The Bronx Zoo based Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) did a study during a few years ago that found military personnel in Afghanistan were supporting the illegal wildlife trade by buying furs coats and animal products including snow leopard pelts. Most buyers did so because they were not aware that it was illegal and that the wildlife was endangered. Consequently WCS worked with the Department of Defense to educate them and explain threats posed by the illegal wildlife trade to combat missions. This video, narrated by acclaimed actor/director and United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for Biodiversity, Edward Norton, informs U.S. military personnel about the consequences of buying illegal wildlife products when stationed overseas

Many villagers and tourists share snow leopard habitat in Mustang Annapurna region Nepal. Photo by Sibylle Noras

A followup to the recent story about snow leopard poachers’ arrest in Nepal by WWF Nepal staff who were involved in the operation.

“Two poachers involved in trading of body parts of endangered wild animal were arrested on 28 may 2011 from Mustang district, a district situated inside the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP).

The district police office, Mustang, nabbed Shyam Lalchan, owner of a local guest house, and his employee Kulman Ghale with two snow leopard pelts.

Spectacular rocky mountains make Mustang in the Annapurna region of Nepal good snow leopard habitat. Unfortuantely poaching is rampant according to WWF Nepal officials.Photo by Sibylle Noras

At the police interrogation the duo denied poaching the animals. They however admitted to have skinned three snow leopards that they claimed were found dead in a place called Chaurikharka, an eight hours walk from Mustang, where the police recovered bones, pelts and carcass of snow leopard.

The operation was carried out based on a tip-off received by WWF Nepal on the pelts that were sighted in a padlocked room at the guesthouse. The police, with the help of WWF Nepal’s officials and Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, successfully carried out the operation.

Poaching of wild animals including the snow leopard is rampant in the region. Despite stringent law against trade in body parts of endangered wild animals, curbing it has been a difficult task due to the involvement of “high-profile” racketeers.”

Two snow leopard pelts found with poachers in Mustang, Nepal. Story and Photo Kathmadu Post.

A shocking story greeted the readers of Kathmandu Post in Nepal  yesterday. It showed this photo of two snow leopard pelts. Two people have been arrested in Mustang in Nepal (where it is illegal to kill the cats) with the hides of the two snow leopards. One is the owner of the Paradise Guest House in Marpha village and the other his employee. There will be further investigations held in the nearby town of Pokhara.

Various conservation agencies are working with many communities in Everest regions and other areas in Nepal to educate them about snow leopards in Nepal.

Kamal Thapa, a field biologist with many years experience working with snow leopards and Research Officer with WWF Nepal, one such conservation agency says, “This report itself is not good news despite the continual conservation effort on snow leopard in Nepal Himalaya. Such issue clearly indicates that our focus on snow leopard conservation is not adequate. Hence, to combat this issue we need to work together specially with local people of Himalaya.”

Hopefully this sad example will serve to educate  people and increase conservation support to keep the snow leopards of Nepal alive.

News story and photo from Kathmandu Post 30/05/11

The Red Panda is listed as 'vulnerable' by the IUCN Endangered Species List, which means numbers are declining rapidly. It shares habitat with endangered snow leopard in Nepal. Red Panda skins are still being poached and sold in the capital, Kathmandu. Photo Wikipedia.

The Himalayan Times (from Kathmandu, Nepal) wrote in its editorial today that the story of a local man apprehended this week trying to sell three Red Panda skins in Kathmandu, “highlights how poaching of such an endangered animal is on the rise..and points to the laxity of conservation attempts. It is not only Red Panda that is facing threats from poachers but other animals like snow leopard, tigers, rhinoceros, black bears and such are constantly being targeted for their skins, bones and body organs which fetch a heavy price. The financial lure has made many people go for wildlife fully armed while the law enforcement agency has a tough time dealing with them.

With the political instability continuing in the country, the maintenance of law and order has become a problem on the one hand, while on the other hand poaching has increased. This does not augur well for the conservation of the flora and fauna of the country. At this pace, many of the endangered animals and birds will become extinct soon.” Story here.

The Red Panda shares snow leopard habitat in the high mountains of the Himalayas.  The editorial is a timely call on government agencies in Nepal to act before time runs out for its endangered species like snow leopards and red Panda.

Harrison Ford getting chest waved for sake of the planet. From video ad by Conservation International.

I know Harrison Ford supports wildlife conservation but I didn’t realise the lengths he goes to. He did a TV ad for WildAid – “Don’t buy it” – where he says to a Tiger pal, “If some one tells you don’t worry about the slaughter of tigers and elephants, there are lots of them out there….don’t buy it. Never buy illegal wildlife products. When the buying stops, the killing stops too.”
It’s a good ad with a charming Harrison and a charming tiger pal but I noticed the You Tube video only got 5300 views in two years. But the conservation.org video he did for the campaign “Lost there, felt here” got over 290,000.
What’s the difference? The “there’ in the ‘Lost there’ is rainforest deforestation in the Amazon and the “here’ in “felt here” is Harrison’s hairy chest being violently dewaxed. Ouch! Goes to show we love a message with humour. The analogy is made between the forest and Harrison’s chest hair. His pain shows us that in both spoiling and saving the planet, everything is interrelated. Snow leopards everywhere thank you, Harrison. Check out the video here.

Bryan Christy of National Geographic investigates illegal wildlife smuggling. Photo by Michael Bryant.

