Kazan is set to host the international conference "Study and Conservation of the Snow Leopard in the World. Uniting Efforts" from March 13 to 15, 2025. The event, taking place at the Kazan Town Hall, will bring together representatives from all countries inhabited by the endangered snow leopard, creating a unique platform for sharing expertise and strengthening collaborative ties.
The plenary session will feature high-profile participants, including Rais of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation Murat Kerimov, and Chairman of the General Assembly of the "Irbis" Association Ali Uzdenov.
The conference will gather 180 scientific specialists from 12 range states: Russia, China, Pakistan, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Nepal, Bhutan, India, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan. Distinguished guests include the head of the delegation from the People’s Republic of China, Chairman of the Board of Eco-Bridge Continental Shi Kun; Deputy Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Janesh Kain; Chairman of the Committee for Environmental Protection under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan Bahodur Ahmadjon Sheralizoda; Head of the Altai Republic Andrey Turchak; and Head of the Tyva Republic Vladislav Khovalyg.
Over two days, participants will discuss key findings from snow leopard research, aiming to develop new approaches for the conservation of the species. Central to the agenda are the drafting of international agreements for animal protection, the establishment of a unified monitoring system, and the expansion of the network of protected natural areas.
The conference is dedicated to preserving the snow leopard population—a flagship species of the federal project "Conservation of Biological Diversity and Development of Ecological Tourism" under the national project "Ecological Wellbeing." The event is poised to become a milestone in conservation efforts, designed to formulate shared strategies for protecting the rare species and to bolster cooperation between the state, businesses, and the public.

The Republic of Tatarstan is actively involved in snow leopard conservation initiatives. Following an instruction from Rais Rustam Minnikhanov and with the support of the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources, plans were initiated to establish a Scientific Centre for Biodiversity Conservation, with the snow leopard as its priority study species. After Minnikhanov’s visit to the Altai Republic in 2022, it was decided to locate the Centre’s facilities in the "Karym" area of the Mayminsky District. By 2024, construction was completed on a research building with a laboratory, housing for researchers, an enclosure complex, and veterinary and utility units. Kazan Federal University has prepared research projects and training programs for the Centre.
In a significant step under the Scientific Programme for Snow Leopard Restoration, adopted following cooperation with Kyrgyzstan, three snow leopards were delivered to the Centre on October 23, 2024. Furthermore, following a meeting between President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and President of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh, Russia was presented with a certificate for four snow leopards, two of which are scheduled to arrive in the Altai Republic this year.
In a parallel move, an agreement was signed in February 2024 between the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Tatarstan and the Interregional Association "Irbis" Center for the Study and Conservation of the Snow Leopard. The primary goal is joint environmental education activities, focusing primarily on snow leopard conservation.
As part of this agreement, an interactive exhibition titled "Irbis. The Invisible Cat" was organized by the Association in June 2024 within the Cannon Yard of the Kazan Kremlin. The exhibition offered a glimpse into the world of the elusive snow cat. Its seven unique displays allowed visitors to learn about the snow leopard’s way of life, and through a virtual reality headset fashioned like the animal’s head, they could even see the world through the eyes of this ghost-like feline.