After living in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan for a few years, we've been fortunate to experience the culture and way of life of the nomads. For us, there is nothing more magical than spending time in a yurt in the “Jailoo” (summer mountain pastures), with a nomad family.
Everything in the yurt has a purpose. There is also a strict code of how to put the yurt up, and how to live in it. Nothing is left to chance, and nothing goes to waste in the nomadic culture. This has all been a huge learning for us; In my case I’ve struggled to find real purpose in most of the work I do as a designer and creative. To experience this contrast has been so refreshing.
As a gesture of gratitude for the kindness of Kyrgyz nomads in the mountains, we took the initiative to volunteer and assist them across various regions in the country. Some of our self-initiated projects included teaching English in Arslanbob, creating a nomadic-specific English book that we distributed across the Jailoos in Son-Kul Lake, providing equipment to a wildlife conservation check post, and constructing a house for sniffer dogs at an anti-poaching check post in Barskoon Valley.
A Snow Leopard's Silent Greeting
One day, while driving to the border of China high up in the Tien-Shan mountains, we experienced the unimaginable. A sudden snow storm had forced us to change directions, and with the temperatures dropping quickly, we decided to make our way back down to lower altitude. In the distance, a pack of yaks were grazing near the river, barely visible from the road in the snowy mist.
It was at this point that something magical happened. A snow leopard, unmistakable with its distinctly long tail, suddenly jumped out into the road in front of us. About 30 meters away, it crossed, and headed up the mountains to our right. Perfectly camouflaged, it became barely visible as the snow continued to fall. We were lucky we could still watch it with our binoculars as it climbed higher and higher into the fog. At a certain point it stopped, and to our amazement, turned around and stared right at us. We were completely transfixed with emotion; it was incredible to be able to see this beautiful, elusive ‘ghost of the mountains’.
Seeing this mythic creature has been an extremely moving experience for us. Since then, this encounter has fueled our passion for wildlife conservation, becoming the catalyst for all that Now for Wildlife stands for. The significance of this moment is reflected in our logo—a homage to the incredible and rare encounter we experienced, a symbol that has guided our journey and mission.