The World Snow Leopard Forum held in Bishkek in October 2013 marked the beginning of a new holiday – International Snow Leopard Day, celebrated annually on October 23 since then.

The snow leopard, or snow leopard, is otherwise known as the irbis – a mammal of the cat family. The body is elongated, squat. The body length is up to 130 cm, the tail length is 90-100 cm, the height at the withers is 50-60 cm. The body weight of males, which are larger than females, reaches 45-55 kg, females – 22-40 kg. The fur is thick, the tail is long and lush. The color is smoky, brownish-gray, with large dark spots. Winter fur is grayish, almost white.

This unique animal is listed in the Red Book due to its small numbers and the risk of becoming an endangered species. Hunting for the snow leopard is prohibited in all countries where it lives, the snow leopard is also listed in Appendix I of the CITES Convention (the international ban on trade in endangered species of animals and their parts).