The Central Asian Mammals and Climate Adaptation (CAMCA) project IKI-UNEP

Mountain ecosystems of Kyrgyzstan harbour important migratory species such as argali sheep and snow leopard. However, these are under threat due to increasing anthropogenic pressures, including livestock grazing, natural resource extraction, and climate change-induced land-use changes (e.g., increased area and duration of livestock grazing). Climate change is also radically changing the habitats of species as glaciers are increasingly melting away. Since gaining its independence, many protected areas in Kyrgyzstan have been operating on reduced budgets, staffing, and equipment. There has been some improvement in recent years to involve local communities in forest and pasture management and advance species monitoring and conservation in international projects. The CAMCA project will increase knowledge on climate vulnerabilities of migratory species and by introducing methods for climate change-informed management of wildlife in and outside of protected areas.