“We must protect nature, sometimes limiting our own desires.” “we must protect nature, sometimes limiting our own desires” Ano Far Eastern leopards

Business complex "Noah's Ark", located in the Central District of Moscow, and an autonomous non-profit organization Far Eastern Leopards entered into a lease agreement for office space. The transaction was carried out with the help of brokers consulting company Bright Rich | CORFAC International.

The relocation of the tenant company was due to the need to improve the current working conditions. ANO "Far Eastern Leopards" turned to Bright Rich specialists | CORFAC International with a request to find a suitable office. During the search process, the priority factor in favor of locating in the Noah's Ark business center was the advantageous location of the building in the historical center of the city, not far from the historical area of ​​the Kitai-Gorod fortress wall.

ANO "Far Eastern Leopards" is engaged in the study, conservation and restoration of the Far Eastern leopard population within its historical habitat in the Russian Far East. The organization undertakes comprehensive efforts to protect, support and conserve the endangered predator. She also actively cooperates with the Land of the Leopard National Park and the Kedrovaya Pad Nature Reserve, helps in the fight against poaching and forest fires, and carries out activities aimed at maintaining the food supply of the Far Eastern leopard - wild ungulates.

The Noah's Ark business center is a business complex located in close proximity to the Kitay-Gorod metro station. It attracts tenants with its prestigious location in the historical center, a presentable Baroque façade and a well-thought-out layout of office spaces. Convenient access to the business center is provided thanks to the nearby Tverskaya Street and Moskvoretskaya Embankment. A 10-minute drive on free roads is the Garden Ring. The building was put into operation in 2007 and meets all international standards requirements for Class A offices. The business complex has modern engineering systems: ventilation and air conditioning, as well as remote control technical systems. Security is provided electronic control access and CCTV cameras, in addition, the facility is constantly guarded, and access to the territory is carried out through a checkpoint.

Raising funds, protecting the territory development project, organizing the work of employees - this is not a scheme for launching a startup, but a sequence of actions of volunteers who are trying to restore the extinction of the Far Eastern leopards. About how we managed to save the population of rare cats, in an interview Guide told CEO ANO "Far Eastern Leopards" Elena Gangalo.

GUIDE: The Far Eastern Leopards Foundation was created to stop the decline in the number of these cats, which at a certain point reached a critical point. What are the basic principles of the fund?

ELENA GANGALO: Let's first remember where it all began! In 2010, in the Primorsky Territory, a threatening situation arose with the number of a graceful and noble predator, unique for Russia and rare for the entire planet - the Far Eastern leopard. According to a rough estimate by scientists, at the beginning of the 21st century there were about 30-35 individuals left, which is the minimum limit of survival of the species. In order to prevent the worst, probably one of the most ambitious domestic projects was implemented environmental projects to save this unique animal. With the support of the country's leadership, biologists, public figures and ordinary volunteers, an autonomous non-profit organization "Eurasian Center for the Conservation of Far Eastern Leopards", or, as we call it, the "Far Eastern Leopards" Foundation, was organized.

The foundation’s work is based on a strategy for the formation of effective environmental programs aimed at maintaining and developing the population of Far Eastern leopards, their financial assessment and collecting donations for further implementation.

The foundation's employees are mostly volunteers. All main activities are carried out in the Far East, but we also have an office in Moscow: it works only to coordinate the activities of volunteers, raise funds and generate financial reporting.

It is important to note that in its activities the fund actively cooperates with the federal government budgetary institution"United Directorate of the State Natural Biosphere Reserve "Kedrovaya Pad" and the National Park "Land of the Leopard"", located in Vladivostok. This institution is a platform for the implementation of the foundation's initiatives. This is a kind of symbiosis of the volunteer movement and organs state power. In my opinion, this is an ideal model for building a civil society.

G: How is the fund formed and for what main purposes is the money allocated?

E.G.: It all starts with the formation of a program of events. The reserve, the Ministry of Natural Resources, the scientific community, and various public environmental organizations send us their proposals. After this, we formulate a program of environmental protection measures, draw up a preliminary cost estimate, and submit this unique budget to the fund’s supervisory board for consideration.

In the structure of our budget, we allocate funds for the following areas of expenditure: biotechnical measures (this supports the leopard’s food supply), infrastructural development of the reserve’s territories, protection of the lands of the national park and the fight against poaching, fire-fighting measures, Scientific research and more developed professional base knowledge, advanced training of personnel, environmental education among the population.

