The objective of the project was to support the conservation of snow leopards and their ecosystems in the Northern and Western Tien Shan by strengthening the integrity of Kyrgyz communities by linking cultural identity, traditional knowledge, and integrated landscape management.
Project implementation timeline: April 2017 - March 2018
Project participants:
- Network of custodians and practitioners of Kyrgyz traditional knowledge "Kyrgyz El Akyl Kazyna";
- Local community of Kalbinskiy AA, Talas district, Talas region;
- Local community of Chon-Kemin AA, Kemin district, Chui oblast.
Project partners:
- Natural parks "Chon-Kemin" and "Besh-Tash";
- SSh s. "Ball-Ball" Kalbinskiy AA Talas district and secondary school with. "Shabdan" of Chon-Kemin AA Kemin region;
- Centre for the Development of Civil Initiatives "Aykel", Talas;
- Talas branch of hunters and trainers of hunting birds of the Federation "Salbuurun";
- An informal network of teachers to protect the snow leopard with the support of the PF "Taalim-Forum".
Main activities:
- Conducting a local study of snow leopard habitat conditions, food chain and problems, as well as identification of methods for solving identified problems in Kemin and Talas with the participation of schoolchildren from pilot communities;
- Conducting events to raise awareness about the snow leopard with the participation of Natural Parks "Chon-Kemin" and "Besh-Tash", as well as an educational program with the participation of the informal Network of Teachers for the Protection of the Snow Leopard, the KEAK Network for schoolchildren;
- Organization of the educational Camp of creative art JIBI Friends for the winners of the school competition of the secondary school Ball-Ball and secondary school Shabdan.
The main directions of the Camp were:
- creative arts and crafts;
- preparation of traditional cuisine;
- traditions of living in nature;
- collection and use of medicinal herbs;
- the traditions of complex hunting of the Kyrgyz "Salbuurun" (archery, taigans);
- day of friendship with animals, excursion around the Park;
- video filming skills and writing photo reports;
- staging a performance for parents and the local community;
- fundraising to support the activities of the Club.
Also, as a final event, Snow Leopard Day was organized together with the Chon-Kemin and Besh-Tash Natural Parks, Jibi Club, the local community, KEAK, and partner organizations with fundraising events to support the activities of the Jibi Club
The results of the project were:
- Based on the results of the JIBI Friends Creative Art Camp, schoolchildren were taught the skills of making crafts, souvenirs, and postcards, writing photo stories, video shooting skills, as well as cooking healthy traditional food of nomads, the philosophy of complex hunting "Salbuurun";
- Camp participants received knowledge about the snow leopard and animals from its habitat, as well as the rules of rational hunting from local hunters;
- JIBI Club was established in two pilot communities with the participation of children, parents, KEAK members and other community residents;
- The Day of the Snow Leopard was held, timed to coincide with the International Day of the Snow Leopard, which brought together all project participants, partners, local environmental institutions, NGOs, researchers, media;
- Two short brochures on snow leopard conservation in project pilot communities were published, and a video about the snow leopard with the participation of schoolchildren was created.