Snow leopard rf. Where does the snow leopard live in Russia? Snow leopard breeding

Preserving the populations of the snow leopard (irbis) and the Altai mountain sheep (argali) in the Altai-Sayan ecoregion are the most important tasks for WWF. Both species are listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation as endangered. The state of the populations of these species reflect the overall "health" of the ecosystem, so they can be called indicator species.

The snow leopard is the mysterious predator of Asia. Threats and solutions.

The snow leopard (irbis), a mysterious and enigmatic animal, is still one of the most understudied feline species in the world. Very little is known about the biology and ecology of this rare predator, and its abundance within the modern range is determined very conditionally. For many Asian peoples, this beast is a symbol of strength, nobility and power, the folklore of Asia is full of stories and legends about this elusive predator. Few people manage to see the snow leopard in the wild, much more often you can find traces of its vital activity - scrapes, bullies of a predator on trees, wool, excrement, urinary points on stones.

The snow leopard is listed in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and has the status of a rare or endangered species in all 12 countries where it lives: Russia, Mongolia, China, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Bhutan.

According to WWF experts, there are about 70-90 snow leopards in the Russian part of the Altai-Sayan ecoregion, while there are no more than 4,000 rare predators on the planet.

Camera traps in Tuva captured the charismatic predator © Alexander Kuksin

Journalists are rarely taken to these places. Even trained people find it difficult to walk on the "land of the snow leopard" © M. Paltsyn

Snow leopard trail in the Argut river valley, Gorny Altai, March 2012 © Sergey Spitsyn

Festival "Land of the Snow Leopard" in Tuva © T. Ivanitskaya

What is WWF doing to save the snow leopard?

Back in 2002, WWF Russia experts prepared, approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation. The document was developed taking into account the very limited experience of studying and protecting the species in Russia. The number of snow leopards in Russia, according to the Strategy, was estimated by WWF experts at 150-200 individuals, however, as shown by further studies in snow leopard habitats in 2003-2011. , the actual abundance of the species in Russia is at least two times lower and is unlikely to exceed 70-90 individuals. An updated version of the Strategy, taking into account the experience of work and new realities, was approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation in 2014.

In Russia, the snow leopard lives at the northern limit of its modern range and forms only a few stable groups in the optimal habitats - the mountains of the Altai-Sayan ecoregion. The number of snow leopards in Russia is only 1-2% of the world population of the species. The survival of the snow leopard in our country largely depends on the preservation of the spatial and genetic links of its Russian groups with the main population core of the species in Western Mongolia and, possibly, in Northwestern China.

In 2010, WWF moves to a new level of work and, in cooperation with numerous partners, begins monitoring snow leopard populations using modern research methods: photo and video traps. This method made it possible to clarify the boundaries of the habitat of groups and the abundance of the species. Disappointing conclusions were drawn from a study of the snow leopard group in the Argut River valley in the Altai Republic, previously considered the largest in Russia. The camera traps recorded only the lynx, despite the fact that the conditions for the existence of the snow leopard on the Argut are ideal: high mountains, rocky gorges, the presence of the largest group of Siberian ibex in Russia in 3200-3500 individuals - the main food of the snow leopard in the Altai-Sayan Mountains. Surveys of local residents revealed the fact of the almost complete destruction of the snow leopard group on the Argut in the 70-90s of the twentieth century, when loop fishing flourished in the mountains. The task of WWF was to preserve the surviving remnants of the group and gradually restore its numbers.

Support for anti-poaching activities is becoming one of the priorities of WWF. In the same year, at the initiative of WWF, a search dog, German Shepherd Eric, was trained to work in the Altai Mountains in order to search for and identify traces of the life of the snow leopard, which became an assistant to specialists in the field.

In 2012, employees of the Altai Biosphere Reserve and WWF managed to get the first photographic evidence of the snow leopard habitation: cameras recorded a female and a male, who received the names Vita and Kryuk. In addition to photomonitoring to account for and study the elusive predator in collaboration with scientists from the Institute of Ecology and Evolution named after. A. N. Severtsov RAS (IPEE RAS), scientists use the method of DNA analysis of the collected traces of the life of the snow leopard (excrement, wool, etc.), SLIMS and other modern methods ...