I would also like to say that we transfer all tangible and intangible property that is acquired in the interests of implementing our environmental programs free of charge into the ownership of the national park. Well, then the national park maintains its own funds using its own funds and funds from the federal budget.

We are not in a hurry and do not set the task of redoing everything at once - attracting sufficient financial resources, our programs have quite long-term prospects: by implementing some of them today, tomorrow we will get a great strategic effect.

G: It's no secret that you are truly supported high level. Tell us about your benefactors.

E.G.: As I said, the Far Eastern Leopards project is a product of modern civil society. Figuratively speaking, administrative and financial resources converged here at one point. The fund's assets are completely private investments legal entities. It all started with 50 million rubles, which we collected with great difficulty - you know, for us it was a truly huge amount. The main donors to the project were large federal companies, such as Gazprom, Gazprombank, Sogaz insurance company, Sberbank of Russia, Rosselkhozbank, Rosatom, Renova Group of Companies are very large companies, which have their own very successful charitable programs, but at the same time they expressed great interest in realizing the goals of the foundation.

When receiving financial tranches, we make sure to coordinate all our environmental initiatives with our benefactors and, before we start spending their money, we defend the project, provide cost estimates, a list of activities, and justify the results that will be achieved.

We have to work very closely with philanthropists. You won't be able to get money just like that. First, you need to prove that this money is enough - no more, no less. Secondly, as I already said, they need to be accountable for. Thirdly, everyone wants success, no one wants to just give away money. Partners want to show that they support the project within the framework of social responsibility.

G: Are you collecting private donations?

E.G.: Not necessary yet. Today we have a stable fund - expenses and income can be said to be balanced. There are practically no decreases or additions of sponsors. Our goal is not to collect money. The main goal is to increase the number of animals and preserve the population. And since the number has already increased sufficiently, funds are needed only to support the population.

But despite this seemingly favorable factor, the Far Eastern leopard is still vulnerable. The fact is that the threshold of its maximum density has been reached. The territory of the national park has become too small for such a number of individuals, and do not forget that although this is the “Land of the Leopard”, another representative of large cats lives here - His Majesty the Amur Tiger. So the load on the environment is more than serious. The territorial problem also leads to an epidemiological one. Due to the fact that the migration routes of cats often intersect, the transmission of various kinds of infectious diseases, such as canine distemper, etc., is possible. Last year this already led to the death of one animal, and if urgent measures had not been taken, the disease could have spread to others individuals. After all, the population is highly localized and this can lead to its complete extinction. We should not forget about inbreeding, closely related ties, leading to mutations and death of the species. So, the issue of territories is very acute, and, unfortunately, money cannot solve it yet.

G: How can the issue of territory be resolved?

E.G.: In our opinion, there are two ways to solve this problem. The first is to increase the area of ​​the national park by adding new lands. And here they are certain works. I would like to note that the initiative comes not only from the foundation. So, just recently a former major banker contacted us. He owns a large amount of land in areas adjacent to the national park, which have remained since the 1990s. He was very interested in our project, he got acquainted with its problems and offered to donate to us the lands that belonged to him by right of ownership. I wish there were more such decent people.

Besides this there is bold project to annex new territories, as we say, on the other side of the Ussuri federal highway. The fact is that the main barrier to the independent dispersal of the Far Eastern leopard is highway, passing between the lands of the national park and the Ussuriysky nature reserve. The problem can be solved by building so-called eco-ducts - a kind of eco-bridges for animals. But this is a very expensive project, and without federal support the foundation cannot complete it alone. Although we have some experience in this matter: not long ago we participated in a similar project for the construction of an ecological tunnel in the Khasansky district of Primorsky Krai - everything is much more complicated here.

The second method is reintroduction. This is the creation of closed populations in an area remote from the main one. For example: a pair or several pairs are taken from nature or a zoo, offspring are obtained, raised in a special way, integrated into natural environment and is released for further creation of offspring, etc. But there are more questions about this program than answers. This long term implementation, high risk of death of resettled animals, high financial costs, lack of sufficient experience.

G: Does the foundation work with scientists, social activists and other like-minded people?

