Police arrest snow leopard 'poacher' in Altai region

Impounded too: 20 brown bear paws being illegally transported. The unnamed man faces up to two years in prison and a fine of 1 million roubles, or £15,500, say law enforcement officers. 

Over the past 16 years, the population of snow leopards has declined by at least 20 percent, and continues to fall, says the WWF. Around 4,000 remain in the wild, it is claimed. 

The cat is distinct from the Amur Leopard which even more endangered with only 500 or so in the wild. The brown bear paws have a black market value because they are sought after for  traditional cures in China.