Currently, 39% of snow leopard habitat lies within protected areas (PAs), but many PAs are “paper parks” with inadequate staffing or funding (Li et al., 2020). The GSLEP aims to secure 20 landscapes by 2026, prioritizing transboundary corridors (e.g., the Altai-Sayan Ecoregion between Russia, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan). Early results from the Tost Nature Reserve in Mongolia showed a 15% increase in relative abundance after anti-poaching patrols were implemented (Sharma et al., 2015).
The snow leopard is a medium-sized big cat (body length 90–130 cm, tail 80–105 cm) adapted to cold, arid environments at elevations of 3,000–4,500 meters, though it has been recorded at 5,800 meters (Nowell & Jackson, 2008). Its range spans 12 countries: Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The global population is estimated at 4,000–6,500 individuals, with China containing over 60% of suitable habitat (Snow Leopard Working Secretariat, 2014). mbile.ru snow leopard
Increased ranger patrols using SMART (Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool) technology have improved detection of snares and carcasses. In Russia’s Sailyugem National Park, a dedicated anti-poaching brigade reduced illegal kills from an estimated 12 per year (2010–2013) to 2 per year (2018–2021) (Karnaukhov et al., 2022). Simultaneously, demand-reduction campaigns in China—targeting the use of leopard bone in “tiger bone wine” substitutes—have shown mixed results, with seizures declining by only 11% annually. Currently, 39% of snow leopard habitat lies within