In a positive step for human-wildlife coexistence, herders in the Mongun-Taiga district of the Tyva Republic have received compensation for two yaks taken by a snow leopard in March.

This initiative, which saw another herding family compensated last year, is helping to foster tolerance for the endangered predator.

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The compensation project for herders who have suffered losses from snow leopard attacks in the high-altitude regions of Tyva, run by the Ubsunur Hollow Nature Reserve, is now operational. Since the start of winter, two families have received compensation, and one family was compensated last year. The yaks we provide come from a special herd established three years ago with the support of a private individual—Kemerovo businessman Daniil Poklonov—specifically to address conflicts between Tyvan livestock owners and the snow leopard. We hope the herd will expand naturally over time, providing us with a reserve of livestock for compensation

explained Diinmei Balban-ool, Director of the Ubsunur Hollow Nature Reserve.

This year, the reserve received support from the Interregional Association "Irbis" to enhance its snow leopard conservation efforts, including an off-road vehicle, camera traps, and field uniforms. While compensation for snow leopard attacks in the Tyva Republic is provided by the Ubsunur Hollow Reserve and the Tiva Nature Park, it is important to note that this is not an official government programme. Instead, it is a social initiative by conservation organisations striving to reconcile local communities with the rare predator, a symbol of Tyva. Both protected areas are supported by the "Irbis" Association.

The most recent attacks on livestock in the Mongun-Taiga district were recorded by reserve staff in March. A local herder reported the loss, and a reserve inspector managed to film the snow leopard with its kill on a mobile phone, later installing a camera trap at the site. The director of the reserve, officials from the Mongun-Taiga district administration, and the Republic’s Ministry of Agriculture held a meeting in the district centre, the village of Mugur-Aksy, agreeing to jointly inform herders about the project and respond promptly to future incidents.

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After analysing the camera trap footage and comparing it with the reserve’s photo database, we determined that the livestock was attacked by a young snow leopard that had come from the direction of Mongolia. It is likely that this individual is still searching for a territory to establish as its own

commented Diinmei Balban-ool.

The reserve has disseminated information about the compensation project among herders in Tyva’s high-mountain regions. It is also encouraging livestock owners to take responsible measures, such as improving the supervision of their animals and reinforcing livestock enclosures, which snow leopards sometimes manage to breach.

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Snow leopards most often attack livestock in areas where their natural prey, the Siberian ibex, is scarce. To reduce the level of conflict between herders and the snow leopard, it is crucial to preserve and increase the ibex population in Tyva

Balban-ool added.