SNOW LEOPARD CONSERVANCY
Annual Report ...... 2017 . FROM. . . . .THE . . . FOUNDER...... -.DIRECTOR ......
Dear Snow Leopard Conservancy Supporters:
There was good news for snow leopards in 2017. These magnificent cats were reclassified on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List from Endangered to Vulnerable, reflecting a slowed rate of decline and populations that are stabilized or even slightly increasing in several countries. This improved status of the cats is in part a result of your support for the Conservancy’s community based conservation efforts. Thank you!
We completed a ten-year, range-wide genetic research effort that suggests there are three distinct Photo: Lyubov Ivashkina subspecies of snow leopards. The international team was lead by Conservancy partner Dr. Jan Janečka. If accepted by the broader scientific community, this discovery opens the door to regionally-based Red List assessments in the future and, I hope, more strategic targeting of resources and conservation measures.
As we celebrate these milestones, we must also renew our commitment to community-based conservation of snow leopards and their habitat. Climate change, infrastructure development, poaching, conflict between herders and snow leopards—all continue to contribute to the vulnerability of a species that is both an ecological indicator and a sacred totem.
Your support has enabled the Conservancy to grow the number of predator-proofed livestock corrals in Pakistan, to install more Foxlights in the Nepal Himalaya, and to reach ever more people across the range countries through Snow Leopard Day celebrations.
On Page 9 of this Report, we feature Shafqat Hussain and Ghulam Mohammad. They are the driving forces behind the Baltistan Wildlife Conservation & Development Organization (BWCDO), which was awarded the prestigious UN Development Programme's Equator Prize. As the first Pakistanis to receive this prize, they are characteristic of the passionate individuals and small but effective organizations the Snow Leopard Conservancy is committed to support.
Thank you for again enabling us to make a difference that grows from field-based, grassroots efforts.
Rodney Jackson, Founder-Director
Snow Leopard Conservancy’s Mission
Ensuring snow leopard survival and conserving mountain landscapes by expanding environmental awareness and sharing innovative practices through community stewardship and partnerships
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Each week, the Nepalese Radio Program, Surroundings of the Snow Leopard, reached an estimated 50,000 listeners in snow leopard habitat, and more than one million elsewhere throughout the Nepal Himalaya.
The Conservancy facilitated deployment of 57 new trail cameras in Mongolia, Nepal and Pakistan, greatly adding to our local partners’ ability to monitor snow leopard populations in their critical habitat areas.
Conservancy partners led the celebration of Snow Leopard Day in Nepal and Pakistan. Land of Snow Leopard (LOSL) Network members independently initiated celebrations in Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Altai & Buryat Republics of Russia, and Tajikistan. Combined, their conservation messages reached some 15,000 students, teachers, and members of the general public living in snow leopard habitat.
Conservancy partners worked with herders to install Foxlights and predator-proof livestock corrals, protecting up to 125 snow leopards from retributive killing across more than 25 village areas in Nepal and Pakistan.
36 Community Monitors were trained by our Land of the Snow Leopard Network members in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Russia, and Mongolia, to use our special App for Android devices. They are now monitoring wildlife and collecting culturally-relevant stories that will inform innovative educa- tional tools for snow leopard conservation.
Photo, trail camera: Ghulam Mohammad, BWCDO
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At right: Nepal’s Snow Leopard Scouts held a parade as part of their first Snow Leopard Day Festival.
Below: LOSL Network members organized the first cross-boundary Snow Leopard Day festival, between schools in the Russian and Mongolian Altai Mountains.
Your donor dollars are helping the Snow Leopard Conservancy facilitate community-based conservation education and action in the snow leopard’s high, remote, culturally rich
habitat.
Below: Nepal’s third issue of the Snow
Leopard Magazine. Photo: Photo: Ivashkina Lyubov
Right: Bhutan’s fifth annual Jomolhari Festival featured a new logo and felted snow leopard handi- crafts created by students at the school for the deaf.
