
ASTANA, 1 April (BelTA - Kazinform) - According to the Ministry of
Ecology and Natural Resources of Kazakhstan, the decline in the snow
leopard population in Kazakhstan is affected not only by hunters and
livestock breeders but also by mineral resource users, Kazinform News
Agency reports.
"The main obstacles to the growth of the snow leopard population include poaching, conflicts with livestock breeders, habitat disruption, reduction in ungulate populations, infrastructure projects, urbanization, and mineral extraction. Every year, 3-5 snow leopards die in Kazakhstan due to direct human impact," the Ministry's experts reported.
The Ministry believes that without improving conservation measures, the rare animal could face the same fate as the Caspian tiger.
"Despite the measures being taken, the risk of the snow leopard's extinction in Kazakhstan due to climate change and the reduction of the global population remains high. If protection efforts are not sufficient, the population may decline even further, putting this species at risk of disappearing. This situation has previously led to the extinction of large predators such as the Caspian tiger," the Ministry stated.
As reported earlier, Kazakhstan is to receive four more Caspian tigers from Russia.
"The main obstacles to the growth of the snow leopard population include poaching, conflicts with livestock breeders, habitat disruption, reduction in ungulate populations, infrastructure projects, urbanization, and mineral extraction. Every year, 3-5 snow leopards die in Kazakhstan due to direct human impact," the Ministry's experts reported.
The Ministry believes that without improving conservation measures, the rare animal could face the same fate as the Caspian tiger.
"Despite the measures being taken, the risk of the snow leopard's extinction in Kazakhstan due to climate change and the reduction of the global population remains high. If protection efforts are not sufficient, the population may decline even further, putting this species at risk of disappearing. This situation has previously led to the extinction of large predators such as the Caspian tiger," the Ministry stated.
As reported earlier, Kazakhstan is to receive four more Caspian tigers from Russia.