The hides of three snow leopards were recently seized in the Mongolian capital of Ulan Bator, the country's Ecological Police Department (EPD) reported on Monday.

Several men were arrested in late March while attempting to sell the hides in the Songinokhairkhan district of Ulan Bator, the EPD said in a statement, adding that further investigation into the case is underway.

The snow leopard is an endangered animal in Mongolia. There are only 800 to 1,200 snow leopards remaining in the country. Under the Mongolian law, a person convicted of poaching and killing endangered wild animals will be fined at least 10 million Mongolian tugriks (about 3,600 U.S. dollars) or punished by imprisonment of at least two years.

(All photos via VCG)  

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