International Snow Leopard Day (23/10)

The World Snow Leopard Conservation Forum, held in Bishkek in October 2013, marked the beginning of a new holiday, – International Snow Leopard Day, celebrated annually on October 23 since then.

The snow leopard or snow leopard is otherwise known as the snow leopard – is a mammal of the cat family. The trunk is elongated and squat. Body length up to 130 cm, tail length 90-100 cm, height at the withers – 50-60 cm. The body weight of males, which are larger than females, reaches 45-55 kg, females – 22-40 kg. The fur is thick, the tail is long and lush. The coloration is smoky, brownish grey, with large dark spots. Winter fur is grayish, almost white.

This unique animal is listed in the Red Book due to its small number and risk of being among the endangered species. Hunting of the snow leopard is prohibited in all countries where it lives; the snow leopard is also included in Annex I of the CITES Convention (international ban on trade in endangered animal species and their parts).

The habitat of this large predatory mammal of the cat family is – high-mountain areas of Central Asia.

The rare color and value of the snow leopard's fur has led to it becoming a tasty target for poachers willing to risk a lot to illegally hunt wild animals. In addition, the expansion of pastures and the expansion of livestock grazing areas in Central Asian countries into high mountain zones is causing the snow leopard's natural habitat to narrow.

The population size of the rare animal is monitored in countries whose territories capture the habitat of the snow leopard, including through camera traps, due to the extreme caution of this beautiful wild cat.

Photo: © jenta/ Photobank Photogenics

To discuss the problem of population decline and the threat of complete extinction of the snow leopard, the World Snow Leopard Conservation Forum was held in October 2013 in the capital of Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek. Representatives of 12 states on whose territory individuals of the rare animal are found took part in the discussion of the problem.

Among the countries participating in the forum was Russia, which, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources as of 2022, is home to 70-90 snow leopards. The total population of the snow leopard in the world fluctuates around 3 thousand individuals. Representatives of the Russian Geographical Society, the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Ministry of Nature, and nature reserves took part in the forum from Russia.

The discussions resulted in the adoption on October 23, 2013 of a program for the conservation of a unique animal, formalized in the form of a Declaration. The date of adoption of this Bishkek Declaration was chosen as the date for the establishment of today's holiday.

The celebration of the Day takes place in scientific and educational institutions, where photo exhibitions, seminars, and documentary film screenings dedicated to the life of the snow leopard are held. Activists are organizing events on social networks aimed at expanding Internet users’ knowledge about the snow leopard, as the snow leopard is sometimes called, and raising the importance of preserving the unique species of animals on the planet.

Photo: Andreas Rose, licensed from Shutterstock.com

By the way, representatives of Russian Science, the Ministry of Nature, and environmentalists have been working for several years on the issue of preserving the population of snow leopards and other rare species of animals living in Russia. Even before the adoption of the Bishkek Declaration, their efforts carried out actions in defense of endangered animal species. If we talk about the cat family, then in 2012 the «Wild Cats of Southern Siberia» program was adopted, aimed at preserving animals such as Pallas's cat, lynx, and snow leopard. Altai holds its own Snow Leopard Day, within the framework of which environmental competitions, drawing and craft competitions, flash mobs on the topics «Snow Leopard – mountain legend», «Let's save the snow leopard!» are held among schoolchildren.

Many public figures, as well as cultural and artistic figures, support the efforts of the world community in the field of protecting wildlife.



Postcard «October 23 — International Snow Leopard Day»

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