There are no boundaries for a snow leopard!
At the International Conference "Study and conservation of the snow leopard in the world. Joining Forces" in Kazan on March 14, issues of interregional and international cooperation were discussed. The head of the Altai Republic, Andrei Turchak, recalled that an agreement on cooperation between the republics of Tatarstan and Altai was signed five years ago. During his visit to Kazan, it was possible to discuss a wide range of issues.
"Of course, we are interested in Tatarstan's experience in working with investors and software products. The tourist flow between the regions is growing every year. We have agreed with Rustam Nurgalievich that the Kazan – Gorno-Altaysk flight should be year-round, not seasonal," said Andrey Turchak.
The republic is also linked by the program for the conservation and development of the snow leopard population, which was initiated by the Head of Tatarstan and is one of the goals of the national project "Ecological well-being".
"We are just starting on this path, but we will support all initiatives. We are ready to consider initiatives for the possible expansion of the borders of specially protected natural territories, of which there are currently four. We will carefully study how to find a balance between the interests of preserving the snow leopard population and the interests of the local population. Our colleagues have accumulated a lot of experience in these matters, so we will consult and make informed decisions," said the head of the Altai Republic.
Ali Uzdenov, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Irbis Center, stressed that the conference in Kazan, according to all delegates, is the most ambitious event for the conservation of the snow leopard. Scientists, public figures, and volunteers from many countries came together here and exchanged opinions and experiences.
"There are no boundaries for a leopard. He is in Gorny Altai today, in Mongolia tomorrow, and then he may leave for Kazakhstan. Like him, we have visited India, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia and other countries during our work. We were impressed by the Indian experience of harmonious finding of people, their livestock and snow leopards, it is possible to learn. Or you can follow the path of our Chinese colleagues, who introduced harsh measures and increased the population of snow leopards by 2 times from 2 to 4 thousand individuals in 10 years. We are talking about 12 countries, Gorny Altai represents Russia today. But there is another territory of our country, Tatarstan, where there are no snow leopards, but it is present here as a spirit, symbol, emblem of the republic and the Turkic peoples," said Ali Uzdenov.
The Head of the Republic of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, said that the idea of reviving snow leopards was a long time ago, and even the Kamsko-Ustinsky district, where there is a mountainous area, was considered.
"When we found ourselves in the Altai Republic, we chose the ideal place to create the Snow Leopard Research Center. So, we have a modern world-class center, equipped with everything necessary. In Tatarstan, you can often find the name Ak Bars, which includes a hockey club, a golf center, pioneer camps, and much more. We cannot afford the disappearance of the snow leopard in Russia. With the support of Russian President Vladimir Putin, we will gradually revive the population. All the countries participating in today's conference expressed their interest in preserving the snow leopard, and they will also support us. It is important to expand the range of the snow leopard, but there should be no conflicts with the local population. The snow leopard was there, which means it needs to be restored and preserved for the future generation," said Rustam Minnikhanov.
International Conference "Study and conservation of the snow leopard in the world. Joining Forces" takes place on March 13-15 in Kazan. It is attended by 180 people from 12 countries – Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. 11 regions of Russia – Moscow, Altai Republic, Tyva Republic, Irkutsk Region, Perm Territory, Krasnoyarsk Territory, Republic of Buryatia, Republic of Khakassia, Novosibirsk Region, Rostov Region, Republic of Tatarstan.