The snow leopard: let's not lose it.

The snow leopard is a beautiful feline which lives in central Asia between 1500 and 6000 metres above the sea level in a dry and rocky habitat. 
Its usual preys are wild sheeps and goats, but as the preys are scarce in the Asian mountains, it also eats deers, young yaks, wild donkeys and wild cattle. 
Today, it is estimated that the snow leopard population is of 4080-6590 specimens. 

The snow leopard is considered and endangered species by WWF. 
In the past, it was heavily hunted for its fur but today it is threatened mainly because of the disappearance of its habitat, as it's being "conquered" by the herders with their flocks. They are often killed by the drovers because, as the food is scarce, it happens that they attack the flocks. 
Furthermore, they are also killed because their bones are used in the Traditional Chinese Medicine instead of the tigers' ones. 

WWF and other organizations, like International Snow Leopard Trust (ISLT) and Traffic (the international network which deals with the monitoring of wild fauna and flora) are launching an appeal to the countries where the snow leopard is present to get and immediate improvement in the controls and in the management efforts of the species to end the threat that hangs over it. 

You can...
...help these organizations and publicize this situation with as many people as possible, creating an increasing media pressure. 

What do you think about this? Write me to thenorthernlightsdiary@gmail.com! 

Swedish Big 5: the Lynx.

The Lynx (also called "Tiger of the North") is Europe's largest wild feline. In Sweden, the estimated population is around 1.500 specimens (out of a total of 2.000 specimens throughout Scandinavia!) and it is the third most common large predator there. 
It is not easy to see lynx in their natural habitat, as they are shy and elusive creatures. However, lynx populations are increasing, so in a (hopefully) near future, a higher number of people will be able to see them. 

In Sweden, they can be found mostly in the northern and central regions, but they are expanding their territories and moving to other counties such as Småland, Halland,Västergötland, Sörmland, Uppland and Östergötland. 
In Sweden lynx are legally hunted (controlled by quota), like also in other countries (Norway, Finland, Estonia and Latvia), while in Switzerland, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Italy and France reintroduction programs have taken place. Eurasian Lynx are quick to rebound if hunting pressures are lessened and protected areas with good prey bases are set aside. 

The main threat to lynx populations is the loss of habitat due to forestry activity and development and expansion of agriculture. 

The Berne Convention adopted an Action Plan for the conservation of lynx in Europe. It requires trans-boundary management of lynx and the formulation of national action plans for each country where lynx are present.