Poaching in the Pamir

Tajikistan's Pamir mountains are home to Marco polo sheep, ibex, and markhor which are the primary prey species for snow leopards. Extensive poaching of these animals by locals have forced snow leopards to prey on villagers' livestock, resulting in the killing of these cats. This photograph is of a large pile of ibex horns and skulls located on a roadside in the Pamir mountains.