, our approach includes molecular genetic analysis – a non-invasive technique. We gather snow leopard excrements and extract DNA through PCR (polymerase chain reaction) testing. This method lets us accurately determine the specific animal that left the excrement. In certain mountain regions where snow leopards are particularly scarce, finding their tracks or capturing them on camera traps is challenging,” said Grachyov.
“We also employ PCR testing to identify the gender of these animals. This information is essential for a thorough understanding of the population’s gender and age structure, which is critical for the species’ sustainable breeding and conservation. Looking ahead, we aim to delve into the genetic diversity within snow leopard populations,” he added.
This is becoming increasingly important as the human development of mountain ecosystems often results in isolated leopard populations. Such genetic isolation could lead to inbreeding, which may ultimately result in the overall decline of the population.
Dangers today
The main threats causing the decrease in the number of snow leopards in the world are the expansion of economic activity on the territory of the snow leopard habitat and poaching.
Another potential major danger is climate change. Conservationists warn that snow leopards could face increasing pressure from rising temperatures, which could reduce them to unsustainable numbers. Droughts, melting glaciers and dried-out rivers on which snow leopards directly depend for their water supplies could cause habitats of these endangered big cats to shrink or even become uninhabitable.
The welfare of the snow leopard plays an important role in the population of wildlife and affects the state of ecosystems and human well-being. Reducing its population will lead to serious environmental consequences, such as land degradation and desertification.
In this context, transboundary cooperation becomes crucial. Recently, Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at conserving snow leopards and their habitats in the northern Tien Shan Mountains within four specially protected nature areas of both countries.