E.G.: Yes, of course, we are in constant contact with them. Our great friends are specialists from the Institute of Ecology and Evolution. A. N. Severtsov of the Russian Academy of Sciences: they constantly advise us on issues of feline ecology, for which we thank them very much. Plus we interact with regional authorities, our issues are actively dealt with by the regional administration, the governor, and the deputy governor who oversees the environmental sector. Employees of the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation and the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation are helping.

There is huge help from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. In the Primorsky Territory police, for the first time in Russia, a department has been created that deals specifically with the suppression of offenses in the field of environmental protection.

The Far Eastern Leopards project is a real community of like-minded people. This is a team clearly focused on results. We employ representatives of different professions: biologists, mathematicians, teachers, builders, military personnel, journalists, financiers, businessmen, government officials - in short, the entire cross-section of society. We are represented in in social networks, we maintain the organization’s website, interact with bloggers, hold scientific debates, conferences, and organize environmental festivals.

Such multifaceted cooperation is sometimes very helpful. Recently, during the construction of one auxiliary facility, it was necessary to urgently drain water from the site at the construction site. A typhoon passed and entire rivers filled with water. We started looking for which organization could do this quickly - everyone was busy plus the distance, nothing worked. It turned out that the volunteer had his own company, and they had an old excavator in their fleet. The whole team quickly assembled him, and already in the morning the old man was cheerfully working for the benefit of our leopards, and completely selflessly. Difficulties often arise, but people always respond to our requests with their hearts, and, as a rule, no one remains indifferent. Strangers generally come and ask what and how, how to help, they tell us that they learned about the project from the Internet, and there are a lot of stories about that.

G: At first glance, the main objectives of the foundation seem to be protecting leopards from poachers and providing food for cats. What other problems are there?

E.G.: Reducing anxiety factors. This is a very serious, one might say, set of issues. In the leopard's habitat there are settlements, which have a fairly large number of inhabitants. The creation of a national park required a change in the legal status of these territories, which completely affected the methods of management. economic activity. People who are traditionally accustomed to eating the gifts of nature suddenly have restrictions associated with their presence in the forest. You cannot pick berries or mushrooms; in order to enter the reserve, you must obtain permission. You can’t light a fire, you can’t go ashore, catch fish, or hunt. In general, a whole set of restrictions was created. No one objected to the guards, but hunting is a tradition of these people. And there are a lot of hunters in the Far East, as well as weapons in families, because these are mostly former military, naval people. We had to intensify our work in terms of environmental education, and build very complex negotiations with hunting farms, farmers, and tourism organizations. As a result, it was possible to convince people to properly manage the gifts of nature in order to preserve all this beauty for future generations.

In addition, active prevention of forest fires is being carried out. The forest is the leopard's habitat. He, like any cat, likes to lead a secretive lifestyle. Deforestation has a dramatic impact on the population. For this purpose, we conduct specialized training with rangers, where experienced firefighters tell us how to prevent and extinguish fire. The territories are still being plowed, mechanisms for interaction with the Ministry of Emergency Situations are being worked out.

A lot of time is devoted to the fight against carriers of all kinds of infectious diseases, which in one way or another can threaten the health of the rarest large cat on the planet. We actively interact with the academic environment. This year, with funds from the foundation, a new medical laboratory for the study of biological materials was put into operation. Research is underway in the field of cryo-freezing technology for genetic materials of the Far Eastern leopard. So that in the event of a radical threat to the species, there will be genetic materials left for artificial reproduction of the population - this is simply fantastic. Thus, we insure the population for all occasions.

Well, traditionally, as you said, the work to combat poaching has not been forgotten. Moreover, thank God, cases of leopard poaching have become a thing of the past. This carries serious criminal liability. But cases of hunting ungulates - the basis of the diet of leopards - no, no, and they do happen. The reaction to these cases is always harsh: large administrative fines, confiscation of weapons, public censure, and sometimes criminal punishment. The police are actively helping us with this. Land of the Leopard National Park employs about 200 people, and almost half are guards. They are armed with modern equipment, all-terrain vehicles, ATVs, communications and covert surveillance equipment, unmanned vehicles, uniforms.

G: Were the guards recruited from locals?

