Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program

Learn about the program

PAWS

Population Assessment of the World’s Snow Leopards

The GSLEP program and its partners are engaged in an initiative to assess the global population of the threatened snow leopard. Click below to learn more about this project and participate.

Learn more

Practical Tools and Manuals

Toolkits and manuals on snow leopard population studies, management planning, community-based conservation and more.
Browse now

Databases

Get access and contribute to scientific databases on population studies, GIS and illegal wildlife trade.
Browse now

Publications

Browse and download all publications produced under the GSLEP program to date.
Browse now

LATEST NEWS

Asian Nations Unite to Protect Snow Leopards, Combat Climate Crisis, in World’s High Mountains

CHOLPON-ATA, KYRGYZSTAN – June 8, 2025 – In a powerful display of international collaboration, Environment Ministers from Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Pakistan and Tajikistan and senior civil servants from Mongolia, Russia and Uzbekistan...
Read More

AGENDA Ninth Steering Committee Meeting of the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program (GSLEP) 5-6 June, KYRGYZ REPUBLIC

Organising body: Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology, and Technical Supervision of the Kyrgyz Republic, GSLEP Secretariat Partner organisations: Snow Leopard Trust (SLT), The Nature And Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU), United Nations Environmental Programme...
Read More

Asia’s High Mountains at COP29: A Call for Urgent Climate Action

BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 21, 2024 – A high-level plenary session at the UNFCCC COP29, titled “Resource Mobilization for Climate Adaptation in Asia’s High Mountains,” brought together global leaders, climate experts, and representatives from snow leopard range...
Read More

Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan sign a Memorandum of Cooperation for the Conservation of the Snow Leopard

The aim of the Memorandum is to conserve this carnivore and its habitats in the mountains of the Northern Tien Shan, covering four areas: the Kolsai Lakes National Park, the Almaty State Nature Reserve, the Ile-Alatau State National Park and the Chon Kemin Park of the...
Read More

Pakistan Wildlife Protection Awards and Appointment of Sardar Jamal Leghari as GSLEP Emissary

The Pakistan Wildlife Protection Awards (PWPA) signify a crucial step in recognizing and rewarding those who dedicate their lives to protecting and conserving wildlife in Pakistan. In a country known for its remarkable biodiversity, the conservation of its natural...
Read More

Interview with National Focal Point from Mongolia

National Focal Point for GSLEP from Mongolia, Uranchimeg, Director of Natural Resources Policy and Coordination Department of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism. The honorable Minister made a video speech during the recent Steering Committee Meeting in Samarkand....
Read More

Global Leaders call for snow leopard to be identified as the mascot of climate adaptation and mountain ecology at the GSLEP Steering Committee Meeting in Samarkand

In February 2024, Samarkand, Uzbekistan hosted the crucial VIII Steering Committee Meeting of the Global Snow Leopard and Snow Leopard Ecosystem Program (GSLEP). This two-day event brought together representatives from all 12 snow leopard range countries: Bhutan,...
Read More

GSLEP honoured students on the occasion of Biodiversity Day

To mark the International Day for Biological Diversity, the Kyrgyz State University named after I. Arabaev in Bishkek hosted a roundtable discussion. The event focused on two magnificent big cat species: the snow leopard and the Arabian leopard. The scientific...
Read More

Successful completion of the international project “Vanishing Treasures”

The National Consultation Meeting of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Vanishing Treasures Programme was held in Bishkek. The event marked the presentation of the final report on the successful completion of the international Vanishing Treasures...
Read More

FACILITATING A TRANSBOUNDARY GOVERNMENTAL APPROACH TO ADDRESS THE THREATS TO A SPECIES

GSLEP featured as a case study in the guidelines on Human-Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission (IUCN SSC). This case study underscores GSLEP’s commitment to promoting unity for snow leopard...
Read More

PAST EVENTS

Asian Nations Unite to Protect Snow Leopards, Combat Climate Crisis, in World’s High Mountains