In 2011, in Altai, in order to distract the local population from poaching, illegal collection of wild plants or logging in the region, the WWF and Citi Foundation Program was launched to improve the quality of life of local residents and create sustainable income from sustainable businesses. Through training seminars, exchange of experience, and provision of microgrants and microcredits for the local population, WWF and Citi aim to develop legal small businesses in the field of rural tourism and ecotourism in the habitats of the Altai mountain sheep and snow leopard, the production of souvenirs and felt products, and improve performance livestock quality, etc.

In 2015, with the support of Pernod Ricard Rouss, WWF specialists for the first time tested the method of involving former hunters in environmental projects. Having passed a special training and received cameras for monitoring the snow leopard, residents receive a reward for the fact that the snow leopard continues to be recorded by camera traps, remains alive and well. There are already six people, including hunters from families of hereditary leopard hunters, who have been trained to work with cameras and participate in WWF raids, helping inspectors with information, forces and participating in expeditions.

The snow leopard is a predator that does not recognize state borders. The well-being of this species directly depends on the connection of Russian groups with snow leopard groups in neighboring Mongolia and China. Therefore, the development of transboundary environmental cooperation is a priority task for WWF in the region. Joint research, exchange of experience, scientific, environmental and educational activities with WWF Mongolia and colleagues from other environmental structures in Mongolia are carried out annually and quite effectively. Joint projects with colleagues from Kazakhstan include the creation of protected natural areas and support for joint environmental activities.

Camera trap in the Chibit tract

Sergey Istomov fixes snow leopard tracks

Irbis on Tsagaan-Shibeta, Tuva © A. Kuksin

What remains of the master of the mountains

What to do next

Today, the main threat to the snow leopard in the region remains illegal fishing with wire loops. An inconspicuous noose is set by a poacher on an animal path along which animals move, and, tightening as the animal moves, becomes a deadly trap. Cheap loops are often thrown by poachers, and they remain alert for many years, threatening animals with death. According to WWF experts, there are only a few cases of purposeful hunting of the snow leopard in the region. More often, the loops are installed on other types of animals, in particular, on the musk deer, whose musk gland is an excellent and expensive trophy, which is valued on the eastern market of medicines and potions. Musk deer poaching is a big threat to the snow leopard.

In conditions of insufficiently effective equipment and a small number of employees of state structures for the protection of wildlife, WWF provides logistical support for operational activities in the habitats of rare and endangered species. Particular attention is paid to the fight against loop fishing.

Work in the Republic of Tyva has its own characteristics. In the region with the highest livestock population in the Siberian Federal District, shepherds live almost side by side with the snow leopard in the highlands. The decline in the number of wild ungulates, climate change are the reasons forcing the snow leopard to attack livestock, which is a source of life for pastoralists. Shooting or trapping a snow leopard by local residents in retaliation for attacking livestock is a big threat to the predator in Tuva. To reduce conflict situations, WWF takes various steps. Thus, a scheme was tested to compensate shepherds for livestock lost as a result of an attack by a snow leopard, and measures are being taken to foster a special attitude towards a rare predator among local residents. In 2010, a simple but effective measure to reinforce vents in sheltered livestock pens with netting prevented snow leopard attacks on livestock and saved the lives of many predators.

Today, about 19% of key snow leopard habitats and 31% of argali habitats in Russia have the status of protected natural areas. WWF plans to expand the network of protected areas or improve the status, as well as the quality of protection of management and existing protected areas. The number of the group in the valley of the Argut River is growing - photo and video traps record the habitation of females with kittens here, a new habitat of the snow leopard has been found on the Chikhachev Ridge. In 2015, for the first time, an online information system was developed for snow leopard specialists, which will collect all available information on each snow leopard encountered in Russia and Mongolia - from frames from automatic cameras to meeting points and features of each snow leopard.

International cooperation between Russia, Mongolia and Kazakhstan should develop, ensuring the conservation of animals that do not recognize state borders.

