Beijing Conference Discusses Snow Leopards

Newswise — Snow leopards " the world's most elusive big cat " roam the high mountains across 12 Asian nations, from Afghanistan to Uzbekistan. Representatives from those countries, along with leading big cat experts, are expected in Beijing from March 9 " 11 to frame a multinational conservation plan to save these highly endangered and rarely observed predators.

Hosted by the Chinese Institute of Zoology in partnership with Panthera Foundation, and co-sponsored by the Snow Leopard Trust, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), and Snow Leopard Network, the 2008 International Snow Leopard Conference will bring together for the first time representatives from all snow leopard range nations: China, Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

Uniquely, the snow leopard meeting comes with an underlying promise from Panthera to provide the funding and collaboration necessary to implement a sweeping conservation plan for the cats. "With this conference, we commit to undertaking an unprecedented range-wide effort to conserve the snow leopard in partnership with range-state governments, non-governmental organizations, and our other partners," Panthera Executive Chairman Thomas Kaplan said.

During the session experts will share the latest snow leopard research and innovative conservation techniques, and discuss successful community-based initiatives. Speakers include Dr. George Schaller of WCS, who conducted seminal studies of snow leopards in the Himalayas more than 35 years ago, and took the first-ever photographs of wild snow leopards in 1971.

An estimated 3,500 to 7,000 snow leopards live in the rugged mountaintops of central Asia. Population numbers are difficult to narrow down, due to the cats' solitary and secretive nature and remote habitat.

Today, snow leopards are threatened by poaching for their pelts and body parts, loss of habitat, increased conflict with humans and livestock, and dwindling populations of the wild sheep and wild goats that are their main prey.

The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild places worldwide. We do so through science, global conservation, education and the management of the world's largest system of urban wildlife parks, led by the flagship Bronx Zoo. Together these activities change attitudes towards nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in harmony. WCS is committed to this mission because it is essential to the integrity of life on Earth. Visit: http://www.wcs.org

The New York City-based Panthera Foundation saves in situ populations of the world's 36 species of wild cats and the landscapes they inhabit, by collaborating with, supporting and fostering the global work of leading wild felid conservationists, and engaging local, national and international stakeholders in the advancement of wild cat conservation. Visit: http://www.panthera-foundation.org

Founded in 1981 and based in Seattle, Washington, the Snow Leopard Trust is the largest and oldest organization working solely to protect the endangered snow leopard and its Central Asian habitat. Visit: http://www.snowleopard.org

The Snow Leopard Network is a worldwide organization made up of more than 150 professionals dedicated to facilitating the exchange of information between individuals around the world for the purpose of snow leopard preservation.

Visit: http://www.snowleopardnetwork.org

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