Pallas' cat is one of the least studied wild cats in the world that has a large habitat ranging from Caucasus to eastern Mongolia, but is very rare throughout. IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals lists it as Near Threatened, the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation as rare species on the periphery of the habitat (category 3). It is also registered in Red Books of Kazakhstan, Mongolia and a number of other countries of middle asia, as well as in Red Books of the following regions of the Russian Federation: Republics of Altai, Tyva and Buryatia, as well as Krasnoyarsk and Chita regions and Aginsky Buryatsky autonomous district. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) includes Pallas' cat in Appendix II.

During the last decades Pallas' cat hunting has been universally banned, but human activity still plays a dominant role in the diminishing of Pallas' cat population. Pallas' cat is the only species of wild cat in Russia that lives mainly in the steppe, region being heavily exploited by man. Poaching, shepherds' dogs, ploughing of the steppe and steppe fires are all major factors contributing to the continued dwindling of this species populations.

Since the beginning of the twentieth century Pallas' cat numbers have been steadily declining. As a consequence, its habitat shrunk as well (for example, Pallas' cat can no longer be found near the Caspian and the Aral seas). Biology of the species has never been studied adequately: in most areas of its habitat special research and monitoring of population's status have never been performed. Available information concerning the distribution, numbers and condition of the species in the wild is scarce. The degree of influence of human activity on the growth dynamics of Pallas' cat populations has never been properly determined. Therefore, while Pallas' cat is formally declared a protected species no efforts are made to monitor its numbers or to preserve it. It is evident that it is necessary to determine the exact condition of Pallas' cat populations and develop measures to preserve, and in some areas of its habitat to re-introduce this animal.

We presume that in this case, ironically, it is the lack of publicity that hinders the efforts towards Pallas' cat preservation. While millions of people and hundreds of organizations work to preserve such wild cats as tigers or snow leopard, precious few are aware of Pallas' cat pitiful state and, therefore, nothing is done to solve this problem.

1. to evaluate modern status and quantity dynamics of Pallas' cat populations in Russia (Republics of Altai, Tyva, Buryatia, Khakasia, Chita region) and if possible in neighbour parts of Kazakhstan, and threats to them.
2. to give governmental agencies responsible for preservation of rare species an information about Pallas' cat status and direct their attention to necessity of taking measures in Pallas cat saving.
3. to attract people's attention to Pallas' cat saving using mass media.
4. to create and maintain a website about Pallas' cat, its status, and preserving in nature. The website will be directed at both specialists and broad section of the public concerned with Pallas cat as well as wild animals.

We are going to interview specialists and to gather another information in nature reserves, hunting agencies, scientific institutes, universities, and other institutions (by interviewing people who visit places Pallas' cat lives, analysing archives, organizational reports, and other literature) so we shall evaluate modern status of Pallas' cat.