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| Cooperation between Dynafit and Snow Leopard Trust |
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Dynafit and the Snow Leopard.
Dynafit IS the Snow Leopard!
Lithe and graceful, with a silky-soft coat, the Snow Leopard is an impressive sight. It lives in the spectacular mountains of Asia, one of the earth’s last great wild, genuine areas – the Himalayas, the Karakorum, the Tien Shan, the Pamir Range, the Hindu Kush and the Altai. Here, on the “rooftops of the world”, the Snow Leopard reigns supreme because it has adapted perfectly to such a forbidding region with the harshest of weather conditions.
Yet this magnificent feline is in danger of extinction!
Illegal hunters seeking not only the animal’s beautiful skin, but also its bones, the fall in the numbers of the prey it naturally feeds on, local livestock breeders and their herds gradually pushing them further and further out of their biosphere, and farmers killing the leopards in revenge for the loss of their animals are the main dangers threatening this splendid wild feline variety.
The Snow Leopard was placed on the endangered species list in 1972. Today, it is estimated that just 3,500 of them remain in their natural habitat, and the population is still falling fast. So, if we want to save the Snow Leopard, there’s no time to lose. Unfortunately, however, very little is still known about the animal’s behavior and its natural habitat, making it difficult to adopt adequate measures aimed at protecting it from extinction.
The Snow Leopard Trust (SLT), founded in 1981, is committed to protecting the species. Among the various activities the SLT carries out are a range of long-term studies focused on filling in the gaps in our knowledge and thus helping to save the Snow Leopard. The organization has a number of teams that are operating in 12 different countries, thus covering much of the territory inhabited by the creature.
The funds destined for carrying out the various projects are raised through donations, subsidies, events and the sale of craft products on the organization’s website, www.snowleopard.org.
For Dynafit, the Snow Leopard is more than just a brand: we really identify with this truly unique predator. This is why we decided to support the work of the SLT and to play a forefront role in attempts to save the species.
For us, the Snow Leopard represents speed, agility and dynamism, and it is imperative that this extraordinary feline be protected!
In winter 2008/09 Dynafit supported the SLT by purchasing 500 Snow Leopard hand-made pendants, with the proceeds going to the families of local livestock breeders, thus helping to supplement their meager income.
This improvement in the breeders’ living conditions has lessened the influence of the Snow Leopard on their fortunes because they are no longer forced to hunt or kill them as a result of the threat they pose to their livestock. The projects are subsidized through workshops and programs organized by the SLT, which work towards coming up with appropriate solutions to guarantee peaceful coexistence between the Snow Leopard and the livestock breeders and their families.
Dynafit also put a pair of skis up for auction on its website; the proceeds of which (the skis went for 1100 euros!) were donated to the SLT, creating financial support for the Trust’s long-term study in southern Mongolia. Since 2008, a team has been operating in the leopard’s natural habitat, with the aim of using video traps and GPS collars to gather as much information as possible on the creature’s life. In the last year, ten snow leopards have been discovered thanks to this system, which has enabled researchers to observe their movement and the territory they live in. This information makes it possible for additional measure to be adopted for the protection of the animals, the effectiveness of which can be assessed on the basis of the specimens identified. One of the GPS collars has, however, provided evidence of a rather unpleasant episode, in which a livestock breeder killed the snow leopard Bayartai in order to protect his herd. The SLT intervened here too, sending a team to clarify the details of this unfortunate episode and to discuss possible solutions together with other 50 breeders.
Dynafit also has plenty of plans for winter 2009/10!
On the occasion of a number of ski touring events and competitions, a large percentage of the entry fees will go towards SLT projects.
The season will kick off at the end of November, with the winter opening of Dynafit’s four German Competence Centers in Praxmar, followed by the BGL-Cup and the Herzogstand and Untersberg competitions.
But that’s by no means all: at the end of March 2010 there are plans for a “12 hour ski tour” in Praxmar, followed by a party with “Dibbs” and Alpenstoff at the Alpen-Gasthof, all organized to support the Snow Leopard.
So what are you waiting for? Sign up and take part: the more the merrier! And above all, the more participants, the more money raised to save the Snow Leopard.
For information, deadlines and entries, visit our website, www.dynafit.com
Lithe and graceful, with a silky-soft coat, the Snow Leopard is an impressive sight. It lives in one of the earth’s last great wild, unspoilt areas, in the spectacular mountains of Asia – the Himalayas, the Karakorum, the Tien Shan, the Pamir Range, the Hindu Kush and the Altai. Here, in the “rooftops of the world”, the Snow Leopard reigns supreme, because it has adapted perfectly to such a forbidding region with the harshest of weather conditions.
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Donations can be made to:
Bank of America
4701 University Way Northeast
Seattle, WA 98105
1-800-442-6680
ABA Routing Number: 026009593
Account number: 2911808
Type of account: Checking
Account holder: International Snow Leopard Trust
Tax number: #91-1144119
SWIFT code for international bank transfers: BOFAUS3N
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