Tien Shan: 4000 m

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

The weather has been kind to group 2 – we’ve had sunny days all week.

We have now retrieved all but two camera traps from last year and they have yielded lots of prey species and another wolf, but no more snow leopard photos.

We have also found an argali skull and horns, so these iconic and elusive mountain sheep are around, but rarely seen.

We have also conducted eight more herder interviews.

We have an overnight mini-expedition with an advance base camp planned for the second half of this group. This will take us north via a 4000 m pass to survey more cells and place camera traps.

Also planned is a community information evening, during which we will explain who we are, what we do and ask how the community can and wants to be involved and benefit financially from our work, for example by supplying us with produce such as milk and bread or by helping with supply runs or producing felt gifts (felting is a great tradition and skill here).

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