Experts suggest creating a federal nature reserve on the Chikhachev Ridge

The Altai Reserve advocates the creation of a specially protected natural area of federal significance on the Chikhachev Ridge. This was discussed at a meeting of the section of experts on the conservation and restoration of the snow leopard of the working group on certain rare and endangered objects of the animal world in the Russian Federation.

“According to the strategy for the conservation of the snow leopard in Russia, the Chikhachev Ridge is one of the most important territories for the survival of the species in the country. According to the experts of the Altai Reserve, an effective measure for the conservation of the snow leopard could be the creation of a federal nature reserve in this area. This will make it possible to take under protection the key groups of the snow leopard and argali (one of the main food objects of the snow leopard) on the Chikhachev Ridge,” the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia reported on its website.

In addition, such a measure will provide an ecological corridor for the Altai and Sayan habitats of the snow leopard on the periphery of the range with the main population core in Mongolia, experts say.

“The proximity of the reserve to the Altaisky Reserve (Republic of Altai), the Ubsunur Hollow Reserve (Republic of Tyva), as well as to cluster “B” of the Siilkhem National Park (Mongolia) will actually create a single transboundary protected area. This will make it possible to more effectively resolve issues of international cooperation in the protection and study of populations of rare species.

According to the Ministry of Natural Resources, the number of snow leopards in Mongolia today exceeds a thousand individuals. It is planned that this country will give Russia a male and female snow leopard. They will be part of the parent stock of the Center for Restoration, Reintroduction and Rehabilitation of the Snow Leopard (Roev Ruchey), which is about to be opened in Krasnoyarsk.

“Animals born at the Center will be trained for life in their natural habitat and subsequently released into the wild in order to replenish the wild population of the snow leopard in Russia,” the report says.