In 2025, Turkmenistan showed significant progress in wildlife conservation: the population of the Near Eastern leopard is estimated at 60–80 individuals, according to the annual report on wildlife and specially protected natural areas in the country. This was reported by the online publication ‘Business Turkmenistan’.

Leopards mainly inhabit mountainous and foothill areas – Kopetdag, Greater Balkan, Badhyz and Sunt-Hasardag nature reserves, the southern coast of Garabogaz Bay and certain areas of the Balkan Range.

In 2025, control measures were strengthened in protected areas, the use of camera traps was expanded, and the SMART system was introduced, which increased the effectiveness of monitoring and patrolling.

Turkmenistan has strengthened international cooperation in the field of nature conservation by becoming a party to CITES, the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and the updated CAMI Programme for 2026-2032.

The report emphasises that the recovery of large predators depends on the status of ungulate populations — gazelles and mountain goats — which remain under pressure from poaching and habitat degradation.

In addition to leopards, the country's protected areas support populations of caracals, manuls, gazelles, mountain goats, ground squirrels, badgers and rare birds.