The Interregional Association "Irbis" and the A. N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IPEE RAS) have signed an official agreement for joint work within the programme for the study and conservation of the Pallas's cat. This wild cat, listed in the Red Data Book of Russia, inhabits the harsh mountain and steppe landscapes of Altai, Tyva, Buryatia, and the Trans-Baikal Territory.
Despite its secretive lifestyle, the Pallas's cat often lives close to humans: its favoured habitats frequently overlap with pastures and hunting grounds. It is this proximity that has become one of the main threats to the species. Herding dogs chase and injure Pallas's cats; the cats themselves are hunted for their fur or meat.

The animals die in snares and traps set for marmots and hares, and also fall victim to poisoning during rodent control campaigns. Furthermore, the ploughing of steppes deprives the Pallas’s cat of both its food base and places to shelter.
The new joint programme’s plans include, first and foremost, conducting a large-scale census of the Pallas’s cat in key parts of its range. The data obtained will allow for an assessment of the true state of the population and the development of effective protection measures. The programme is being implemented with the support of Mars. A corresponding cooperation agreement was signed last year at the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF). This collaboration will combine the Institute’s scientific potential, the Association’s experience, and the resources of responsible business to preserve one of the least studied feline species.