Seattle, 25 May 2002. Over 60 experts from around the world participated in the first-ever Snow Leopard Survival Summit.

The meeting, co-hosted by the International Snow Leopard Trust , was designed to develop an international Snow Leopard Survival Strategy to save from extinction this large high altitude carnivore that dwells in a 5000 kilometre band of Central and South Asia's highest mountain ranges.

The snow leopard was listed on CMS Appendix I in 1985 upon the proposal of Germany. This means that range States who are CMS Parties (India, Mongolia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) should strictly protect the species. The snow leopard faces different threats in the 12 States encompassing its range. Primary threats (unranked) include: retaliatory killings by herders for predatory livestock taking, displacement by livestock, taking and displacement of prey species, habitat loss and illegal poaching including that for domestic and international trade. The snow leopard is listed on CITES Appendix I.

While attending the meeting, CMS Agreements Officer, Lyle Glowka, described how CMS could be used to coordinate snow leopard conservation activities across the cat's range.