Month: August 2023

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

In science confirming the absence of a species from a location is still a result. But hope dies last and so, after all the effort that has been put into selecting and moving expedition locations, everyone was hoping that we can find some evidence that snow leopards inhabit the mountains of our new study site. With this in mind, we started group 3 with the ambitious goal of placing 15 more camera traps in the surrounding mountains, and surveying all the remaining valleys within our base camp vicinity.

As previously reported, on our first full day in the mountains Sonja found what is suspected to be snow leopard scat. Since then several more promising samples have been collected (we eagerly await DNA confirmation from the lab). However, with Taalai, the local rangers and Alex (snow leopard zoo keeper) all feeling confident, signs are promising.

With strong and ambitious snow leopard citizen scientists we managed to hit our camera trap goals, special thanks to Mel and Alex for volunteering for the most challenging survey routes on every single day we went out. The most exciting discovery of the fortnight was made by Sonja, an excellent suspected snow leopard print (also mentioned in our previous blog post). With likely snow Leopard prints and scat, multiple Pallas’s cat prints as well as live ibex sightings, all indications are that these mountains are an excellent location for our expedition.

We rounded off the 2023 snow leopard expedition with a presentation evening for the locals in the valley. It was our opportunity to thank them for their hospitality and officially introduce Biosphere Expeditions, NABU and our project. With over 35 attendees, the evening was a fitting end to a busy and productive expedition. Keep an eye out for the 2023 scientific report in the coming months. With a look forward to 2024, we eagerly await the results of the camera traps we have placed.

On behalf of the whole team here in Kyrgyzstan, thank you to group 3 for your tremendous work ethic and thank you to everyone who contributed to the 2023 snow leopard expedition.

Continue reading “Tien Shan: Finding ghosts”

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

Here’s an update from half-way through group 3, mostly text with some generic pictures. This is because we have fancy GPSs that can send messages (but not pictures) via satellite from our remote, internet- and mobile-free base camp, which is a welcome distraction from distractions in itself….

Things are going well with a strong group 3. Our new location is delivering. We’ve had multiple ibex sightings and also what we think is evidence of snow leopard (tracks and scats). Tracks are notoriously unreliable with a high misidentification rate, so this is not strong evidence yet for our science nerd minds. Scat will be, once its DNA has been analysed. In itself scat has a 50% misidentification rate by sight, but once snow leopard DNA has been show to be present, then it’s a 100% proof. What the people in the lab look for – if you are interested – is intestinal cells on the surface of the scat that are deposited there as the scat moves through the cat’s gut. The scat itself is composed of what has been eaten.

We are pushing to get all camera traps out by the end of the expedition. This is hard work, but group 3 are up to the task.

We will also deliver a presentation about what the heck we are doing in their valley to our local herding neighbours. Hopefully this will be a great ice breaker and the start of a good working relationship.

More when we return to Bishkek on 19 August…

Continue reading “Tien Shan: Settling in”