In January and February 2014, the Khakassky Nature Reserve’s research staff jointly with the conservation department and invited biologists from Tomsk participated in a scientific expedition to the Pozarym Federal Wildlife Refuge, located in the Tashtypsky District of Khakassia. The expedition lasted 30 days and was sponsored by the Russian Geographical Society as part of the Snow Leopard Research Programme in Southern Siberia. The purpose of the winter expedition was to study rare animal species, including the snow leopard, the Siberian ibex, forest reindeer, and others.

During the expedition, the researchers studied the range of species present, as well as their population size and density at the test site. They also installed additional trail cameras in those parts of the refuge where rare and endangered species are likely to live. The researchers also counted the ibex population living in Pozarym and catalogued winter paths used by animals based on their tracks in the snow.

In total, 45 trail cameras were checked, repositioned, and reinstalled, and six routes totaling over 500 km were covered to conduct the animal population census.