CHOLPON-ATA, KYRGYZSTAN – June 8, 2025 – In a powerful display of international collaboration, Environment Ministers from Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Pakistan and Tajikistan and senior civil servants from Mongolia, Russia and Uzbekistan...
Read More

Global Leaders Unite at Bishkek+25 to Champion Mountain Ecosystems and Biodiversity

GSLEP-Led Session Drives Momentum for Transboundary Conservation and Climate-Resilient Strategies Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic — The Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program (GSLEP) Secretariat convened a high-level parallel session at the *International...
Read More

Ethical Approaches to Community Engagement for Biodiversity Conservation: International Trainers’ Workshop Conducted at Lake Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan

Lake Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan – September 16, 2024 – A four-day trainers' workshop on ethical approaches to community engagement for biodiversity conservation concluded successfully at Lake Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan. The workshop, held from September 12th to 15th, aimed to...
Read More

Appointment of Sardar Jamal Leghari as GSLEP Emissary

The Global Snow Leopard & Ecosystem Protection Program (GSLEP) wishes to announce the appointment of Sardar Muhammad Jamal Khan Leghari from Pakistan to the position of GSLEP Emissary. This momentous appointment testifies to our commitment to bringing the best...
Read More

Successful completion of the international project “Vanishing Treasures”

The National Consultation Meeting of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Vanishing Treasures Programme was held in Bishkek. The event marked the presentation of the final report on the successful completion of the international Vanishing Treasures...
Read More

Snow leopard – symbol of the Third Pole

On 10-11 February, 2024, the Government of Uzbekistan hosted the VIII Steering Committee Meeting of the Global Snow Leopard and its Ecosystems Conservation Programme (GSLEP), in Samarkand, where the snow leopard was recognized as a symbol of climate adaptation in the...
Read More

The VIII Steering Committee Meeting of the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Detailed Agenda

Hosted by: Ministry of Ecology, Environment Protection and Climate Change, Government of Uzbekistan and the Secretariat of the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program Supported by: International Snow Leopard Trust, United Nations Environment Program,...
Read More

Asia’s leaders unite for Climate Adaptation in the Third Pole for Snow Leopards (CATS) & People

AT the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), political and conservation leaders called upon international finance organizations to commit investments for safeguarding Asia’s mountain ecosystems, glaciers,...
Read More

The 2022 Bishkek Resolution of the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem

Protection Program has been endorsed. Following the Seventh Steering Committee Meeting of the Global Snow Leopard and Snow Leopard Ecosystem Program (GSLEP), held in October this year in Bishkek, representatives of the governments of Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan,...
Read More

Asia’s leaders launch new programs for snow leopard conservation

“Nature knows no borders” On October 20-21, 2022, delegations from 10 of the 12 snow leopard range countries came together for the seventh steering committee meeting of the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Conservation Program (GSLEP), hosted by the Government of...
Read More

SNOW LEOPARD RANGE COUNTRIES

Russia

In Russia the snow leopard is at the northernmost edge of its contemporary range and has only a…

Read More

Tajikistan

Tajikistan contains around 250-280 snow leopards primarily within the Pamir Mountain range. Tajikistan is located in the center…

Read More

Pakistan

An estimated 200–420 snow leopards exist in Pakistan across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), and Azad Jammu…

Read More

Nepal

In Nepal, snow leopards are found in the Kangchenjunga Conservation Area (KCA) in the east to Api-Nampa…

Read More

China

China is home to the world’s largest snow leopard population, with an estimated 2000 – 2500 individuals….

