(JP)Documentary spotlights endangered snow leopard

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http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nn20020321b4.htm

 

Documentary spotlights endangered snow leopard

 

A Japanese filmmaker will present a documentary on

endangered Himalayan snow leopards later this month to

highlight the threat of extinction they face because

they are killed for their fur. Masanori Iwasaki's " Yukihyo, " Japanese for

snow leopard, is an 80-minute documentary about the

life of the cats in Nepal. It will be shown at Tokyo's

Haiyuza Theater on March 28, 29 and 31.

 

Shot from 1988 to 2001 in three sessions, Yukihyo

records how the snow leopards' habitat is being

diminished by the construction of lodging facilities

for tourists.

 

The 61-year-old Iwasaki, known for several wildlife

films with subjects that include Japanese macaques,

said, " Snow leopards will become extinct if they don't

gain the understanding and cooperation " of people who

live in their area.

 

" Yukihyo " also features rare shots of snow leopards

playing during the daytime, as the long-haired big

cats are known to be nocturnal. With their pale

grayish coats, they inhabit the high mountains of

Central Asia and prey on sheep, goats and other

animals.

 

The film will also be shown in Akita Prefecture in

August.

 

The environmental group World Conservation Union has

designated snow leopards an an endangered species.

They had traditionally been few in number, but

dwindled even further due to hunting and tourism.

 

The Japan Times: March 21, 2002

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