Funding Research, Conservation, and Education projects across the snow leopard's range.

The Snow Leopard Trust Grants Program supports researchers, conservationists, and educators in snow leopard countries who are working on projects that meet the needs identified in the Snow Leopard Survival Strategy.  Grants range from $1,000 and $8,000 (US), with the average grant being about $5,000; the awards have totaled $20,000-$35,000 per year.  Nearly $90,000 was awarded during the first 3 years of the Grant program (2003 – 2005).

The program provides crucial support to people working in snow leopard countries, where resources are often scarce an even a modest grant can make a big difference.  It targets resources to the local level, where they can have the most immediate effect.  Grant recipients include range-country scientists and educators, international professionals working closely with or hosted by range-country counterparts, and graduate students of many nationalities.

The Snow Leopard Trust Grants Program began soon after the Snow Leopard Survival Strategy was completed in 2002; the first grants were made for 2003.  By giving priority to projects that address questions or needs identified in the Snow Leopard Survival Strategy, the program puts this international scientific consensus into action where snow leopards live. 

Small Grant Pre-proposals (2-page concept papers) are accepted from 1 July through 1 August of each year.  The pre-proposals are reviewed by outside experts and the Snow Leopard Trust’s Conservation Committee, and authors of promising projects are invited to submit a Full Proposal.  The Conservation Committee then selects winning proposals and awards are announced in early November.  If you are interested in applying for a Conservation and Research Grant, please contact us.

Current Projects

Assessing the Status of Snow Leopards in Langtang National Park

Country: Nepal
Principal Investigators: Dr. Randall C. Kyes, University of Washington; Dr. Mukesh K. Chalise, Nepal Biodiversity Research Society and Tribhuvan University
(Continuation of 2004 project)

Nepali and US scientists are teaming up to research snow leopards in this little studied national park in Nepal.  In addition to assessing the presence and status of the cats, the team is also providing field training in research and conservation methods for park rangers from around the country.  Read more about this project

Conservation Education

Country: Afghanistan
Principal Investigator: Ghulan Mohd Malikyar, Executive Director, Save the Environment – Afghanistan

Conflicts between snow leopards and livestock herders is a serious problem in Afghanistan.  When coupled with the country’s unstable political situation and long history of armed conflict, snow leopards face extreme threats.  A comprehensive educational effort will inform the public of the problem and its solutions.  In this Muslim country conservation education is taking assistance from the Holy Quran and religious clerics to promote wildlife conservation through Islamic tenants.  Read more about this project.
 

Evaluating Three Methods for Estimating Snow Leopard Population Size and Trends Under Various Environmental Conditions

Country: Kyrgyz Republic and China
Principal Investigators: Dr. Todd K. Fuller, Department of Natural Resources Conservation, University of Massachusetts at Amherst; Mr. Kyle P. McCarthy, graduate student, University of Massachusetts at Amherst

Cryptic and rarely seen, snow leopards are one of the most difficult species to study, monitor and survey.  Scientists now rely on snow leopard sign density (feces, scrapes, paw prints) as an indicator of cat numbers.  But how accurate is it?  In this study several new methods of estimating leopard numbers (photo-trap cameras, genetic fingerprinting, predator-prey modeling) will be compared.  The results will help determine how well sign surveys predict leopard numbers and population trends.  Read more about this project.
 

Feeding Ecology of Snow Leopards in Hemis National Park

Country: India
Principal Investigators: Ms. Trishna Dutta, Field Ecologist; Dr. Yash Veer Bhatnagar, Associate Ecologist, Nature Conservation Foundation, and Associate Director, Snow Leopard Trust India Program

Snow leopard habitat in the Himalayas is becoming degraded and prey animals are in decline.  To understand the long-term impacts this study is looking at the food habitats of the cats, and importantly, at what happens when natural prey decline.  Does a lack of prey lead to a shift to livestock, and thereby to retaliatory killing of the cats by herders?  Read more about this project. 

Is There a Co-relation Between Blue Sheep Abundance and Livestock Depredation?

Country: Nepal
Principal Investigator: Kamal Thapa, King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation

In Nepal blue sheep are the primary snow leopard food source.  When blue sheep decline snow leopards may turn more to livestock for sustenance.   This study will look for a relationship between blue sheep numbers and livestock depredation by snow leopards, and then suggest a simple management plan for the conservation of snow leopards in the Annapurna Conservation Area.  Read more about this project.

Past Projects:

2004

Assessing the Status of Snow Leopards in Langtang National Park
Country: Nepal
Principal Investigator:  Dr. Randall C. Kyes, University of Washington; Dr. Mukesh K. Chalise, Nepal Biodiversity Research Society and Tribhuvan University
Project Report (164kb)

Have Snow Leopards Made a Comeback to the Everest Region?
Country: Nepal
Principal Investigator:  Som Ale, Department of Biology Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago
Project Report (696kb)

Improvement in Sign-Survey Technique and Use of Tracks for Population Monitoring of Snow Leopards

Country: India
Principal Investigator: Sandeep Sharma, Wildlife Institute of India, Yash Veer Bhatnagar, SLT-India, Rodney Jackson, Snow Leopard Conservancy, USA
Final Report Pending

2003

A Snow Leopard-Focused Public Awareness Programme

Country: Kyrgyz Republic
Principal Investigator: Dyikanova, Program Director, Bashat-Community and Business Forum
Project Report (187kb)

Assessing the Distribution and Status of the Snow Leopard Population in Langtang National Park

Country: Nepal
Principal Investigator: Dr. Randall C. Kyes, University of Washington; Dr. Mukesh K. Chalise, Nepal Biodiversity Research Society and Tribhuvan University
Project Report (135kb)

Developing a National Action Plan for Conservation of the Snow Leopard

Country: Uzbekistan
Principal Investigator:  Dr. Elena Kreuzberg-Mukhina,  Mr. Alexander Esipov,  Mr. Bakhtyar Aromov, Ms. Elena Bykova; Dr. Emilia Vashetk.   Uzbek Institute of Zoology
Project Report (734kb)

Interactions Between Snow Leopard Prey and Livestock, Gya-Miru Wildlife Sanctuary, Ladakh

Country: India
Principal Investigator:  Mr. Tsewang Namgail, Dr. Yash Veer Bhatnagar, Wildlife Institute of India, and Dr. Joseph Fox, Tromso, Norway  
Project Report (559kb)

Interactions Between Livestock and Ladakh Urial (Ovis vignei vignei)

Country: India
Principal Investigator:  Ms. Bindu Raghavan, Dr. Yash Veer Bhatnagar, Dr. Qamar Qureshi, Wildlife Institute of India  
Project Report (3.2mb)

Snow Leopard Survey in Mankial Valley Swat, North West Frontier Province

Country: Pakistan
Principal Investigator: Mr. Ahmad Khan, NWFP Wildlife Department
Project Report (287kb)

Alternative Income Sources for Snow Leopard Friendly Communities

Country: Mongolia
Principal Investigator: A. Bayarajargal and B. Munkhtsog, Irbis Mongolia