Snow leopards and citizen science: Seeking the grey ghost in Kyrgyzstan

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. As befits the snow leopard’s nickname, the “grey ghost” – the scientific term, Uncia uncia, is equally alliteration-happy – setting eyes on one is a Sisyphean task. open image in gallery Kyrgyzstan’s mountainscapes make a spectacular backdrop to big cat hunting Base camp lies in the secluded Karakol valley – part of the Ala-Too range. That’s why we need to protect it.” Citizen science – no prior science nous required – sounds low-key, but our group of nine covers considerable ground in 12 days. During long days exploring the grid around base camp, we’re looking for signs of leopards, but also their prey: here the Central Asian ibex, and smaller mammals such as marmots.