Tien Shan: Moving

Update from our snow leopard volunteer project to the Tien Shan mountains of Kyrgyzstan

Group 1 started smoothly with everyone arriving on time to the meeting point in Bishkek. We then drove in convoy for seven hours to base camp arriving on schedule at 16:00.

The next morning saw a busy day of training with lessons on scientific methods, GPS use and offroad driving at our old site. We’re here to wrap up our work in this valley. If you have read the 2022 expedition report, you know why. The biggest task for group 1 was collecting all the camera traps from the mountains, which involved some challenging days, as most of the cameras are placed above 3700 m. Well done Clodagh, Leonard and Simon for retrieving our highest and most hard to reach cameras.

In fact, the whole team did a sterling job retrieving most of the cameras within the first few days. We then had a day off with goodbye celebrations for the old valley and experienced some local culture before taking down base camp and loading up the cars and truck. There is a feeling of excitement for the opportunity to study a new valley where – to our knowledge – no snow leopard research has previously taken place.

So here we are, half way along the eight hour drive to our new location in Archaly valley, where the rest of our 2023 expedition will take place. Just enough time and signal to drop off this blog entry.

More news on the new location when we’re back in Bishkek for the changeover. Groups 2 & 3, be ready to go where few citizen scientists have gone before!

Update from our Kyrgyzstan expedition to the Tien Shan mountains, volunteering in snow leopard conservation.