E.G.: Yes, there were no problems with this. There were also military units stationed all around—there were quite a lot of former military personnel. And the national park is not the worst enterprise. The Foundation decided to further motivate the rangers financially, and in the following way: they have special devices of the GLONASS system, and the more territories a person covers, the more he receives. If he does not walk, lies on the stove in the guardhouse, he receives nothing. The park's area is about 280 thousand hectares, its length is approximately 30 km. Plus, it is difficult to pass: you can’t go everywhere by car, especially if it’s snowing. Many people think that it’s like a safari in Africa, but in fact the story there is even worse - ticks, snakes, mosquitoes, aggressive nature, rough terrain, predators, high hills.

G: In addition to the physical protection of animals, you also carry out educational work, in which, for example, Aeroflot, Russian Railways and other companies help you.

E.G.: Yes it is. They mainly participate not financially, but by popularizing the topic itself: they paint their aircraft, subway cars, trains. Environmental education quite an important direction. And here special attention is paid to children. It is difficult to involve adults in issues of environmental intelligence, but children are very susceptible to this. We spend not only a lot of material resources, but also effort: we have a whole department in the park called “Eco-education”. They hold various kinds of quizzes, seminars, Olympiads in schools, and produce cartoons and coloring books with animals. We focus specifically on the territory of Primorye, so that the younger generation understands that it is necessary to protect nature, sometimes even limiting own desires.

G: Do you have any foreign partners?

E.G.: Foreigners did not believe that the number of leopards could be restored so quickly. Six years - and here it is, victory. Recently arrived from the United United Arab Emirates— their scientists really liked everything, they asked if we needed money to develop the project, how they could help.

The topic of large cats is traditionally popular in the East; as a rule, high-ranking people surrounded by the sheikh deal with these issues. We politely thanked them for the visit and flattering offers, but refused financial support.

We are actively working on issues of international cooperation; the main direction of this cooperation should be the exchange of biotechnologies to support large cat populations. Joint research work. This is generally unique project— in my opinion, there are no others like them in the world.

G: Maybe it’s worth thinking about developing a full-fledged tourism cluster?

E.G.: Tourism must develop; this issue is certainly on the agenda. This is a huge driver of engagement. local population protected areas into conservation environment. Let people do business, exploit green technologies for their own benefit, distract them from the primitive income of poaching. But tourists need infrastructure, they need good roads, hotels, parking lots, restaurants, and public amenities. And all this, as you understand, requires large investments, and this is beyond the competence of the fund.

But to a small extent, we are still developing this area: with our direct support, a small visitor center was built in the village of Barabash, Khasan district, to receive tourists and equipped ecological trail about 2 km. By walking along which visitors will be able to get acquainted with the nature of the Primorsky Territory, breathe in the fresh taiga air, and experience all the beauty of our nature.

ANO "Far Eastern Leopards"

The autonomous non-profit organization (ANO) "Far Eastern Leopards" was created in 2011. Her main goal became the study, conservation and restoration of the population of the then endangered Far Eastern leopard. Already in 2012, on the initiative of this organization, the Land of the Leopard national park was formed in Primorye. In 2013, with the participation of the Far Eastern Leopards ANO, an amendment was made to the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, providing for criminal penalties for the illegal hunting, keeping, transportation and sale of especially valuable wild animals, including the Far Eastern leopard.

Supreme collegial body management of the ANO "Far Eastern Leopards" is supervisory board, its chairman is the special representative of the President of the Russian Federation on environmental issues, ecology and transport Sergei Ivanov.

The main goal of the organization is to completely secure the population of the Far Eastern leopard and increase its number to 150 individuals. ANO "Far Eastern Leopard" actively cooperates with the "Land of the Leopard" national park and the "Kedrovaya Pad" nature reserve, in the territories of which the bulk of the Far Eastern leopard population lives. In particular, the organization helps in the fight against the main factors threatening this rare cat - poaching and forest fires. Also, under the auspices of the ANO, activities are being carried out aimed at maintaining the food supply of the Far Eastern leopard - wild ungulates. In addition to protecting the predator and protecting its habitat, Far Eastern Leopards supports scientific projects implemented in the Land of the Leopard National Park, and also holds press conferences, round tables, organize exhibitions and other media events to popularize the idea of ​​protecting the rare spotted predator.

Interviewed by Kira Vasilyeva

Spotted results of the year

Friends, tomorrow we will see off this year and wish each other happiness, success and good luck in the new year. But before the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve, let's remember the brightest and most interesting events of the outgoing year.

