International Snow Leopard Day Highlights Kazakhstan’s Bold Conservation Success

On October 23, the world celebrates International Snow Leopard Day-a tribute to one of the most mysterious and majestic big cats, often called the “ghost of the mountains.”

In Kazakhstan, home to thriving snow leopard populations, this day underscores decades of dedicated conservation efforts, The Caspian Post reports via Kazakh media.

Known locally as irbis or ilbirs, the snow leopard has roamed Central Asia for over 1.5 million years, inhabiting Kazakhstan’s rugged mountain ranges like the Altai, Tien Shan, and Dzungarian Alatau. Its elusive nature has earned it legendary status, symbolizing power, courage, and independence in Kazakh culture. The irbis appears on Almaty’s coat of arms, currency, and even the capital’s hockey team, Barys.

Facing severe declines in the 20th century due to poaching and habitat loss, Kazakhstan launched ambitious recovery plans. Today, thanks to advanced monitoring tools like camera traps and satellite collars, snow leopard numbers have rebounded from just 80-100 in the 1990s to nearly 190 individuals.

Vice Minister Nūrken Sharbiyev highlights successful restoration of natural prey, including releasing hundreds of Bactrian deer and relocating kulans. Kazakhstan’s broader wildlife revival includes bringing back saigas, Przewalski’s horses, and Turan tigers.

The snow leopard’s survival is also a crucial indicator of mountain ecosystem health, essential for local communities and biodiversity. Kazakhstan’s commitment to protecting this “ghost” of the mountains is a powerful example of how science, culture, and conservation unite to safeguard the wild heart of Central Asia.