Shafqat Hussain - 2006 Associate Laureate

With only 3,000 to 7,000 individual left in the wild across the Himalayas, the snow leopard is one the rarest and most elusive creatures in the world. An economist turned conservationist, Shafqat Hussain (right) developed an innovative insurance scheme to enlist herders in the conservation of the snow leopard. Shafqat Hussain developed ecotourism activities based around the snow leopard in the Pakistani Himalayas to help finance the insurance scheme. Strenghtening the fences around the livetock pens helps to protect herds against night-time attacks by snow leopards. The herds owned by Himalayans shepherds are the sole source of income. Hussain convinced them that man, goat and predator can share the same territory. Hussain forged close ties with local communities whose participation is central to the insurance scheme and its related ecotourism activities based around the snow leopard. Hussain (centre) talks to villagers. By showing them that it is in their interest to protect the snow leopard, he helps ensure the conservation of the charismatic species. To update the counting of the elusive snow leopard, Hussain installed unmanned cameras in strategic locations. A sensored detects the presence of the animal and activates the camera. The mountains of Baltistan, in nothern Pakistan, provide an ideal habitat for the snow leopard, which roams wild attitudes between 3.600m and 5,500m.
With only 3,000 to 7,000 individual left in the wild across the Himalayas, the snow leopard is one the rarest and most elusive creatures in the world.

©T. Kitchin, V. Hurst/NHPA/Stutter


With only 3,000 to 7,000 individual left in the wild across the Himalayas, the snow leopard is one the rarest and most elusive creatures in the world.

An economist turned conservationist, Shafqat Hussain (right) developed an innovative insurance scheme to enlist herders in the conservation of the snow leopard.

©Rolex Awards/Thierry Grobet

Skardu District, Pakistan, 2006
An economist turned conservationist, Shafqat Hussain (right) developed an innovative insurance scheme to enlist herders in the conservation of the snow leopard.

Shafqat Hussain developed ecotourism activities based around the snow leopard in the Pakistani Himalayas to help finance the insurance scheme.

©Rolex Awards/Thierry Grobet

Skardu District, Pakistan, 2006
Shafqat Hussain developed ecotourism activities based around the snow leopard in the Pakistani Himalayas to help finance the insurance scheme.

Strenghtening the fences around the livetock pens helps to protect herds against night-time attacks by snow leopards.

©Rolex Awards/Thierry Grobet

Skardu District, Pakistan, 2006
Strenghtening the fences around the livetock pens helps to protect herds against night-time attacks by snow leopards.

The herds owned by Himalayans shepherds are the sole source of income. Hussain convinced them that man, goat and predator can share the same territory.

©Rolex Awards/Thierry Grobet

Skardu District, Pakistan, 2006
The herds owned by Himalayans shepherds are the sole source of income. Hussain convinced them that man, goat and predator can share the same territory.

Hussain forged close ties with local communities whose participation is central to the insurance scheme and its related ecotourism activities based around the snow leopard.

©Rolex Awards/Thierry Grobet

Hushe, Pakistan, 2006
Hussain forged close ties with local communities whose participation is central to the insurance scheme and its related ecotourism activities based around the snow leopard.

Hussain (centre) talks to villagers. By showing them that it is in their interest to protect the snow leopard, he helps ensure the conservation of the charismatic species.

©Rolex Awards/Thierry Grobet

Hushe, Pakistan, 2006
Hussain (centre) talks to villagers. By showing them that it is in their interest to protect the snow leopard, he helps ensure the conservation of the charismatic species.

To update the counting of the elusive snow leopard, Hussain installed unmanned cameras in strategic locations. A sensored detects the presence of the animal and activates the camera.

©Hushe Village Conservation Committee

Skardu District, Pakistan, 2006
To update the counting of the elusive snow leopard, Hussain installed unmanned cameras in strategic locations. A sensored detects the presence of the animal and activates the camera.

The mountains of Baltistan, in nothern Pakistan, provide an ideal habitat for the snow leopard, which roams wild attitudes between 3.600m and 5,500m.

©Rolex Awards/Thierry Grobet

Skardu District, Pakistan, 2006
The mountains of Baltistan, in nothern Pakistan, provide an ideal habitat for the snow leopard, which roams wild attitudes between 3.600m and 5,500m.