Facilitating a transboundary governmental approach to address the threats to a species
The snow leopard Panthera uncia inhabits twelve countries in central and south Asia, which include Afghanistan, the Kingdom of Bhutan, China, India, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan, and the Republic of Uzbekistan.
This initiative aimed to protect the critical ecosystems used by the snow leopard, leading to the endorsement of the Bishkek Declaration on Snow Leopard Conservation, and launch of the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystems Protection Program (GSLEP and hereafter “the Program”) implemented by all aforementioned nations at this meeting. This case study delves into the transformative efforts of the GSLEP towards fostering unity among range country governments, non-governmental and intergovernmental organizations, local communities, and the private sector through a transboundary holistic approach and a collective embraced vision to conserve snow leopards and their valuable high-mountain ecosystems, including addressing conservation conflicts.