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The Irbis Association will help maintain a special compensation herd in Tuva for shepherds who have lost livestock due to snow leopard attacks.

The irbis association will help maintain a special compensation herd in tuva for shepherds who lost livestock due to an irbis attack

In 2021, the Ministry of Forestry and Nature Management of the Republic of Tyva, with the support of regional partners, initiated a project to compensate shepherds for losses incurred due to irbis attacks on livestock in high mountain areas. The project involved the establishment of a special compensation flock of 100 sheep.

Local shepherds, known as chabans, received this compensation flock to address the losses suffered due to predation by snow leopards (irbis), a species classified as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. The responsibility for managing the compensation herd, a designated protected natural area of regional significance, where snow leopards reside, falls upon the staff of the Tyva Nature Park.

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Notably, one of the largest populations of irbis in Tuva is situated on the Shapshal Ridge within the Shui cluster of the Tyva Nature Park. Additionally, there are local camps where cattle have been grazed for long periods and where distant cattle breeding has been practiced. However, due to the scarcity of wild prey, there is a risk of predation on the shepherds' cattle by predators, including snow leopards. This poses a significant threat to the survival of the rare irbis in Tuva.

Eduard Dongak, an employee of the Tyva Nature Park.

Last year, 47 sheep were handed over to the shepherd as compensation for a snow leopard attack, but reports of shepherds about a snow leopard attack on livestock continue to arrive. Experts confirm the snow leopard’s attack by its characteristic marks— bites and scratches on the animals' withers and backs.

The herd requires support, and the work of experts traveling to the site to confirm a predator attack and record an insurance event, funds, and resources.

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The impending winter season in Tuva is anticipated to be frigid, necessitating the replenishment of the compensation herd. Irbis attacks are known to be more prevalent during winter months due to the scarcity of food and the associated cold weather. The primary objective is to establish a sustainable assistance program for herders, aiming to safeguard irbis from retaliation by shepherds. In this regard, the Irbis Association has endorsed a project to provide compensation for damages inflicted by these rare predators. The initiative will encompass the procurement of fodder for the winter season, salt for the mineral supplementation of cattle, remuneration for veterinary services, and the assumption of other associated expenditures. The primary objective of this initiative is to facilitate a harmonious coexistence between local residents, whose livelihoods are intricately linked to cattle, and the rare predator, which, due to its natural predatory instincts, is compelled to attack cattle in times of hunger.

Daria Petrova, Director of the Irbis Association.

Attacks on the livestock of Tuva herders by snow leopards have been regularly recorded in the region in recent years, and similar cases have been noted in the neighboring Altai Republic, on the South Chuisky and Sailugem ranges. Nature conservationists attribute this to the lack of a food base for predators.

Consequently, shepherds have been known to kill snow leopards to protect their livestock. The Irbis Association is an organization that works to preserve the snow leopard in the Altai Republic. They do this by compensating for the damage caused by predator attacks and by working with local residents to raise awareness about the issue.