On 23 October, the Global Snow Leopard Conservation Forum concluded in Bishkek,  Kyrgyzstan. Representatives of  12 countries with snow leopard habitats took part in the event. The Russian delegation included representatives of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Russian Geographical Society, and experts of the Association of the Altai-Sayan Region.

The forum addressed the issue of creating financing mechanisms for conservation of the snow leopard and its ecosystems, with the involvement of international financial structures, institutions and banks, and at the national level, with the involvement of the business community.

The participants approved the Bishkek Declaration on Snow Leopard Conservation and the Global Snow Leopard Ecosystem Recovery Programme.

“We, as leaders in the governments of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the Kingdom of Bhutan, the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of India, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan, affirm the need for urgent collective action to conserve snow leopards and their fragile habitats,” the Bishkek Declaration reads.

The participants feel strongly that the protection of the animal and its habitat should be a shared responsibility, and security measures should be taken by involving the population of all countries in the programme on snow leopard conservation. This position forms the core of the declaration.

The Global Programme is aimed at protecting 20 habitats inhabited by over 100 adult snow leopards by 2020, as well as at maintaining the sustainable development of the territories that make up the cat’s habitat.

In addition, the forum participants have proposed declaring 2015 the Year of the Snow Leopard.