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Left: In Kyrgyzstan, celebrations organized by park staff, teachers, and LOSL Network mem- bers included the creation of a plaque to honor the snow leopards of Chon-Kemin National
Park. Photo: Rural Development Fund Photo: Development Rural
Our programs reach both city-dwellers and herders and farmers in the Himalaya, Altai-Sayan, Pamir and Tien
Shan Mountains. Snow Leopard Day celebrations were held, for the first time, by LOSL partners, in many new areas.
Below: Conservancy partners in Pakistan emphasize the link between education and appreciation for the environment, especially for girls. 1700 students participated in
conservation education activities in 2017. Photo: Baikal Buryat Center for Cultural Conservation Photo: Cultural for Center Buryat Baikal
Above: During Buryatia’s Snow Leopard Day celebrations, children who live at the foot of the sacred mountain Vankeev Saridak played interactive snow leopard habitat games and wrote love letters to “Irbis,” (snow
leopard in the Russian language).
Photo: Photo: MohammadGhulam
Annual Report 2017 . . . . . 5 ...... COLLABORATING ...... WITH. . . . INDIGENOUS...... COMMUNITIES ......
Above: A wild snow leopard roams Baltistan’s high mountains, cap- tured on camera by Ghulam Mohammad, BWCDO.
Left: Tashi Ghale, Conservationist with Conservancy partner GPN, sets a trail camera in Nepal’s Manang District. Knowing the actual leopards that inhabit their neighbor- hood engages communities in better stewardship of the cats and their ecosystem.
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Top left: Predator-proof livestock corral in Baltistan, Pakistan. Top right: Meeting with herders for Foxlight installation in Manang, Nepal. Middle right: Herders ready to set up their solar-powered Foxlights.
Communities are the key to snow leopard conservation. Your donor dollars have helped the Conservancy facilitate non-lethal measures to protect livestock from snow leopards.
Right: Sacred site Guardian Zhaparkul Raymbekov (seated, in white) gives a blessing for LOSL Network members at a sacred spring in Kyrgyzstan. The Conservancy works through the LOSL Network with Shamans, Sacred Site
Guardians, and their supporters to revive traditions
that protect snow leopards. Photo: Photo: Ivashkina Lyubov
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In-Kind Donations ESRI, mapping software Glitchbusters, computer tech support Google for Nonprofits Interpretation: Raso Alamshoev, Maria Azhunova Lorena Designs, jewelry Ian Whalen, Foxlights Watermark Press, printing Wildlife photographers: Oriol Alamany, Peter Bolliger, Jens Hauser, Bjorn Persson, Steve Tracy, Janco van Gelderen
The Conservancy’s staff, board and volunteers gave over 800 hours of their time, worth $10,860. The individuals below have given extraordinary gifts of time and expertise. The organizations have provided a platform for outreach and donations
Ebay Giving Works Charleen Gavette, GIS mapping Hotels for Hope Shavaun Mara Kidd, social media Sujin Lee, website design Tumble and Sniffles follows two snow leopard cubs My Domino as they explore their surroundings. Nine-year-old Network for Good Luciana wanted to show her love of snow leopards OneToday by Google and raise awareness of the need to save them. She Paypal Giving Fund is donating half the proceeds from the sale of the John Sichi, website design book to support the Conservancy’s work.
http://snowleopardconservancy.org/tumble-and-sniffles/
The GuideStar Exchange Seal demonstrates the Conservancy’s commitment to transparency 8 . . . . . Annual Report 2017 ...... & ......
In its July-September issue, Orion Magazine published a poem, “I, Snow Leopard”, written by Jidi Majia, an indigenous poet of the Nuosu (Yi) people of the mountain region of southwest China. Photographs courtesy of the Snow Leopard Conservancy accompany the piece, for which Barry Lopez wrote a moving introduction. Written in the voice of the snow leopard, Jidi Majia creates an image of a magnificent and mysterious creature, in a work that carries a message on the consequences of unchecked violence towards animals, and on the violence that threatens the human species.