WWF will continue to take a comprehensive approach and work in partnership with multiple partners. This will optimize resources and ensure the long-term conservation of these species in Altai and the Sayan Mountains.

"Snow Leopard of Russia" - a new honorary title in Russian mountaineering

source: PAR

In order to become the owner of the honorary title, you must visit 10 famous Russian peaks.

Aleksey Slotyuk, the president of the Moscow FAiS, came up with the idea of a new honorary title last year.After several months of discussion, the Board of the FAR approved the Regulations on the rank and the sketch of the badge.

In order to become the Snow Leopard of Russia, you need to visit 10 Russian peaks: Elbrus, Dykhtau, Koshtan-Tau, Mizhirgi, Pushkin Peak, Dzhangitau, Shkhara, Kazbek, Klyuchevskaya Sopka and Belukha.

The signs themselves will be made of silver and have a serial number. A solemn celebration of the first "Snow Leopards of Russia" is scheduled to be held in December at the annual December conference of the FAR.

The start of the new program "Snow Leopard of Russia" commented on its initiator - Alexey, President of the FAiS of Moscow Slotyuk:

- Why did this idea come about and what is its meaning?

People go to the mountains and many of them do it not for the sake of sports titles and participation in competitions, but for other reasons of their own. And many of those who go to the mountains and climb the peaks for their own pleasure set high goals for themselves, for example, to climb the highest peaks of all continents.
There are many interesting and beautiful mountains in our country. Climbing routes to some mountains, such as Kazbek or Klyuchevskaya Sopka, are relatively simple. On others - such as Pushkin Peak or Mizhirgi, these routes are difficult.
We thought that the idea of climbing 10 Russian peaks, 8 of which are higher than 5,000 meters, would be of interest to both Russian and foreign climbers.

Well, this is not such a simple program. Climbing Elbrus and climbing the Bezengi five-thousanders are completely different in complexity?

- Well, it's an honorary title. And honor must be earned. The climber who climbs all these 10 peaks, in our opinion, will absolutely deserve this honorary title.

- And how will people confirm their ascents? What documents are needed for this?

We have tried to make the review procedure as liberal as possible so that anyone can participate in this program. The federation will consider any documents confirming the completion of ascents. We have enough experts and connections in the mountaineering world to verify the authenticity of the papers if necessary.

Will there be confusion between the holders of the title "Conqueror of the highest peaks of the USSR", which was also associated with the title of "Snow Leopard" and the holders of the new title?

- This situation was discussed by us in the process of preparing documents and we repeatedly consulted with veterans of mountaineering.
The title "Snow Leopard of Russia" is a new official honorary title established in Russian mountaineering for climbing Russian peaks.
The assignment of the title "Conqueror of the highest peaks of the USSR" is currently being handled by the Euro-Asian Mountaineering Association. And now this is already an international title, the holders of which undoubtedly deserve great respect for climbing the Asian seven-thousanders.
I hope that our new title will take root and become as respected and famous as the Conqueror of the Highest Peaks of the USSR.

- Do you already have preliminary information about the first potential Snow Leopards of Russia?

- So far, we do not have such information, but I hope that after this news becomes known to the general public, there will be such lucky ones. And for those who have 1-2 mountains left to complete, there is a whole summer ahead.

- What steps are envisaged for the further development of this program?

In the near future we will produce posters and brochures with information about the program, which will be sent to the relevant regions of the Caucasus, Altai and Kamchatka.

In the future, for the convenience of climbers, a special certificate will be issued, where it will be possible to enter information about their ascents. And for connoisseurs, badges will be made for climbing each of the 10 peaks.

The sign "Snow Leopard of Russia" will be made of silver. The layout of the sign on a scale of 1:1 and 1:3 is shown in the figure (the author of the sketch of the sign is Irina Morozova):

Approved by decision
Board of the Federation of Mountaineering of Russia
pr. No. 15 dated 06.02.2010

POSITION
about the honorary title of the Federation of Mountaineering of Russia
"Snow Leopard of Russia"

1. The title "Snow Leopard of Russia" is awarded to a person who has fulfilled the standard with the presentation of a certificate and license plate.

