Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program RUSSIA Day 1, Tuesday, October 22, Plenary Session 1

RUSSIA’S POPULATION OF SNOW LEOPARDS COMPRISES JUST 1-2% OF THE TOTAL SPECIES POPULATION RESTORATION OF SNOW LEOPARD POPULATIONS IN RUSSIA GREATLY DEPENDS ON BIG POPULATIONS OF THIS CAT IN MONGOLIA, CHINA AND KAZAKHSTAN 2

GLOBAL SNOW LEOPARD PROGRAM FOR RUSSIA: OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD STRONG CONSERVATION COOPERATION FOR SNOW LEOPARD IN TRANSBOUNDARY AREA OF RUSSIA, MONGOLIA, CHINA AND KAZAKHSTAN CATALYZER FOR IMPROVEMENT OF NATIONAL CONSERVATION POLICY, MANAGEMENT AND FUNDING FOR SNOW LEOPARD AND OTHER ENDANGERED SPECIES

VALUES OF SNOW LEOPARD FOR RUSSIA: INDICATOR OF HEALTHY MOUNTAIN ECOSYSTEMS SYMBOL OF SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF SOUTH SIBERIA HABITATS OF SNOW LEOPARD – HOME FOR NOMADIC PEOPLE OF ALTAI-SAYAN MOUNTAINS

STATUS OF SNOW LEOPARD TOTAL NUMBER OF SNOW LEOPARDS IN RUSSIA - NO MORE THAN 70-90 POTENTIAL HABITATS – ABOUT 60,000 SQ.KM 5-6 STABLE POPULATIONS

THREATS FOR SNOW LEOPARD EXISTING THREATS: PRIMARY AND SECONDARY TRAPPING AND WILDLIFE TRADE KILLING BY HERDERS IN RETRIBUTION FOR LIVESTOCK DEPREDATION PREY REDUCTION DUE TO ILLEGAL HUNTING EMERGING THREAT: HABITAT LOSS AND FRAGMENTATION DUE TO MINING AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

NATIONAL GOALS: TEN YEARS NATIONAL GOAL: RESTORE THE TOTAL POPULATION OF SNOW LEOPARD IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION FROM CURRENT 70-90 UP TO 110-120 INDIVIDUALS BY 2023 FIVE YEARS NATIONAL GOAL: INCREASE THE NUMBER OF 6 KEY SNOW LEOPARD POPULATIONS IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION ON 15-20% BY 2018 (FROM CURRENT 50-60 TO 65-75 INDIVIDUALS)

KEY SNOW LEOPARD CONSERVATION AREAS:

KEY ACTIONS : STRENGTHEN REGULATIONS FOR PROTECTION OF SNOW LEOPARD, OTHER ENDANGERED SPECIES AND THEIR HABITATS ENSURE EFFECTIVE WORK OF REGIONAL WILDLIFE PROTECTION AGENCIES DEVELOP AN INCENTIVE SYSTEM TO ENCOURAGE HERDERS TO PROTECT SNOW LEOPARDS DEVELOP JOINT TRANSBOUNDARY PROGRAMS FOR SNOW LEOPARD CONSERVATION WITH KAZAKHSTAN, MONGOLIA, AND CHINA