Constant raids by the anti-poacher tam "Irbis" with the support of WWF  facilitated the removal of the menace to snow leopards in the southern part of the "Sayano-Shushenskiy" nature  sanctuary. The anti-poacher brigade "Irbis" is a joint group of inspectors from several neighboring specially protected territories of the southern Krasnoyarsk Krai,, Khakassia and Tuva. This group has been receiving permanent support by WWF  for the struggle with illegal hunting in snow leopard habitats for the past several years.

A raid of the active group in February-March allowed the group to encompass the territory on the border of the "Sayano-Shushenskiy" nature sanctuary, the protected zone and adjacent areas of "Khan-Deer" area and preserve "Ubsunur depression" (Tuva). The members surveyed the territory of Khemchik ridge on the border between Krasnoyarsk Krai and Republic Tyva, which is the chief area of irbis habitat. The only known group of  irbis in Krasnoyarsk Krai lives on the territory of Sayano-Shushenskiy preserve. Their  stable number of only 7-8 individuals has been preserved only thanks to the strict  protection regime.

In the Khem-Terek canyon, the officers noticed  horse hoof prints, and it was obvious that poachers have been coming to the sanctuary from the direction of Tuva; later a place of Siberian mountain goat hunting was discovered, with remains of a camp fire and the poachers'  cache with mountain goat meat.  hoping to capture the criminals when they return to pick up the stored meat, the inspectors set up an ambush, but the poachers had not returned to the place of hunt even after ten days. The inspectors disbanded the ambush after destroying the criminals' camp.

In the other canyons and places patrolled (Kolbak-Mys, Cholban-Mys,  Irgar, Urbun (protecting zone), valley of river Khemchik, poachers were not discovered; there are not even old traces of poachers.

The chief menace to snow leopard in the southern Krasnoyarsk Krai still are poachers - trappers. A wire noose set up on the animals' trail is a simple but effective weapon. It is not noticeable to the animals; the noose slowly contracts as the animal moves, and strangles the animal or tightens around its body. The poachers' main prey is kabarga - the musk deer, but it is also a fatally dangerous trap for snow leopards who use the same trails.

The inspectors noted a complete absence of these traps in the southern part of  Sayano-Shushenskiy preserve in the key habitat of the local group of snow leopard.  It is because of the regular patrols by the "Irbis" team of inspectors, supported by WWF. The noose trapping is represents the chief danger for snow leopards, and battle with this type of poaching is the number one task for the inspectors of the group.