2. Documents confirming the fulfillment of the standard are submitted to the Russian Mountaineering Federation. The decision to award the title of "Snow Leopard of Russia" is made by the Board of the FAR and formalized by the relevant Protocol.
A document with a record of the ascent must be certified by the signature of the FAR mountaineering instructor indicating the number of his certificate or by another person responsible for organizing the ascent.

3. Accounting for the awarded titles "Snow Leopard of Russia" is kept by the FAR. Mountaineering Federation

Russia may instruct the regional federation to prepare documents for conferring the title of "Snow Leopard of Russia" and record the awarded titles.

4. The standard for conferring the title of "Snow Leopard of Russia" is the commissionascents to ten peaks located on the territory of the Russian Federation:

Elbrus (5642 meters)

Dykhtau (5204 meters)

Koshtan-Tau (5151 meters)

Mizhirgi (5025 meters)

Pushkin Peak (5100 meters)

Dzhangitau (5085 meters)

Shkhara (5068 meters)

Kazbek (5034 meters)

Klyuchevskaya Sopka (4688 meters)

Beluga whale (4506 meters)

5. Decisions on issues not specified in this Regulation are taken by the Board of the FAR.

Beluga whale

Dzhangi-tau

Dykhtau

Elbrus

Kazbek

Koshtan-tau

Klyuchevskaya Sopka

Pushkin Peak

Powerful and hardy snow leopards, also called snow leopards, live quietly where most other members of the cat family do not survive. Nature rewarded them with thick fur that reliably protects against frost, sharp teeth, powerful paws and developed intelligence, so this predator has almost no enemies in the wild, except perhaps for people.

Facts about snow leopards

These big cats are still rather poorly studied, because they live mainly in remote areas.
The weight of an adult snow leopard can reach 55 kg, and the length of the body, including the tail, can exceed 2 meters.
Unlike the Amur tiger, the snow leopard has spots on the skin that are not continuous, but rather ring-shaped ().
Snow leopards are threatened with extinction, despite the fact that hunting them is strictly prohibited. Around the world, according to various estimates, from 3 to 7 thousand snow leopards remain. They are included in both the Russian and international Red Books.
Judging by archaeological finds, snow leopards lived on Earth already 1.2-1.4 thousand years ago. It is this age that their fossilized remains found in Pakistan date back to.
Snow leopards can purr like ordinary domestic cats. But growling, on the contrary, they do not know how.
Brought up from childhood, snow leopard kittens quickly get used to humans and become tame.
Irbis rarely prey on mice and hares, preferring larger prey. Often his victims outnumber him.
Leopards are often called leopards, therefore, because of the external similarity, irbis began to be called snow leopards ().
For shelter from bad weather, snow leopards usually arrange dens in caves and clefts of rocks.
The long and thick tail of the snow leopard serves as a rudder and counterweight, helping to maintain balance while jumping.
Male snow leopards are usually a third larger than females.
Thanks to their wide paws, snow leopards can safely walk even on loose snow without falling into it.
Nursing females wrap their fluffy tail around them to protect them from the cold.
Snow leopards can run up to 6-8 meters in length.
Irbis prefer to live in the mountains, at an altitude of several kilometers. So, in the Himalayas they are sometimes found at an altitude of 5-5.5 km, but this is the height of the top of the Russian Elbrus, and the atmospheric pressure here is half that at sea level ().
The hard bumps that dot the surface of the snow leopard's tongue help them to easily separate the meat from the bones.

