Snow leopards
Project profile
Snow leopards
Study species: Snow leopard (Panthera uncia)
Project location: Tost Mountains, South Gobi, Mongolia
Species fact: Long-term camera trapping in Tost Mountains identified 40 cats using a 1700 km2 region with a stable population of 12-14 adults. The Tost population and neighbouring snow leopards are believed to be part of a metapopulation supporting genetic vibrancy in South Gobi.
Problem: A major threat to snow leopards in South Gobi is unsustainable mining and development. There are roughly 200 households in the Tost Mountains and, since 2010, we have been helping local communities in Tost to safeguard their traditional lands and advocate for greater protection of Tost. In 2012 we helped start major national media campaigns and in 2016 the Government of Mongolia approved Tost as a new state Nature Reserve. Our priority is to build capacity of primary stakeholders to manage Tost sustainably to support a thriving snow leopard population and healthy habitat.


Goal 1
End all illegal mining and poaching in critical snow leopard areas of Tost Nature Reserve and conduct comprehensive monitoring and patrolling with participation of local people.

Goal 2
Support Tost Nature Reserve rangers (volunteer and state rangers) to regularly monitor and patrol in and around the reserve.

Goal 3
Increase public awareness of snow leopards by raising the profile of their conservation and our work in Tost Nature Reserve to the nation.

What your donation can achieve
£100
Could help one new family to join our livestock insurance programme.
£500
Could pay for one month of patrol costs and stipends for volunteer rangers in Tost Nature Reserve.
£1000
Could provide the travel and food costs for 20 children to attend an eco-camp to learn about snow leopards.
£5000
Makes it possible for us to put out camera traps across 8,000 sq km of snow leopard habitat.