We seek to change the negative relationship between herders and snow leopards in rural Mongolia. Snow leopards are an endangered big cat and important apex predator throughout Central Asia. Mongolia is home to the second largest population of snow leopards in the world, concentrated in rural area dominated by herding families. These families live below the poverty line and rely heavily on raising livestock. They come into conflict with the cats over livestock depredation, which causes severe economic hardship that fuels poaching and retribution killing of snow leopards. To change this relationship, our project helps herders increase their income from raising livestock in conservation-friendly ways linked directly to protecting snow leopards.
Some guidelines:
i. Leopards often take up residence in croplands and tea-gardens.
ii. They are not usually inclined to attack people; on the contrary, they avoid
people.
iii. Wild carnivores may attack in self-defence, and, therefore, it is advisable to
avoid provoking them.
iv. Mere sighting of a leopard in the vicinity of human habitations does not
necessarily mean that the animal has strayed from a forest and needs to be
captured.
v. Arbitrary removal of leopards could lead to increased confl ict. The space vacated
by a captured animal will soon be occupied by another leopard.
vi. The focus should be on long term solutions. These include better sanitation
measures including proper garbage disposal in villages and towns so that
feral pig and dog populations are kept under check, and do not attract wild
carnivores. Providing proper toilet facilities in rural areas would go a long way
in reducing incidences of accidental encounters with leopards.
vii. Farmers should be made aware that livestock sheds should be strong, robust
and leopard proof.
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