The females of these big cats give birth every 2 years, usually giving birth to 2-3 kittens. They spend the first two years of their lives with their mother, and then leave.
Irbis are the only cats on the planet that live so high in the mountains.
Extremely sharp vision allows them to see white prey on white snow from a distance of several kilometers.
From the point of view of biology, the closest relative of the snow leopard is the tiger ().
In captivity, snow leopards live for 20 years, and in the wild - for 11-12. The officially registered longevity record is 28 years.
Irbis never attack people. Why - is unknown, although, of course, it is for the better.
They are predominantly nocturnal, preferring to sleep in a safe shelter during the day.
October 23 is considered International Snow Leopard Day.
Unlike most other members of the cat family, snow leopards have round pupils, not vertical ones.
Despite the fact that each male snow leopard has “his own” territory, he will not show aggression when he meets another male on it.
The paw pads of the snow leopard are covered with hair, like that of a lynx. This also helps him not to fall into the snow ().
The length of the irbis tail is comparable to the length of its entire body.
Among all land predators, the snow leopard is the most secretive, and that is why it is so poorly studied.
Snow leopards spend their whole lives alone, and males meet with females only during a short mating season. The male does not take part in the fate of the offspring, placing all responsibility on the female.
The word "irbis" in translation from one of the Turkic languages means "snow cat".
Snow leopards are no stranger to fun. Researchers have seen them ski down snow-covered slopes while lying on their backs, and then repeat this activity for no purpose, just for fun.

The snow leopard, also called the snow leopard, is the only large cat species that has managed to adapt to the harsh conditions in the highlands. Irbis is a representative of the top of the ecological pyramid on the mountain ranges of Central Asia. Often he is called the master of the mountains, because he is a permanent inhabitant of this area. Many experts argue that this type of cat has survived to this day due to living in hard-to-reach places. It is very interesting where the snow leopard lives and what it eats. After all, today the number of representatives of this species of cats is extremely small.

Appearance of the snow leopard

Outwardly, the irbis is an incredibly beautiful and graceful predator. This is a rather large cat with an ash-gray, sometimes brownish color and a bright ring-shaped pattern of dark spots located all over the body. The snow leopard differs from the leopard in its ashy shade of fur and a long tail, which in its length is almost equal to the body of the animal. In addition, unlike its counterpart, the snow leopard has a thicker and more lush coat. The length of the beast reaches, as a rule, 170-190 cm, and its weight ranges from 50-70 kg. Males are always larger than females.

Regardless of where the snow leopard lives, its body size and color remain unchanged. Although some experts tend to claim the existence of several subspecies of the snow leopard, which appeared due to different geographical habitats.

Saving a View

Today it is very easy to find out where the snow leopard lives. After all, this species has long been listed in the Red Book, since its habitats are extremely small. This unpleasant phenomenon is due to the fact that in modern realities there are too many all kinds of threats for the life of the snow leopard. For example, in Russia, where the snow leopard lives, the species is gradually being wiped out by pastoralists and hunters, as well as by environmental degradation due to the development of the mining industry and transport infrastructure. In addition, the abundance of the species is significantly affected by the reduction in the number of food objects.

Fortunately, over the past few years, in places where the snow leopard lives, the number of animals has stabilized. The situation has improved due to the opening of the Saylyugemsky National Park in Altai. True, the risk of extinction of the species is still quite high. In the places where the snow leopard lives in Russia, one can count about 70 representatives of the snow leopard, most of which live in Altai. Compared to 2002, now the number of animals in Russia has decreased by almost 3 times. This is due to the hunting of poachers who catch snow leopards in order to extract derivatives used in oriental medicine.

The threat of extinction

Once a single population of the snow leopard, today it is represented by only a third part, which exists only as unstable foci. Today, females that are able to breed are found only in a few centers where the snow leopard lives. In fact, a grouping of animals in which there are at least 3 adult females can be considered complete. So, unfortunately, despite some stabilization of the situation in Russia, the species of snow leopards today is under the threat of extinction.

Snow leopard breeding

This animal is characterized by a rather low rate of reproduction - the female snow leopard does not bring kittens annually, unlike most of her relatives. Rutting takes place in the spring, and babies are born at the end of the season or early summer. During the mating season, the male attracts the female with a special purr. After fertilization, the snow leopard leaves the female. Pregnancy in snow leopards lasts approximately 95-110 days, and a litter usually consists of 2-3 kittens.

Before the appearance of her baby, the female equips a kind of lair in some hard-to-reach place, most often in the gorges of rocks. And in order to insulate a well-maintained house, the snow leopard tears out shreds of wool from its body and covers the floor of the den with them. Leopards are born completely blind and deaf, their weight reaches half a kilogram, in the first month the babies feed on mother's milk. In the middle of the season, the born offspring are already sent on their first hunt. Snow leopards become sexually mature at the age of 2-3 years.

