The snow leopard, snow leopard or snow leopard is a large predatory mammal of the feline family that lives in the mountains of Central Asia. This is the only modern representative of the family living exclusively in a cold climate. The snow leopard is a locally widespread subspecies and is on the verge of complete extinction. It is listed in the Red Book of Uzbekistan and the IUCN Red List.

It is significant that this animal has been chosen as a symbol of the upcoming 14th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP14), which will be held for the first time in the historic city of Samarkand from February 12 to 17, 2024.

The CMS COP14 logo depicts a winged snow leopard decorated with a pattern reminiscent of the famous azure tiles of the monuments of Central Asia. It is worth noting that the snow leopard is one of the key types of biodiversity in Uzbekistan, whose range extends over the territory of 12 countries. The mighty and elusive big cat is also a legendary symbol of Samarkand, which is widely spread throughout the country, from the magnificent entrance to the historical school of the Sher-Dor madrasah to the national banknotes of Uzbekistan.

The concern is that in recent decades the number of this predator has been steadily declining. Today, only 2700-3300 of these individuals live in the wild (Source: IUCN Red List of Endangered Species). Currently, according to various estimates, the total number of snow leopards in Uzbekistan ranges from 30-50 to 80-120 individuals. In the Western Tien Shan, according to expert estimates, there are from 10-15 to 30-40 individuals, in the Pamir-Alai - from 20-30 to 50-80 snow leopard individuals.

Snow leopard hunting is strictly prohibited. It is protected in the Hissar, Zaamin, Chatkal nature reserves and Ugam-Chatkal National Park. Included in Appendix I of CITES.