Range-Wide Snow Leopard Phylogeography Supports Three Subspecies Dr. Rodney Jackson was co-author of the above paper published in the Journal of Heredity describing results of a study led by geneticist Dr. Jan Janečka, Duquesne University. DNA analysis revealed the likely existence of three subspecies of snow leopard. While this is a major discovery, the range of these leo- pards spans international borders, thus cooperation is vital between the host countries, as is occurring with the Global Snow Leopard & Ecosystem Protection Program, in future conservation planning. Photo: Steve Tracy
Snow Leopards Reclassified to Vulnerable Dr. Rodney Jackson was one of five international experts who undertook a three-year assessment of the status of snow leopards, for the IUCN Red List, which is the globally accepted international standard for assessing extinction risk. The assess- ment resulted in the cats being reclassified from Endangered to Vulnerable. While this recommendation was controversial, the IUCN upheld it, concurring with the team that this “upgrade” did not mean that the snow leopard was out of danger. Read the full announcement.
Conservancy Partner in Pakistan honored with U.N. Equator Prize Baltistan Wildlife Conservation & Development Organization, led by Dr. Shafqat Hussain and Ghulam Mohammad, became the first Pakistani recipient of this award, which recognizes outstanding community efforts to reduce poverty through the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Photo: United Nations Development Program
Annual Report 2017 . . . . . 9 . THANK. . . . . YOU. . . .TO . .OUR . . . GENEROUS ...... DONOR. . . . . -.PARTNERS ...... 2017 ......
$25,000 or greater Anonymous Charles & Judy Wheatley Bobbi Jo Broxson Robert Mechanic Caroline Gabel Wild Cat Education and Eric Busch Donald Meehan Shared Earth Foundation Conservation Fund Alison Christy Judith Brown & Silicon Valley Community $500-$999 Katie Clevenger & Geores Buttner Michael Meyers Foundation Anonymous Susan & Curtis Combs Microsoft Matching Grants Loretta Stadler Elizabeth Antell Barbara Cota Jeffrey Middlekauff Wildlife Conservation Network Jeffrey Arnett Denver Zoological Foundation Jackie Morris $10,000 - $24,999 Sandy Ball Mark Domijan Russell Nelson Australian Himalayan Jennie Barber Ann & Thomas Duvall Yat Man Ng Foundation Bruce & Trish Campbell Brian Elliott James Nisbett Eleanor Bookwalter Beverly Chan Anne Elliott Paul O’Connor Mary Bookwalter & Laura Chenel Leslie Ellison Ella O'Sullivan Jeffrey Stant Michael & Deana Clifford Valerie Face Suzannah V. Otis CGMK Foundation Chris Davis Ronald Felzer Katherine Pattison Susan Janin Gaye Freeman Deborah Fuller Deborah Peck Richard & Darcy Kopcho Donna Genett Robert Fuller Carey Peterson Joe Rohde Alfred Gilbert Ira Gardner-Smith Karen & Susan Piper Joyce Root Barnier Kimberley Griffin Robert Garnsworthy David Pratt-Robson The Woodtiger Fund Latif Hamilton Charleen Gavette Linda & John Reichel Zoo Victoria Tom & Mary Herrmann Charles Gay & Pamela Ross Bonnie Reid & Richard Roche $5,000-$9,999 Rodney Jackson & Nina Geneson Michael Robbins Darwin Initiative Darla Hillard Barbara George & Jerry White Joyce L. Robinson Maud Hallin Victoria Jacobson Erinn Gilson Roche Diagnostics M. Piuze Foundation Donald & Diane Kendall Francis Glennon Ray Rodney The Tapeats Fund Michael Kross & Vivien Lin Keith Goldstein & Mark Ruckh Donna Warrington Martinna Ruf $1,000-$4,999 Edwina Lu Google Employees Running River School 2nd Anonymous (2) Barbara Macleoad Balaji Gowdamachandran & 3rd Grade Classes Alexander Abraham Jerry & Sandy Manne Chris & Beryl Greene Christina Russo Foundation Carol Mujsce James Gruft Deborah & Russell Ryder Kenneth & Gabrielle Adelman Katherine Odanaka Duane Hartley Hi On Life Adventures Penny Andrews Barbara Palmer David Hedges Ellen Schwenne Apple Matching Gifts Program PayPal Giving Fund George & Jill Helmer Stephen Shaw & Anne Barker The Henry and Sue Bass Fund Nancy Robertson & Dena Hollingsworth Lynn & Michael Spurlock Jan Baughman Mark Cookingham Tulasi Hosain St Michael at the North Raja & Katrine Bhadury Shannon Russell Betsy Howell Gate, Oxford The Britten Foundation Sacramento Zoo Jia Jia Huang Amy Tao Ann Bujas Michael Schaeffer & Don Hunter Gladys Thacher Jo Cangelosi Michelle Maton Jason Huston Steven Thompson Chevron Matching Employee Stefanos Sidiropoulos & Judy Imamudeen Linda Thompson Fund Lena Tsakmaki Genevieve Jacobi Ellen Throop Hiroko Crispin Jim & Tammy Stewart Elizabeth Jonca Paul Tierney Madeleine Delman Cohen & Doug Strauss & Alicia Falsetto Chris Jones & Sharon Ponsford Darrell & Kathleen Tornow Jerry Cohen Lawrence Thompson Catherine Joyce Danica Truchikova Deborah & Howard Elliott Kyle Trefny Glen Kalisz Sergio Vargas Charlotte Farber Gesara Tyler Yulia Kamenskikh Charles Villarrubia Walli Finch Janet vanSwoll Kristine Karnos Duncan Ward Carole & John Garcia Mordechai & Barbara Winter Greg Karnos Janet Watson Kathy Gervais, DVM Claire Zvanski Bo & Patric Kearns John Wegner Phyllis & John Gurney $100-$499 Cheryl Keene Christen & Shirlee Wemmer Bob & Kennon Hudson Anonymous (2) Sean King Mark Whitney Victoria Hunter & Ian Hart Steve Agar Kitadai Naomi Janet Williams Jeffrey Flocken Robert & Fraida Aland Rob Kornet Wayne Wilson Bruce & Lori Laitman- J. Yasmin Alexander Rene Kunz Steven Wolfe Rosenblum Family Fund AmazonSmile Foundation David Leland & Ann Howald The Lehr Family Tom & Tamia Anderson Up to $99 LinkedIn Corp. Matching Gifts Lilly Endowment Inc Ann Armour Anonymous John Lloyd Todd Ludeke Suzanne & Geoffrey Ashton AirBnb Employees Acharya Adam Lobel Edward E. Hood Jr. Heather Aslin Daphne & Skylar Alden Christine Loizeaux Foundation Marie Ballenger Kelly Allebach John Louder Leigh Page Dr. Georges Barth Veleta Allen Brian & Darla Lovrin Marjorie Parker Lou Ann Bassan & Angels and Artisans Shie Lundberg Project Survival Larry Klingenberg Katy Anklam James & Mary Ann Macie Safari West Frank & Catherine Bator Nicole Aucoin Surya Mallapragada & Marie Scarpa & Jon Long Ela Benisch Alyssa Aurand Balaji Narasimhan Barry Sharaf Clara & Kathryn Boyd Joy Bachman Fran Mandeville Beverly Spector & Ken Lipson Jessie Brinkley & Leena Bahulkar Robert Marshall Linda Tabor-Beck Bruce Bunting Kyla Bailey Julie McNamara Tanganyika Wildlife Park Ellen Brown Irene Ballenger Linda McShane Chris Tromborg Julie Brown Matthew Bassett
Virginia Van Der Veer Karen Bennett
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our donor acknowledgements. 10 . . . . . Annual Report 2017 If your name has been omitted or misspelled, please contact us at . THANK. . . . . YOU. . . .TO . .OUR . . . GENEROUS ...... DONOR. . . . . -.PARTNERS ...... 2017 ......
