Financial Incentives Benefit Snow Leopards in Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan 1 by SLF Kyrgyzstan / Snow Leopard Trust. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

While jaguars are my favorite big cats, snow leopards (Panthera uncia) come in at a close second. There’s something mystical about them; probably because they’re so beautiful. Therefore I’m pleased to share this story with you.

An organization called Snow Leopard Trust (SLT) has been working with communities in Kyrgyzstan to conserve snow leopards. They’ve been using a system of financial incentives to encourage community members to protect the cats and their prey from outsiders. And it seems to be working. In 2014, no snow leopards or the herbivores they depend on were hunted in SLT’s partner communities.

This is wonderful news, and it highlights the importance of working with local communities to protect big cats. Check out the full story here: No Cats or Prey Were Hunted in Kyrgyz Partner Communities in 2014

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