The Interregional Association "Irbis" has initiated a compensation program for shepherds who have lost livestock to rare predators, with the aim of preserving the ecological balance in the region. This initiative, which has been implemented in the Republic of Tyva and the Altai Republic, involves the collaboration of cattle breeders and local communities with wildlife specialists. In instances where a specialist confirms that an attack was perpetrated by a snow leopard, the shepherd is entitled to compensation for each livestock lost.

The motivation behind the irbis’s predatory behavior towards livestock may be attributed to the scarcity of wild ungulates in the region, a phenomenon that has been observed and documented by employees of the Sailugem National Park. They have proposed the hypothesis that the incident may have been perpetrated by a female snow leopard, who may have instilled her kittens with the skills necessary to hunt. Local residents have frequently witnessed such interactions and have reported the presence of irbis in the area.

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Recently, employees of the Sailugemsky National Park received reports from shepherds in the Kosh-Agach district who graze cattle in the highlands on the Yuzhno-Chuysky ridge. Their horse was injured, and local residents suggested that it may have been wounded by a snow leopard. The characteristic traces of the attack, including bites and scratches on the horse’s withers and back, were confirmed by experts as indicative of an irbis attack. The Interregional Association "Irbis," a partner of the program, promptly compensated the local residents for the damages incurred. This collaborative approach aimed to foster peaceful coexistence between shepherds and snow leopards, highlighting the ecological and economic value of the latter.

Denis Gulyaev, deputy director of Sailyugemsky National Park.

Sailugem National Park employees hypothesize that the cattle may have been attacked by a female snow leopard, who was teaching the kittens how to hunt. Local residents have observed the leopard with their own eyes and have frequently seen irbis tracks in this area. There is no state program of compensation for damage caused by irbis attacks in the region. Currently, only the Sailugem National Park and the Interregional Association "Irbis" implement such a program in the region. In the event of a predator attack, herders are obligated to promptly notify the National Park staff, document the location of the attack through photography and videography, and request the assistance of the Sailugemsky National Park staff to investigate the site, confirm the attack was by a snow leopard, not a wolf, for example, and compile a report.

Each shepherd is obligated to sign an agreement, thereby undertaking the responsibility to protect the life and well-being of the snow leopard population residing in proximity to the pasture, and refraining from any form of reprisal against the predator. It is noteworthy that this incident is not an isolated occurrence within the Altai Republic. In recent years, a female snow leopard with kittens on the South Chuisky Ridge has been documented as attacking livestock. Additionally, cattle breeders in the Sailugemsky National Park have received compensation for livestock losses attributed to predation.