2019-10-23 Wed

International Snow Leopard Day is an annual holiday celebrated on 23rd October annually in different countries across the world. It is dedicated to saving one of the rarest wild cats on the planet.

The snow leopard, also known as the ounce, is a large cat that inhabits alpine and subalpine zones in the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia. As of 2016, the size of the total wild population was estimated at 4,000–8,000 individuals. However, this estimate has been disputed because snow leopards live in hard-to-reach places and lead a secretive way of life.

The snow leopard is listed as an endangered species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. Hence, the International Snow Leopard Day was initiated by the countries that encompass the snow leopard’s range. They include Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

On October 23, 2013, they signed the Bishkek Declaration on the conservation of snow leopard at the First Global Snow Leopard Forum that took place in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. The first International Snow Leopard Day took place on October 23, 2014. Its main goal is to raise awareness of the importance of snow leopard conservation, consolidate the effort of an environmental organizations in the countries of the snow leopard range.

India issued a commemorative stamp worth Rs. 5 in the year 1987 which depicts a photograph of the Snow Leopard on its natural habitat with the Snowy Mountains on the background. The name of the country is inscribed on the top left corner whereas the denomination value is at the bottom left corner.

Visit philamart to view and purchase variety of stamps from all over the world.