Up to $99 (Continued) Judith Bayless Carol Fordonski Deborah Mason-Davies Olivia Samson Nancy Beam & Linda Friedlander Erin Mayer Kevin Sanders Jayson Wechter Jan & Codel Frydendahl Ann Marie McBride Alexandra Sangmeister Shivani Bhalla Anna Gabrielli Margaret McCarthy & Rotakids of Claytons Marion Blake B. G. Golden Bob Worth Primary School Elias A. Blaset GoodSearch/GoodShop Brennen McGinn Angie Scheu Alexandra Boris Stacey Grasso Kimberly McIntyre Gary Schwedock Camilla Bowman Carol Halberstadt Theresa Milder Adam Scott Katrina M Bracken Tara Hamilton Wayne & Gaye Momerak Gail Secchia Andrew Brna Linda Harden Susan Moore Abigail Seepes Andrew Brodigan Susan Hartz Tamara Moyer Rebekah Sheppard Demerris Brooks Michael Hassett Gary Munsterman Kristin Simokat Kathleen & Ryan Burke Heidi Heyman Christopher Murphy Aiden Singleton Julia Burkhart Jill Hill Susan Musser Dina Smith Fiona Burns Ashley Hillard Saikat Nandi Peter Souvatzis Sheri Cardo Judith L. Hirsch Mark Naumowicz Elizabeth Spencer Rusher Nancy L. Cartwright Richard Howick William Neugebauer St. Michaels Church Steven Caskey Terri Hunnicutt Tracy Nielsen Christine Stewart Sarina Castro Jayne Hurrell Cayden Niemuth Susanne Swalley Christ Clarion Presbyterian Christy Hutchinson Nahomi Nishio Nancy Szymanski Church Srikumar Iyengar Mark Oberholz Philippa Thode Carolyn Clements J. Blaine & Jennifer John Mary O'Dell Ann Thurber Arthur Cleret de Langavant James Johnson Jonathan Ollendorf Gideon Ticho J.G. Collomb Shirley Johnson David Orban Jennifer L. Timmons Fred Coppotelli Pamela Jones Sophia Papageorgiou, DVM Heather-Jean Tsang Matthew Creamer Blair Kangley Olivia Paredes Veronica Tsou Karen Czekalski Varpu Kaplas Emma Pemberthy Julia Tulloh Leo Dale Rory Kemp A. Judith Pickersgill Donald Van de Mark Anthony Daniels Raelee Kerrigan Alan Polniak Cary Van Haaren Nicholas DeForest Brian Khepri & Tatum Johnson Elizabeth Ponsford Isabell Van Merlin Odile Deguercy Shavaun Mara Kidd Shelly Posey Georgette Victor Bob Deluca Rob Kiehl David Posner Mary Voice Elizabeth Dietsch Elena Kinevsky Madison Pruett Kristina Vonsel Dilip & Urmila Bahulikar Philip King Jenny Randall Robert Waldmann Foundation Deborah Klein Jordan Ricciuti Brandon & Abigail Wallis Stephanie DiLucchio Selina Koehnlein Angela Rieken Songnan Wang Gary Drake Juliet Lamont & Phil Price Catherine Roberts Jeffrey Wang eScrip Constance & Raymond Leader Raizel Robin JoAnn Weaver Lisa Exler Ann Lee Sue Robinson Kids Against Animal Cruelty Martha Falkenberg Susan Leibik Maria Rodriguez Sangeetha Weisburg Fannie Mae Matching Gifts Robert-Eric Leonard Adam Rosenblatt Carmen Whitman Carrie Felsher Gregory J. Leonard Jacqueline Rouff Cheryl Wilkinson George Fenwick III Angelina Leuthold-Soure Lauren Roux Sara and Hughes Wimborne Erin Ferguson Sharon Lewis Charles Rowe Erica Wing Joanne Ferlas Yanzheng Li Suzanne Roy Linda Wise Eliza Finkelstein Colleen Mahar Valerie & Bernard Sadoulet Gerald Wright Steve Flaherty Cynthia Margulis Thea Samplonius Carol Zoltowski Matthew Fleming