If snow leopards and other endangered wildlife protection is going to be meaningful then prosecution for offenders is vital. Good news today that Anson Wong from Penang in Malaysia, dubbed “ the world’s most notorious wildlife dealer, has been sentenced to prison after a lock on his suitcase containing legally protected snakes broke on an airport conveyor belt.

Wong has smuggled many species of critically endangered wildlife including snow leopard pelts.

National Geographic’s Bryan Christy wrote an expose of Wong’s activities in January this year which helped spur the Malaysian government to action.

Anson Wong sentenced for wildlife smuggling.

Habiba Sarabi, Afghanistan's first provincial governor, fighting for the environment

Habiba Sarabi became the first female governor of an Afghan province, the province of Bamiyan in 2005. Bamiyan is one of the poorest of all provinces and the place where the ancient Bamiyan Buddha carvings had stood for 1400 years before the Taliban blew them up in 2001.

Sarabi’s role in snow leopard conservation has been through her fight to establish the 570 square kilometre Band-e-Amir National Park which was declared, with the help of the Wildlife Conservation Society in May 2009.

Snow leopards used to live in this region but it is not known, if after years of active hunting and the war, any remain. However there are still significant numbers of animals that are snow leopard prey, like ibexes (wild goats) and urials (wild sheep), so it is possible that the elusive cat may return to survive here once more.

Snow leopard caught in camera trap in Wakhan corridor, Afghanistan 2009. Photo by WCS.

Today the snow leopard is protected under Afghanistan’s new endangered species list, which was announced shortley after the opening of the National park in June 2009. However illegal snow leopard hunting is still common with a cat caught as recently as March this year.

Sarabi’s conservation credentials include leadership in showing her fellow countrymen and women tourism needs to be in harmony and not exploit landscape and wildlife. Time Magazine acknowledged this role when they nominated her in “Heroes of the Environment in 2008”.

Band-e-Amir National Park, one of the stunning blue lakes. Photo by AP.

Sarabi wants Bamiyan to lead the way in the development of Afghanistan’s environmental practice, because, she says “I am doing this for the future of my people. They may not understand now why it is so important, but if we can preserve the environment and our natural resources it will bring wealth for our children.”

The six stunningly beautiful lakes in the National park were being impacted by ever more local tourists whose cars parked on the fragile banks and many local developers whose new restaurants were discharging polluted waste water and rubbish into the turquoise waters. Most importantly Sarabi inspired local communities to take an active role and they now decide environmental policies and how to educate their own people as well as tourists.

Today is World Environment Day 2010  – June 5^th. This year’s UN theme  “Many Species – One Planet – One Future” made me reflect on just how important it is right now, this day, this month, this year, to focus our efforts on endangered wildlife before it’s too late.

This means a big effort to save the few remaining snow leopards in the wild.

In all range countries the news is not good. In some range countries the news is terrible. Poaching by the wealthy who enjoy hunting (Russia and some of the Central Asian states), decimation of prey species, herder retaliation killing of snow leopards in return for loss of livestock (India, Pakistan, Mongolia) and the continued demand for snow leopard parts for traditional medicines (Tibet, China).

Snow leopards, one particular species, an important part of our one planet, may not have a future for long unless we act quickly, consistently and with strong will.

Snow leopard cub at Melbourne Zoo. Photo by Glenn McColl.

I know it’s hard for people living a long way away from snow leopard range countries to care about this animal. But we have to remember, we humans and all the planet’s wildlife are interconnected. I know it’s hard for people living a long way away from snow leopard range country to feel they can really help, but believe me, help you can. Spend a bit of time learning about this beautiful animal and its fragile environment. Encourage your kids to do a school project on them.

For your next holiday you can join a snow leopard ecotourism trip and lastly, but very importantly, give a gift of donation to the organisations that are working every day to save these magnificent cats. Donate for yourself, or as a gift to a loved one.

Celebrate Environment Day, help this big cat have a future. Let them live in the wild.

Captured snow leopard in Afghanistan. Photo Essay by Richard Fite in Time magazine.

Readers may recall the story of the captured snow leopard in Afghanistan I wrote about in March. Richard Fite, the US veterinarian who advises for the U.S. Agricultural Department in northern Afghanistan, tried to save the cat, which had been captured for the illegal wildlife trade, but sadly she died.  Richard shared his hope with the world that at least many government officials and others in the country are now more aware of the need to help these rare animals and perhaps the remaining snow leopards will be treated better.

Time magazine recently released a photo essay of truly shocking photos taken by Richard of the poor cat. I hope, along with Richard and others in Afghanistan, that these photos will help in educating people of the need to actively protect these animals. I don’t believe it’s an over statement to say, that it will take a lot of effort, a real lot, to stop snow leopards becoming extinct in the wild in Afghanistan in our lifetime. May this poor snow leopard not have suffered and died in vain.

Two snow leopard cubs confisctaed from ex President of Kyrgyzstan's illegal private zoo, died in Jalal-Abad Zoo this week. Map from Wikipedia.

Recently I posted a news story about the exPresident of Kyrgyzstan, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, having illegally kept a private zoo at his house. The zoo was discovered after he fled the country following weeks of violence and recent civil unrest. A number of endangered animals were found including two snow leopard cubs. Sadly the news has come through today that those two cubs died this week. A Russian news service said they were taken to a zoo in Jalal-Abad city, 240 km south of the capital, Bishkek. There have been no details about the deaths to date.