Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s greetings to the participants and guests of the international conference, Study and Conservation of Snow Leopard in the World. Joining Efforts

Ladies and gentlemen,

I am delighted to welcome the guests of the International Conference on the Study and Conservation of the Snow Leopard.

The city of Kazan is famous not only for its hospitality, but also for its respect for the environment. I am confident that the very atmosphere in the capital of Tatarstan will contribute to productive work and effective dialogue between the conference participants.

The snow leopard is one of the largest felines in the world, but its total population in the 12 countries that its habitat range spans does not exceed several thousand individuals. Today, the species is as rare as the Amur tiger and the Amur leopard.

Russia is the northernmost country where the snow leopard is found. To protect the endangered predator, in 2014, the Government of the Russian Federation adopted the Snow Leopard Conservation Strategy, which helped increase its population to almost 90 individuals. Our foreign partners have also achieved significant success in this area.

At the same time, long-term preservation and growth of the snow leopard population can only be achieved through the coordinated efforts of all countries where this unique cat is found. It is essential to consolidate the accumulated experience in biodiversity conservation, to jointly create specially protected natural areas and animal rehabilitation systems, to combat poaching and to train research personnel.  Broader international cooperation is key to success in protecting the snow leopard.

I am confident that important steps will be taken on the sidelines of this conference to address pressing environmental issues. I wish the participants fruitful and rewarding work.

Sergey Lavrov