Prick a snow leopard

I am looking for a messenger to help the people and snowleopards of Ladakh. Can you help?

I was visiting Ladakh, India, last autumn looking for snow leopards. In Leh, which is the capital of Ladakh, I met Dr. Tsewang Namgail for an interview. Tsewang is the director of the Snow Leopard Conservancy India Trust. He and his team rely on different strategies concerning Snow Leopard conservation. One is to train local women to felt little toy animals which they sell. This brings locals and tourists together. The locals learn that tourists appreciate wildlife, that they like to see it and therefore stay in the locals’ homestays and spend money on meals and so on. This is one important step in the conservation of snow leopards in Ladakh.

During my visits in various villages and through Namgail I got to know that the women run short of felting pins. I was told that these pins are from Germany. And so I promised to look around once I would be home again.

Now, here I’m sitting with a parcel of pins (20x15x8cm) asking myself how to deliver it to Ladakh. I was told that it is not safe to send it via post. Hence I ask you: Have you not always wanted to observe snow leopards in the wild! Do it and take the needles with you!! To motivate you a little more, I can hold out that you would be supported by India’s finest wildlife watching company: Wild World India. I talked to Vikram Singh, who is the director of Wild World India. He likes my idea of supporting the project. So, if you deliver the needles to Ladakh, Vikram gives you a 20% reduction on one of his snow leopard watching tours.

How does that sound? Have you not always wanted to see a snow leopard in the wild?! This is your chance! Please help “prick a snow leopard” and get in touch with me through www.wilddocu.de Best wishes, Ralf