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 Russian
Conservation News #21, Samples articles and
excerpts:Citizen Outcries Drowned by the Yumaguzinsky Reservoir in Bashkiria Taking the Future of Russia's Protected Areas in Their Own Hands: Zapovednik Directors Meet in Vladivostok Oil Production on Sakhalin: How long Before We See Another Valdez? A Brief Background on the Eurasian Snow Leopard Securing the Survival of Snow Leopards in Kyrgyzstan
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by Birga
Dexel
Along with its close kin, the Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) and the Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica), the snow leopard (Unica unica) has earned a place in the ranks of the most endangered big cat species in the world with a global population estimated at no more that 4,500 to 7,000 individuals (please see accompanying articles for more information on snow leopard population numbers in Eurasia). One of the largest snow leopard populations today is concentrated in Kyrgyzstan, a small, mountain-dominated country boasting ideal habitat for this creature. In September, 1998, a large step forward in snow leopard protection was made within Kyrgyzstan. Through the tenacious efforts of NABU (Naturschutzbund or the German Society for Nature Conservation), an NGO that has taken an active stance in nature conservation throughout Kyrgyzstan since 1991, the Issyk-Kul Biosphere Reserve was officially nominated as part of the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme. Named after the world renown Issyk-Kul Lake, this 19,000 ha reserve overlaps with important snow leopard habitat in the Central Tien Shan Mountain Range. NABU's long-term participation in the establishment of this Biosphere Reserve has enabled us to pinpoint the specific threats to the snow leopard's survival. Besides poaching to obtain skins and bones, live animals are illegally captured for zoos and private collections that would otherwise be unable to obtain them through official zoo exchange networks. Formerly, the Zookombinat, a Soviet institution, was responsible for the live capture of endangered species like the snow leopard for Western zoos in exchange for hard currency. Possessing inside knowledge on snow leopard behavior, their habitat, and how to catch them, the Zookombinat's hunters and trappers began seeking new income opportunities after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. As prices for snow leopards soared, poaching became a viable and profitable option. In March 1998, NABU
signed a bilateral agreement with Kyrgyzstan's Ministry of
Environment on the creation of a special anti-poaching unit
to thwart snow leopard poachers. This unit has been granted
special authority to conduct procedures as undercover
operations, interrogate Currently, a court case against this woman is being litigated by the Attorney General. This is the first case of snow leopard poaching brought to prosecution since Kyrgyzstan's independence. The Kyrgyzstan government is pushing for strict punishment, aware that its commitment to nature conservation will be measured to a large extent by the outcome of this case. Additionally, the unit has seized snow leopard traps throughout the country. The inspectors have also arrested the son of Kyrgyzstan's famous snow leopard poacher, Eugenigy Smollen, who caught more than 78 snow leopards during his lifetime. Smollen's son, along with his assistants, was found with snow leopard traps and weapons as well as with the fresh remains of ibex (Capra aegagrus) and other animals. The unit's activity, however, is not limited to only exposing snow leopard poachers; it also is on the lookout for the illegal hunting of such species as argali (Ovis ammon), ibex, and wolf (Canus lupus), most often pursued by international trophy hunters. In February, 1999, the unit detained two German hunters, clients of a large German trophy hunting company, who illegally shot deer. The work and successes of this newly established unit are promising, yet this unit alone is not enough to ensure the present and future survival of the snow leopard in the wild. Thus, NABU has initiated an intensive, awareness-building program for local people to be held next summer. As a part of this program, a special educational vehicle will tour villages and nomadic settlements to foster discussions with local communities on the pressing problems and needs of conserving the snow leopard. Moreover, NABU has already engaged in a dialogue with other countries with snow leopard populations, presenting the results of our work in Kyrgyzstan and encouraging them to implement similar projects in their own countries. Birga Dexel is the coordinator of NABU's Snow Leopard Project. |
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suspects, check for weapons, search quarters, and testify in
court. This five-person strong unit, called the Snow Leopard
Group made its debut in January, 1999. Its capable members,
all from Kyrgyzstan, were chosen jointly by NABU and the
Kyrgyzstan Ministry of Environment. Thus far, the unit's
efforts have been fruitful. For instance, posing as
potential buyers in an undercover operation, the unit
arrested a woman in Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan's capital) who
attempted to sell two snow leopard skins at $800 a piece
through a newspaper ad. They confiscated the skins, which
were winter pelts belonging to fairly young animals,
according to experts. One of the animals, a young male with
a torn paw, had been killed by a snare; the other had been
shot.
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