International Snow Leopard Trust

Snow Leopard research, monitoring & conservation capacity development: our camera trapping based research and monitoring was conducted in 15 sites, covering 15,387 sq km of important Snow Leopard habitat. We were able to successfully collar and track the movements of 3 Snow leopards and 4 ibex at our long-term ecological study site in mongolia. We published 28 papers during the 2022 year in International peer reviewed journals. We conducted multiple training programs with 88 practitioners being trained in ethical conservation, and 22 researchers in population monitoring techniques.

Promoting ethical nature conservation (by enabling practitioners to engage effectively with local and indigenous communities):our community-based conservation approach received significant worldwide recognition again during the year, in the form of the 2022 whitley gold award. As part of the award, we conducted a workshop training 15 conservation leaders from around the world to advocate for and build capacity for ethical community conservation in their own programs. This workshop seeded the idea for a new global effort, the ethical conservation alliance,' to transform how nature conservation is practiced worldwide by building capability and capacity in ethical nature conservation. Additionally, 107 frontline conservationists from across and beyond the Snow Leopard range participated in partners principles workshops on community-based conservation. 9 videos were developed as training resources for the partners principles.

Snow Leopard conservation, policy & cooperation: our teams worked with 159 local and indigenous communities to implement conservation programs that supported rural people with livelihood and conflict management initiatives, while securing their support to protect Snow leopards, their prey and habitats. Our partner communities, including 11,109 families, continued to protect Snow leopards over approximately 69,321 sq. Km. Livelihoods related work included efforts in promoting sustainable cashmere economy, dairy processing and marketing, sustainable tourism, bee-keeping and fruit orchard planting. Conflict management work included building of corrals and crop guards, supporting community-managed livestock insurance programs and producing conservation linked handicrafts. We continued to support the work of the 12-nation intergovernmental alliance to promote Snow Leopard conservation and ensure better policies. We conducted an in-person steering committee meeting of this alliance, called global Snow Leopard and ecosystem protection program. This effort received recognition in the form of 2022 bbva foundation's worldwide award for biodiversity conservation. We continued to support the management of a protected area and three former hunting concessions.

Education & outreach:using in person activities and online platforms, we were able to work with more than 1,200 children and 40 teachers in Snow Leopard habitats to promote conservation education and awareness. In addition, 105 communities in Snow Leopard habitat distributed newsletters with information about local conservation issues, agricultural and resource management and unusual Snow Leopard encounters. Our annual strides for Snow leopards event brought together more than 700 supporters from 45 countries to help raise awareness for Snow Leopard conservation.