This year in our country was the Year of Ecology, and, of course, we could not stay away: starting in January, we held actions and events dedicated to Far Eastern leopards, and also drew attention to environmental problems and the conservation of Russia’s unique animals. We held the exhibition “Eco-Treasures of Russia” in the State Duma, and participated in the fourth all-Russian festival “Primordial Russia”. Organized public lesson at the school, where they told students about the amazing rescue of the Leo 80M leopard, and also introduced the children to the work to preserve the population of the Far Eastern leopard.

At the end of February, the leopard “took its wing” - the image of the face of the rarest cat on the planet adorned the Boeing 777-300 of Rossiya Airlines. Leolet, as the airline employees dubbed the plane, now flies all over the country, and adults and young passengers enjoy taking pictures with it and learn that leopards live not only in Africa, but also in the Russian Far East.

Another “painted” leopard decorated the wall - an image of the Far Eastern predator appeared on the viewing platform of the Eagle’s Nest hill in Vladivostok. We carried out this action together with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). The graffiti was created by South African artist Sonny as part of his project “To The Bone”. The new attraction has already become a favorite among residents and guests of the seaside capital. If you're in Vladivostok, don't miss the chance to take a selfie with a leopard.

On August 27, we invited everyone to a big spotted holiday - “Leopard Day” was held in Moscow’s Krasnaya Presnya park. The event was attended by 30 thousand people. Sports and culinary master classes, a concert and an exciting quest with prizes were organized for the guests. By the way, the main reward was the right to name the nameless leopardess. The female, number Leo 54F, received the beautiful name Bela.

In addition to Bela, four more leopards received names and guardians this year. Leopardess Leo 73F received the name Leya from her keepers - the Primorochka volleyball club. Also appearing in “Land of the Leopard” are Aurora, Manchu and Katyusha.

In September, the Eastern Economic Forum was held in Vladivostok for the third time. As part of the event, the already traditional race for the protection of Red Book cats took place and a charity auction was held in support of projects for the protection of endangered and rare species of animals. Far East.

The first anniversary was celebrated by the Land of the Leopard National Park. The Rare Cat's House is five years old. Through the joint efforts of inspectors, scientists, volunteers and local residents, this specially protected natural area is thriving. This year, a new ecological route “Leopard Path” opened in the national park, construction of the central estate was completed, on the territory of which largest center conservation of the Far Eastern leopard.

Unfortunately, there was some sad news. In 2017, Yuri Borisovich Shibnev, the oldest employee of the Kedrovaya Pad Nature Reserve, an expert on the nature of the Far East, a photographer who took the first photographs of the Far Eastern leopard in wildlife.

During photomonitoring in the Land of the Leopard National Park, scientists received several unique images at once. At the beginning of the year, the camera for the first time filmed the passage of a spotted predator through the Narvinskaya Pass along a new route: a leopard, not paying attention to the noise of the route, crossed it through the first ecological tunnel in Russia.

Spy equipment in the Kedrovaya Pad nature reserve filmed a well-known inhabitant of the Bary territory with her kittens. This litter was the first for the “dancing” leopardess. Steven Seagal’s “goddaughter”, a female named Borte, also brought kittens.

For the first time, the love games of spotted predators were captured on video, and a recording of the voice of an Far Eastern leopard in the wild was also obtained. The owner of “Kedrovaya Pad”, Typhoon, demonstrated his vocal abilities.

Specialists received interesting footage in the northern part of the national park - here on the same path in different days The camera trap captured images of the Far Eastern leopard, Amur tiger, lynx and Far Eastern forest cat. And later, unique shots were taken at one of the grottoes - it was chosen by two big cats at once: a leopardess numbered Leo 83F and a male Amur tiger. The Red Book predators were filmed at the entrance to the “communal” cave five days apart. It seems that it is not for nothing that the “Land of the Leopard” bears the unofficial title of the most “cat-like” territory in Russia.

The real miracle happened under New Year: Killy the leopardess, shot down on the seaside highway, was spotted on camera traps. The predator, which was considered dead, not only survived, but also looks completely healthy.

The past year has been busy and bright, but there is even more interesting things ahead. We will definitely continue to monitor the life of the only population of the Far Eastern leopard in the wild. We hope that these beautiful cats have become a little closer to you and that you now have favorites among the inhabitants of the “Land of the Leopard”.

We are very pleased to receive your questions and comments on social networks, and we believe that by talking about Amur leopards and sharing information about them, we are helping to preserve the rarest cat on the planet.