On December 12, the United Nations General Assembly, at the initiative of Kyrgyzstan, proclaimed October 23 as International Snow Leopard Day, according to News Central Asia.

61 countries, including Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Kazakhstan, China, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, co-sponsored the resolution.

The snow leopard, also known as the ounce, inhabits the high-altitude regions of many of these countries. This large predatory cat of the Felidae family is listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) since 1975 and in Appendix I of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) since 1986, reflecting its critically endangered status.

“The snow leopard is a legendary species of large cats found in the high mountain ranges of Central and South Asia. Listed as vulnerable in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, it faces serious threats, including poaching, illegal trade in wild animals and habitat destruction, often caused by infrastructure development,” Permanent Representative of Kyrgyzstan to the UN Aida Kasymalieva said.

The resolution adopted today on the proclamation of the International Day emphasizes that the snow leopard population is already at risk of extinction in the medium term.

The snow leopard is an important part of mountain ecosystems, which, as stated in the resolution, play an extremely important role in providing a significant part of the world’s population with water resources and other necessary resources and services.

“This magnificent species is crucial for the biodiversity of mountain ecosystems, playing an important role in regulating prey populations and acting as an indicator of ecosystem health,” Kasymalieva said.

The resolution invites all stakeholders to intensify international and regional cooperation in support of efforts to conserve the snow leopard, taking into account its importance to ecosystems.