Citizen-Ranger Wildlife Protection Program

The Citizen-Ranger Wildlife Protection Program (CRWPP) empowers rangers and citizens in all Protected Areas of Kyrgyzstan to combat illegal hunting and poaching.
A wildlife ranger in Kyrgyzstan’s Sarychat Ertash State Nature Reserve on patrol.
A wildlife ranger in Kyrgyzstan’s Sarychat Ertash State Nature Reserve on patrol.
What is the Citizen-Ranger Wildlife Protection Program?
  • The Citizen-Ranger Wildlife Protection Program was jointly developed by the Kyrgyz government, the Snow Leopard Foundation, Kyrgyzstan, and the Snow Leopard Trust. It covers all 19 of the country’s state parks and nature reserves.
  • Under the CRWPP, park rangers receive law enforcement training by Interpol and equipment to help them be more effective in their efforts to prevent and prosecute wildlife crime. Rangers and citizens who apprehend poachers and bring them to justice can receive cash rewards and will be recognized in a public ceremony.
An award-winning ranger is interviewed by Kyrgyz television.
An award-winning ranger is interviewed by Kyrgyz television.
Who gets a reward, and in which cases?
  • As part of CRWPP, rangers and citizens who apprehend or register poachers who have killed animals inside a protected area are eligible for a cash reward of up to 15,000 KGS from the Snow Leopard Foundation and the State Agency on Environment Protection and Forestry.
  • If the poachers escape, 5000 KGS will be paid to any team of rangers and/or citizens who confiscate the poacher’s gun inside a protected area. In addition to this reward, the Government will pay 30% of the poacher’s penalty to the person or group that helped catch them.
  • In order to qualify for a reward, all cases of poacher apprehension or gun confiscation must be registered in a reserve office or regional police office, and copies of the protocols should be sent to the Forestry Department. If available, the copies of paid penalties should be sent as well.
  • The rangers and/or citizens who receive an award will also be honored for their valuable work to protect Kyrgyzstan’s natural heritage and receive a certificate in a public ceremony held in Bishkek.
More information

Please refer to the CRWPP Program Brochure (in Kyrgyz)

The Citizen-Ranger Wildlife Protection Program was created jointly by Snow Leopard Foundation in Kyrgyzstan, Snow Leopard Trust, and the Protected Areas Department under the State Agency of Environment and Protection of Forests of the Kyrgyz Republic. Training for rangers is in collaboration with Interpol. Support is provided by Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund through the UK Government, Partnership Funding by Fondation Segre managed by Whitley Fund for Nature, and Woodland Park Zoo.

date last edited: 6/29/2016, 5:22 pm