Background
Tajikistan contains a significant population of snow leopards, Marco Polo sheep, and other rare mountain species, yet the country has historically lacked meaningful investment in, and engagement with, international conservation efforts to protect these important populations. One notable exception is Vice President of Panthera, Dr. George Schaller, who has extensive experience in conservation in Tajikistan. Schaller’s efforts have led, in part, to Panthera’s invitation to participate in national snow leopard conservation planning, and to help facilitate follow-on conservation actions.
Tajikistan’s Pamir Mountains provide a potentially critical link between the southern and northern sections of snow leopard range, and serve as a vital corridor for genetic interchange. Panthera has played an active supporting role in the creation of a Tajik Snow Leopard Action Plan, finalized in December 2009. Panthera will soon establish a collaborative agreement with the Institute of Zoology within the Tajik Academy of Sciences to conduct broad snow leopard surveys in the Pamirs. Initial training of 2 Tajik biologists was completed in late 2009. Panthera Vice President, Dr. George Schaller, has travelled to the Pamirs and assisted in an extended survey of snow leopards and prey species. This has allowed for Dr. Schaller to provide additional training to the Tajik biologists and to the assessment of additional opportunities and needs in this important snow leopard range country.
A village shrine in the Pamir Mountains. Marco Polo sheep are one of several sources of snow leopard prey. Illegal hunting of this prey poses a serious threat to Tajikistan’s snow leopard populations.
Key Activities
- Participation in formulation of Tajik Snow Leopard Action Plan
- Field training of conservation biologists
- Broad snow leopard surveys and threat assessments in the Pamirs
- Initiation of community-based conservation actions to address threats
- Institute of Zoology, Tajik Academy of Sciences
- Pamir Biological Institute
Learn more about Panthera's Snow Leopard Conservation projects in: