Rustam Minnikhanov pays a working visit to the Altai Republic

On January 14, during his working visit to the Altai Republic, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov and Head of the region Oleg Khorokhordin held a meeting on the construction of a Centre of Conservation of Biological Diversity «Snow Leopard», which will be located on the territory of the «Karym» complex in Mayminsk region of the republic with the area exceeding 9,000 hectares.

Khorokhordin thanked Tatarstan President for choosing the territory of the Altai Republic for the implementation of this important project. “Snow leopard recording once again showed that the grouping of this rare animal in the Altai Republic is stable and tends to grow,” the Head of the region said.

Minnikhanov said that he inspected the sites where the laboratory and research complex and aviaries will be located. “It is necessary to move to the practical implementation of our project. We should start working”, he said.

Minnikhanov emphasized that it is necessary to start the selection and training of people who will work in the Centre. Tatarstan President also stressed that the implementation of the project starts with the snow leopard, and in the future the centre will revive other rare animals, including manul, Mongolian gazelle, Altai mountain sheep, musk deer and Siberian mountain goat.

Tatarstan Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Alexander Shadrikov informed about the pre-project work carried out.

The scientific task of the center is to monitor the condition of animals, their artificial breeding and to develop methods of the rehabilitation of injured or weakened wild animals. Russian Ministry of Nature supported the project and included in the Draft Comprehensive Action Plan for the Establishment of Centers for the Research, Rebuilding and Reintroduction of the Snow Leopard in Russia. The project will be the continuation of Tatarstan snow leopard revival centre.