SCIENTIFIC RUSSIAN AND INTERNATIONAL EXPEDITIONS

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The Interregional Association "Irbis" has provided ongoing support for international expeditions led by Russian scientists to Mongolia, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan, facilitating knowledge exchange and collaboration. Additionally, the Association facilitates scientific field studies by experts in irbis conservation from the Republics of Altai, Tyva, Buryatia, Krasnoyarsk Krai, and Irkutsk Oblast.
The Altai Republic has collected data on 40 snow leopards, and individual passports have been compiled for them. In 2022, the Irbis Association organized an expedition to share the experience of Altai conservationists from the Sailugemsky National Park in Tajikistan, where about 300 individuals of the rare predator live. The Sailugemsky National Park and the Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan have signed an agreement on cooperation in the field of study and conservation of the snow leopard and its habitats. For instance, support was provided to remote reserves in Kyrgyzstan, including the Sarychat-Ertash State Nature Reserve and the public reserve "Baiboosun Zharatylysh korugu," during the experience exchange trip of Sailugem National Park staff.
The Irbis Association provides support in the form of fuel, lubricants, daily allowances, uniforms, and equipment for expeditions researching and monitoring irbis in key groups in the Altai mountains. For example, in 2023, an expedition to the Ukok Plateau and South Chuysky Ridge took place, and the Association supported the counting of the number of Altai mountain sheep in the transboundary zone of Russia and Mongolia. The census results revealed a significant increase in the argali population since 2014.
In 2024, the Irbis Association supported a nationwide survey of snow leopard numbers in Russia. This survey, coordinated by the Sailugemsky National Park, focused on key groups of the species in their habitats. The primary objectives of the survey were to track changes in the number of irbis and evaluate the effectiveness of conservation measures.