Tracking the Snow Leopard🐾

From June 10 to 13, 2025, the Ilbirs Foundation’s team together with the rangers of Khan-Tengiri State Nature Park, carried out a field expedition to install camera traps in the area between Khan-Tengiri and the Sarychat-Eertash State Nature Reserve📸.

Our main goal was to detect the presence of snow leopards and determine whether the individuals in this area belong to known populations inhabiting these two protected territories — or whether we might be witnessing a separate, previously unrecorded group of this rare species🐆.

At the same time, a second team of rangers from Khan-Tengiri Park headed to the territory near the border with Kazakhstan. According to earlier observations, this area could be a migration corridor for argali — rare wild mountain sheep. Camera traps were installed in potential crossing zones for these animals🐏.

💥 And already during the expedition — some incredible discoveries:
• sightings of argali herds and Siberian ibex,
• fresh scrapes, scent marks, and even signs of snow leopard behavior❗
All these findings became crucial indicators for where to place the camera traps. We were truly following the tracks of wild animals — and it felt like nature allowed us a glimpse into its hidden world✨.

The expedition was part of the #CAMCAproject, which has been running for several years.

This journey was intense, challenging, and incredibly productive. We can’t wait to see what the camera traps will reveal — and we’ll be sure to share the results with you soon! 📬

#ilbirsfoundation #snowleopard #wildlife #cameratrap #khantengiri #fieldwork #natureconservation #scienceinnature #protectwildlife