Kyrgyzstan launches ecological corridor to protect snow leopards

New 792,000-hectare conservation zone in Issyk-Kul links key reserves, boosts Central Asia’s biodiversity protection efforts

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (MNTV) — Kyrgyzstan has unveiled a sweeping new conservation initiative with the establishment of the Ak Ilbirs (Snow Leopard) Ecological Corridor, a protected zone spanning more than 792,000 hectares in the country’s northeastern Issyk-Kul region.

The project is designed to safeguard rare wildlife, especially the endangered snow leopard, and promote sustainable ecosystem management.

The ecological corridor links three major protected areas — the Khan-Tengri State Nature Park, the Sarychat-Eertash Nature Reserve, and the Naryn Nature Reserve — creating a continuous habitat for wildlife movement and biodiversity preservation across the mountainous terrain.

Authorities say the corridor’s primary objectives include conserving native animal populations, protecting threatened plant species, and maintaining the ecological health of key alpine and forested regions.

To that end, strict environmental protections have been put in place, banning activities such as:

The introduction of non-native species
Pesticide use
Radioactive waste disposal
Other harmful human interventions

At the same time, the zone allows for regulated activities like scientific research, reforestation, forest management, and wildlife population regulation, all conducted under environmentally sustainable guidelines.

The project reflects Kyrgyzstan’s growing leadership in regional and international conservation efforts. In December 2023, President Sadyr Japarov signed a decree naming the snow leopard as the national symbol of the Kyrgyz Republic — underscoring the species’ symbolic and ecological importance.

The snow leopard is considered an indicator species, whose health reflects the stability of mountain ecosystems.

Kyrgyzstan is home to an estimated 285 individuals, according to the 2020–2024 Population Assessment under the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program (GSLEP).

Kyrgyzstan has also taken the lead globally in advocating for snow leopard protection.

At the 79th UN General Assembly, it spearheaded a resolution establishing October 23 as International Snow Leopard Day, a move supported by all 12 range countries including China, India, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, and Tajikistan.

Conservationists say the new ecological corridor marks a critical step forward in connecting fragmented habitats and securing long-term survival prospects for snow leopards — one of the world’s most elusive and endangered big cats.