In Honor Of Tribute Gifts In Memory of Terini Casinader's special birthday: Ranadeep Bhadury: Raja & Marion Blake Katrine Bhadury Karen Johnson: Marie Ballenger On Behalf of Bobby: Gaye Freeman Bonnie MacKinnon: Marie Ballenger Susan Barner: Christy Hutchinson Roko S.V. Bujas: Ann Bujas Mother Earth: Marjorie Parker Chris Burns: Fiona Burns Cats Everywhere: Greg Karnos Pam and Bob Munson: Russell Nelson Adrianna Daly: Lauren Roux Priscella "Peaches" Curtis: Ann Bujas Perry Nelson: Amy Tao Ellie: Susanne Swalley Grace Farber (German Shepherd): Elizabeth Posey: Shelly Posey Maya Christine Ellis: Aiden Singleton Charlotte Farber Ganga Ram Regmi: Irene Ballenger Carolyn Enloe: Gary Drake Jeremy Lucas: Shivani Bhalla Karen Roche: Wayne Wilson Hannah Imamudeen: Judy Imamudeen Frances M. Martin: Ellen Brown Rodney and Darla: Ronald Felzer Samuel J. Immel: Demerris Brooks Jack Morris: Judith L. Hirsch Joe Rohde: McKinsey & Company Dave Jenike: David Orban Paka: Sandy Ball Michael Russo: Christina Russo Lily Kutche: Katherine Odanaka Steven Milo Prosterman: Anonymous David Senam: Virginia Van Der Veer Sarah Mattice & Aaron Creller: Erinn Gilson Rita Schwedock: Gary Schwedock Dr. Emma Somers: Matthew Bassett Eva McEvoy: Carolyn Clements & Robert S Stewart: Jim & Tammy Stewart Pam & Dick Stevenson: Marie Ballenger Alyssa Aurand In Celebration of Campbell Anne Teitelbaum: J. Blaine & Madeline Mechanic: Robert Mechanic Elie: Elena Kinevsky Jennifer John Katie Peet: David Orban Elie and Lotte: Nahomi Nishio Lyn Traverse: Marie Ballenger Evelyn H. Scheu: Angie Scheu Elinor Christy's Birthday: Alison Christy Joyce Wang: Jia Jia Huang Ron Whitfield: Kimberly McIntyre Jay Wing's 7th Birthday: Erica Wing Stephanie Zielinski: Matthew Fleming
Annual Report 2017 . . . . . 11 2017 U.S. Headquarters Staff
Rodney Jackson, Ph.D. Founder-Executive Director Kurt Zimmerman Director of Operations & Finance Darla Hillard Education Director Joyce Robinson Bookkeeper Gilly Lloyd Executive Assistant
2017 Board of Directors
Caroline Gabel Chair Rodney Jackson President Chris Wemmer, Ph.D. Vice-President Mary Herrmann Secretary Bob Wilson Treasurer Tshewang Wangchuk Director Photo: Dr. Georges Barth/Zurich Zoo
2017 Advisory Board
Christine Breitenmoser- IUCN Cat Specialist Group Sign up for our newsletter: Würsten, Ph.D. http://snowleopardconservancy.org/stay-in-touch Renee Bumpus Conservation Manager, Houston Zoo Don Hunter, Ph.D. Founder, Rocky Mountain Cat Conservancy Follow our Blog: Kristin Nowell Director, Cat Action Treasury Barb Palmer Large Mammal Keeper, Denver Zoo http://snowleopardconservancy.org/blog Camille Richard Rangeland Ecologist George Schaller, Ph.D. Panthera photos by Snow Leopard Conservancy Mike Weddle Former Science Instructor unless credited otherwise. Cover photo © Janco van Gelderen
2017 COUNTRY PARTNERS Bhutan Mongolia Russia Bhutan Foundation Irbis Mongolia The Altai Project Jigme Dorji National Park Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Foundation for Sustainable Nomadic Nature Conservation Development of Altai WWF–Russia Nepal India Global Primate Network Kalpavriksh National Trust for Nature Conservation/ United States-based Collaborators Snow Leopard Conservancy– Annapurna Conservation Area Program Denver Zoo India Trust Mountain Spirit Duquesne University The Mountain Institute Sacramento Zoo San Francisco Zoo Land of the Snow Leopard Pakistan Snow Leopard Network See snowleopardconservancy.org/ Baltistan Wildlife Conservation & Snow Leopard Trust sacred-species/ Development Organization- Worldwide Indigenous Science Network Project Snow Leopard
75 Boyes Boulevard, Sonoma, CA 95476 • Phone (707) 938-1700 • SnowLeopardConservancy.org