The Global Snow Leopard And Ecosystem Protection Program

The snow leopard is an important symbol of healthy mountain ecosystems and the communities living there, yet this cat is under threat of extinction across its range. Hundreds of millions of people depend on these landscapes for water, hydropower, agriculture, mineral resources, medicinal products, cultural traditions and spiritual values, and inspiration. Realizing the threat of snow leopard extinction, the Governments of the range countries joined the efforts to boost snow leopard conservation through developing systematic national programs addressing all major threats, scaling up tested good practices, increasing allocation of resources, and addressing cross-sectoral and regional issues. We describe the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program, a unique alliance that brings together governments, nongovernment organizations, and multilateral agencies for the cause of conserving snow leopards and their unique habitat. Its signature features include the high-level political endorsements of declarations, resolutions and joint statements, robust national and global programs, key principles, and common goals.