Read More

Mongolia

The Mongolian snow leopard population is 2nd largest in the world, with about 1000 individuals; distributed in…

Read More

Kyrgyzstan

There are about two percent of the world’s species of flora and more than three percent of the species…

Read More

Bhutan

Pastoralism is highly predominant in the highlands of Bhutan stretching from East to West, an ecosystem widely…

Read More

India

Snow leopard habitats in India are spread over the northern Himalayan mountains of the states of Jammu…

Read More

Country updates 2021

    The GSLEP Resolution 2020, endorsed by the snow leopard range countries identified resource mobilization, inclusive economic development, animal-human healthcare, and diseasesurveillance as priority areas. The range countries also extended their support...
Read More

Uzbekistan

In Uzbekistan the edge of the snow leopard’s range is represented by boundary areas of two independent, unconnected groups – Tien-Shan and Pamir-Alai. Both populations occupy territories, which are developed as the result of extensive…

Read More

Afghanistan

Afghanistan encompasses the far western range extent of the snow leopard’s distribution. Included within Afghanistan’s range is the Wakhan Corridor, the narrow panhandle of land in Badakhshan province (in the far northeast of the…

Read More

Kazakhstan

The snow leopard is an official symbol of Kazakhstan, which was a suggestion of President Nursultan Nazarbayev. Thus,…

Read More

PARTNERS

University of Central Asia (UCA)

The University of Central Asia (UCA) was founded in 2000 based on an international treaty signed by the Presidents of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan and His Highness the Aga Khan. UCA’s mission…

Read More

The Nature And Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU)

Visit website

Read More

USAID

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is the lead U.S. Government agency working in foreign development. We partner to end extreme poverty and promote resilient, democratic societies while advancing our security and…

Read More

Snow Leopard Conservancy

Snow Leopard Conservancy has been a GSLEP program partner since its inception. SLC’s senior staff provide technical expertise based on nearly four decades of snow leopard research and conservation, particularly in participatory, community…

Read More

TRAFFIC

Visit website

Read More

Snow Leopard Network

The Snow Leopard Network is a worldwide organization dedicated to facilitating the exchange of information between individuals around the world for the purpose of snow leopard conservation. Our membership includes leading snow leopard experts…

Read More

Marwell Wildlife

Marwell Wildlife and Beijing Forestry University (BFU)’s Wildlife Institute, led by Dr Shi Kun, have formed a collaborative alliance to further develop their programme of work for the snow leopard started by Dr. Philip…

Read More

Wildlife Conservation Society

The Wildlife Conservation Society has been a GLSEP program partner since its inception. As the first international conservation organization to perform focused snow leopard field research (dating back to George Schaller’s fieldwork the 1970s),…

Read More

GEF Small Grants Programme

Visit website

Read More

Global Tiger Initiative Council

Visit website

Read More

INTERPOL

Visit website

Read More

United Nations Development Programme

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been an active partner of the GSLEP program since its inception…

Read More

Snow Leopard Trust

The Snow Leopard Trust has been an active partner of the GSLEP program since its inception. SLT supports the secretariat through secondment of staff for program coordination, hiring of senior advisors, hosting the website,…

Read More

Flora and Fauna International

Fauna & Flora International has been an active partner of the GSLEP program since its inception. FFI supports the program through organization and facilitation of country and regional level snow leopard conservation workshops, provision…

Read More

Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals

Visit website

Read More

University of Central Asia (UCA)

The University of Central Asia (UCA) was founded in 2000 based on an international treaty signed by the Presidents of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan and His Highness the Aga Khan. UCA’s mission…

Read More

Snow Leopard Trust

The Snow Leopard Trust has been an active partner of the GSLEP program since its inception. SLT supports the secretariat through secondment of staff for program coordination, hiring of senior advisors, hosting the website,…

Read More

Pallas’s cat International Conservation Alliance

The Pallas’s Cat International Conservation Alliance (PICA) is the first and only project dedicated to Pallas’s cat conservation on a global scale. It was established in 2016 and is a collaboration between Nordens Ark, the Royal...
Read More

Global Environment Facility

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has been an active partner of the GLSEP program since its inception. GEF has provided financial and technical support through series of regional and national projects on snow leopard…

Read More

WWF

WWF’s mission is to conserve nature and reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on Earth. For 50 years, WWF has been protecting the future of nature. The world’s leading conservation…

Read More