20 by 2020
Securing at least 20 healthy populations of snow leopards across the cat’s range by 2020
The overarching goal of the GSLEP program is for the 12 range countries, with support from interested organizations, to work together to identify and secure at least 20 healthy populations of snow leopards across the cat’s range by 2020, or 20 By 2020. Many of these populations will cross international boundaries.
Three criteria define “healthy populations of snow leopards”. They are populations:
- Representing at least 100 breeding age snow leopards. (This number will be increased over time to obtain a minimum viable population.)
- Containing adequate and secure prey populations.
- Having connectivity to other snow leopard populations.
This is an interim goal for the period through 2020, and a key step toward the ultimate goal of ensuring that healthy snow leopard populations remain the icon of the mountains of Asia for generations to come.