Kyrgyzstan Officially Declares Snow Leopard as National Symbol

• 09 Jan 2024

Kyrgyzstan recently reinforced its dedication to conservation and ecological balance by officially proclaiming the snow leopard as its national symbol through a decree signed by President.

Key Points

• Presidential Decree: President signed a decree recognizing the snow leopard as Kyrgyzstan's national symbol, emphasizing its role in representing natural wealth, cultural prosperity, and ecological stability.
• Symbol of Ecosystem Health: The decree highlights the snow leopard as an indicator of the stability and health of the mountain ecosystem, covering one-third of the global territory.
• The loss of snow leopards is deemed a threat to the fragile ecological balance impacting various animal species and humans.
• Cultural Significance: In ancient Kyrgyz culture, the snow leopard held cultural importance as a totem animal linked to the legendary hero Manas, symbolizing greatness, nobility, courage, bravery, and resilience.
• Global Leadership in Conservation: Kyrgyzstan has been a front-runner in snow leopard conservation globally, hosting the inaugural Global Snow Leopard Forum in 2013.
• The Bishkek Declaration on Snow Leopard Protection and the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Programme (GSLEP) were key outcomes.