Tien Shan: What a start!

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

Group 1 is back from the field – and what a start it was, exceeding all expectations of what the 18 camera traps left in the field by last year’s expedition would yield. Almost every camera we toiled up to at around 4000 m caught snow leopards. Preliminary analysis of pelt patterns yields 8+ individuals, a result we can hardly believe ourselves (and have enquired with colleagues about for confirmation). One camera in particular yielded a spectacular photo:

But there were many others too:

Of course the camera traps not only caught snow leopards, but also many other species such as this rare manul / Pallas cat

A probably even rarer (because they have all been poached out) argali mountain sheep

Ibex

Wolf

An incredibly hardy “yeti” marmot up at 4000 m

Fox

Yak

A curious red-billed cough

Many Himalayan snow cock prancing about

And a lammergeyer photographed by a camera trap that was knocked over (by what we don’t know) and recorded over 10,000 pictures of moving clouds (thanks for going through all of them Aurélie), but also this vulture

But it was not just all about camera traps. We also surveyed cells lower down, conducted interviews and re-affirmed good relations with the local people, ran overnighter surveys and reconnaissance trips into the neighbouring valleys and so much more, yielding this quick summary of results, presented to the team by our local scientist Emil at the end of group 1’s efforts

And what an effort it was! None of this could have been achieved without our 14-strong team of citizen and professional scientists and staff. Thank you to you all and so very well done.

I leave you with impressions of our work, camp and the mountains, as well as feedback from some group 1 participants, and hand the expedition leader baton over to Jonny, who will meet group 2 at the Futuro on Monday.

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