Predator Habitat

Where does the irbis live? The snow leopard is a territorial animal that leads a solitary lifestyle, despite the fact that females raise their offspring for quite a long time. These animals equip their lairs in crevices of rocks or in caves. Each animal lives within a certain area, which it chooses individually. It is not common for an irbis to show aggression towards representatives of its own species in its own territory.

One or more females may live in the habitat of an adult male. The snow leopard marks its terrain in different ways. Where is the snow leopard found? The predator often bypasses its territory, visiting the camps of wild ungulates and pastures. The beast moves along the same route, so in some places it appears several times during the day.

Irbis is considered the only representative of the cat family that has adapted to the harsh conditions of the highlands in Central Asia. Due to the inaccessibility of habitats, the snow leopard is still the least studied animal. Today, the irbis is a representative of the Red Book of the International Union and has the status of an endangered species in all countries where it lives. In total there are 12 such countries: China, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Nepal, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan. In total, there are no more than 4 thousand snow leopards on the planet.

Irbis in Russia

In Russia, the snow leopard is found in the north of its current range. Only a few groups of snow leopards live in the mountains of the Altai-Sayan region. In addition, the predator can be found in Buryatia, Khakassia, Tuva, Transbaikalia, the Irkutsk region and the Krasnoyarsk Territory. According to experts, it is in Russia that the northernmost population group of the snow leopard lives. The number of this species in Russia is approximately 2% of the total number of snow leopards in the world. It can be said that the survival of predators in Altai largely depends on genetic and spatial relationships with animals in Mongolia and China.

Snow cats in Kazakhstan

The places where the snow leopard lives in Kazakhstan are distinguished by the richness and diversity of flora and fauna. Here, the snow leopard is found in light forests, among the rocks and in alpine meadows, where marmot colonies and pastures of ungulates are located. The highlands of Kazakhstan have an extremely complex terrain with many rocks, stones, abysses, gorges and snow-covered slopes. In these places, the risk of avalanches and mudflows is increased, which is why people rarely appear here. For the most part, it was thanks to this factor that the snow leopard was not exterminated in these parts. Other species of large cat animals that lived in more accessible places became extinct even before the creation of the Red Book.

The nature and lifestyle of the snow leopard

On its territory, the snow cat occupies the top of the food pyramid and experiences almost no competition from other predators. The leopard can easily handle prey that is three times its weight. As a rule, the animal hunts alone at night, carefully crawling up to the animal from behind a shelter or waiting for prey in ambush, hiding behind a rock. When the distance between the predator and potential prey is reduced to several tens of meters, the leopard emerges from the shelter and quickly overtakes the animal with large jumps. If the snow leopard misses, it pursues its prey for a maximum of 300 meters or does not chase it at all.

In the second half of the year, snow leopards regularly hunt in families: male, female and offspring. In general, snow leopards hunt only on their own territory - an exceptional need can force an animal to move to a foreign area. In times of famine, predators can go hunting near settlements, even attacking pets. However, hares, mountain goats, wild boars, snowcocks, rams, marmots and roe deer are considered the basis of the nutrition of snow leopards. Leopards eat grass and other greens only in summer as a supplement to their meat diet.

In general, for snow cats, hunting is not only a way to get food, but also a kind of entertainment. Irbis is able to track down a potential victim for hours, while practically not moving. Leopards have almost no enemies, so they are not at all afraid to hunt in the dark.

Only a wild wolf is capable of delivering trouble to the leopard, but even with such an animal, the leopard is quite easy to deal with. For people, a snow cat does not pose any threat: having noticed a person, a predator simply tries to quietly leave. True, in times of famine, cases of attacks by the beast were still recorded.

Relative to its other feline counterparts, the snow leopard has a quite friendly character. He can even be trained. In addition, tame snow leopards love to play and spend time with people. When a predator is happy, he, like domestic cats, purrs. The leopard also knows how to growl, like its famous counterparts, however, it does not do it very loudly.