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The word used in Russian for snow leopard, irbis, entered the language in the 17th century through Russian fur traders, who first learnt it from Turkic hunters
In the Red Book of the USSR, its first edition published in 1978, the snow leopard was classified as 3rd-category, meaning a rare species with a limited habitat
The most densely populated protected snow leopard habitat in Russia is currently the Sayano-Shushensky State Nature Reserve
Due to the snow leopard’s remote habitat and sparse population, there has been limited research into critical aspects of the animal’s life
In the 2001 release of the Red Book of Russia (Animals), the species was uplisted to the 1st category, which means it faces a risk of extinction
Тhe Snow Leopard Programme research initiative aims to give efforts to preserve the rare species a firm basis in science
Launched in 2010, the Siberian Snow Leopard programme is to be implemented within five years’ time
The main objective of the programme is to assess the status of the snow leopard population across its entire habitat range in Russia and develop a scientific framework to ensure its long-term preservation in southern Siberia
One of the project’s primary tasks is to raise awareness about snow leopard conservation efforts among communities in southern Siberia
The Russian Geographical Society’s Khakassia branch provides assistance to researchers working in the nature preserves Khakassky and Pozarym
Over the last six months, researchers have installed more than a hundred camera traps, which are equipped with motion sensors, so they take a picture of any object that crosses their path
Camera traps will be used to count the population of snow leopards and their prey as well as to trace the migratory patterns of both
The help of satellite tracking collars will enable researchers to learn more about the migration of leopards and their relations within home ranges
The snow leopard programme involves an analysis of the habitat range and the seasonal migration patterns of the leopard population
The researchers intend to coordinate their biological research and population count with fellow scientists involved in snow leopard research in neighbouring countries, notably Mongolia, China, and Kazakhstan
These big brownish-grey cats with large dark-brown rosettes differ from leopards proper (Panthera pardus) by the colour and rich texture of their fur
Snow leopards are found in the mountains of Central Asian (Himalayas) and southern Siberia at middle to high altitudes
Snow leopards mark the territory in a variety of ways, and they make regular rounds of their hunting grounds, always moving along the same paths
The snow leopard is at the top of the food pyramid, with rival predators offering little to no competition