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Paper abstract:

The Republic of Kyrgyzstan is a mountainous country with more than 60% of its population living in rural areas practicing animal husbandry as their traditional activity. Therefore, its economy and quality of life rely heavily on the development of livestock-raising. The Central Tian Shan region is one of the areas where wild animals conflict with cattle. The region in question is unique in terms of its environmental conditions and biodiversity. Moreover, it hosts the world’s largest habitat of snow leopards. On the other hand, however, the Middle Tian Shan became an area of active farming and animal breeding. A consequent sharp increase in livestock population prompted a conflict between the traditional habitat of snow leopards (their food reserve), cattle, and the degeneration of soils and ground cover. In conjunction, this can trigger regional environmental crises. This research aims to analyze the conflicts arising between native fauna and farming households, estimate their scale, and find possible ways to alleviate the tension and preserve the natural habitats and food reserves of the snow leopard. The research examines the region of Central Tian Shan. It is a large, physically and geographically prominent area situated in the eastern part of the Kyrgyzstan Republic and borders the Republic of Kazakhstan and the People’s Republic of China.The Central Tian Shan region is characterized by alternating mountain ranges and narrow longitudinal valleys. Another specific feature of the region is szyrts (a type of elevated watersheds). The mountain chain exceeds the height of 6,000 m, with the Khan Tengri being its highest point (6,995 m). Average climatic and environmental conditions of the Central Tian Shan region are discussed in the studies.

To overcome the listed problems, the authors suggest the following:

Transfer from quantity-based livestock farming to quality-based methods (decrease in the total livestock number and rise in the number of the most valuable breeds) to bring down pressure on natural pastures;

Enhancement of highland zones of Central Tian Shan through cattle grazing regulation and provision of the local population with alternative income sources and farming methods (ecotourism, development of eco-products, wildlife photography, mountain climbing, etc.);

Establishment of wildlife migration corridors and sustainable food reserve areas; zoning of the territory to preserve the comfortable habitat of wild animals in subalpine and alpine areas via buffer zones.