Month: November 2024

SLN Webinar – “How Snow Leopards Changed My Life and Why They Must Be Conserved”

 

We invite you to join us for our upcoming webinar with Tshiring Lhamu Lama, the founding director of Snow Leopard Journey and Snow Leopard Sisters.

About the Talk:

As the founding director of Snow Leopard Journey and Snow Leopard Sisters, Tshiring is on the frontlines of snow leopard conservation in the Dolpo Himalaya. Through innovative, sustainable, and practical projects, she works to encourage, empower, engage, and employ local youth by promoting eco-tourism, sustainable livelihoods, and environmental education. Tshiring’s efforts aim not only to shift local perceptions of the snow leopard, transforming it from a threat into a vital asset for both conservation and community well-being, but also to end the retaliatory killings of snow leopards in the Dolpo Himalayas.

Khata-Conservation Awareness – PC – Snow Leopard Journey – 2024

 

Snow Leopard Trek – Dr. Rodney Jackson – PC – (Snow Leopard Journey) – 2022

About our Speaker:

 

Tshiring Lhamu Lama was born and raised in the high-altitude landscapes of Dolpo, one of the most remote regions of the Nepal Himalayas. She is the first woman from her Dolpo community to earn a Master’s degree in Natural Resource Management, a milestone achieved through the Chandra Gurung Memorial Fellowship 2014, supported by WWF Nepal. Deeply connected to her homeland—where traditional pastoralism and snow leopards co-exist—she recognized the urgent need for sustainable solutions to conserve snow leopards while also addressing the needs of local herders who share the land with these vulnerable snow leopards.

About our Facilitator:

 

Kayley Bateman joined the Snow Leopard Conservancy team as Programs Manager in July of 2023. She coordinates SLC’s conservation, education, and applied research programs and serves as the primary liaison between SLC and its partners. Kayley has a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois in Animal Science and a Master’s of Art in Biology from Miami University’s Project Dragonfly. Her involvement in Project Dragonfly’s Global Field Program focused on working effectively across diverse ecological and social settings to foster change through community-engaged education, scientific inquiry, environmental stewardship, and global understanding. Last fall, Kayley traveled to Nepal with the Snow Leopard Conservancy to facilitate the One Health – One Welfare program, an interdisciplinary approach aimed at strengthening local capacity to enhance the well-being of both animals and people in Nepal. Before joining the Conservancy, Kayley spent 15 years as an animal care specialist working directly with snow leopards, tigers, bears, and other wildlife in zoological settings.

 

Foxlight (Night Predator Deterrent) – PC (Snow Leopard Conservancy and Wendy Wood) – 2021

Date/Time:

Wednesday, 11th December at 20:00 PM (Bishkek time)

Location:

ZOOM, to join this talk, REGISTER HERE

Please note:

  • If you have never used Zoom before, we recommend that you try the link 10 minutes before the start of the lecture.
  • Please feel free to write questions in the comment area and there will be time for questions/discussion at the end of the talk.
  • Please note that the session will be recorded and later featured on the SLN website. If you have concerns about this please let us know before the session

 

 

New Article to the Bibliography

Please find details below of a new article added to our Bibliography:

Title: Reflections from a snow leopard eco-camp program in Mongolia

Author: Mijiddorj, T. N., Ganchudur, B., Samelius, G., Alexander, J. S.

Abstract: Environmental education can efficiently engage individuals in addressing environmental challenges and promote collaboration among stakeholders. The aim of this paper was to understand how children participating in eco-camps perceived nature and the environment. Additionally, we aim to share our experiences from eight years of eco-camp activities conducted for sixth-grade students (aged 12-13 years) in the Gobi region of southern Mongolia. The program utilized active learning in snow leopard habitats. We used creative expressions, specifically write-ups such as poems, to capture the children’s perceptions and feelings about nature. The findings revealed that the children participating in the program conveyed a sense of awe for nature and awareness of ecosystem services. Feedback from parents and teachers indicated that the program was effective at creating positive changes in the childrenʼs behavior. While short-term outcomes were evident, further investigation into the long-term sustainability of these changes are needed.

URL: https://snowleopardnetwork.org/b/show.php?record=1766

 

New Article to the Bibliography

Please find details below of a new article added to our Bibliography:

Title: First Photographic Evidence of Pallas’s Cat (Otocolobus manul) from Himachal Pradesh, India

Author: Sharma, C., Thuktan, T., Tobge, R., Angrup, D., Chhering, D., Sherab, T., Chhering, T., Bajaj, D., Khanyari, M., Suryawanshi, K.

Abstract: While the study of carnivore ecology has made significant progress, our knowledge of small cats remains limited. For some species, their distribution remains largely unknown. We report the first photographic evidence of the Pallas’s cat in Himachal Pradesh, India. Of the 56 camera traps placed for snow leopard population estimation across Kinnaur region between March-May 2024, we recorded Pallas’s cat at three camera trap sites with 19 images from three instances during morning hours. These captures were at an elevation of 3900–4100 meters in rocky habitats largely dominated by boulders and cliffs. Sympatric carnivores captured were snow leopard (Panthera uncia), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), stone marten (Martes foina) and free-ranging dogs. This discovery not only extends the known distribution of Pallas’s cat but also underscores the urgent need for focused conservation research and action in this region, especially given the presence of free-ranging dogs. This can be achieved through coordinated, landscape level and trans-boundary efforts.

URL: https://snowleopardnetwork.org/b/show.php?record=1765

 

Ethical Nature Conservation – a way to move forward.

 

This webinar shares news about Ethical Conservation Alliance (ECA) which has been active since 2023, as a transformative force, aiming to help conserve biodiversity while addressing the historical injustices to indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs).

Rooted in Western science and colonial practices, traditional biodiversity conservation methods have often marginalized IPLCs, sidelining the very groups that are crucial to the success of conservation efforts.

Recognizing the urgent need for a shift towards ethical biodiversity conservation, the ECA is working to develop cadres of frontline conservationists who are trained and have the needful tools to foster respectful relationships with IPLCs. By enabling respectful partnerships with IPLCs, the ECA aims to facilitate these communities as key stakeholders and rights holders in biodiversity protection, climate adaptation, and sustainable development. This approach aligns really well with the goals of multiple international conventions, particularly as these frameworks increasingly emphasize the importance of local and Indigenous involvement in biodiversity conservation.

The webinar also describes how conservation practitioners use resources developed by the Alliance for their own work.


 

Announcing the SLN Mentorship Programme 2025

SLN is inviting applications from early career individuals in our Network for our new Mentorship Program which will be introduced in early 2025. The goal of the program is to facilitate knowledge exchange, and provide guidance and support to early career individuals in our Network. This Mentorship Program will pair early career individuals (mentees) with more experienced professionals (mentors), in tandem.

We envision that both mentors and mentees benefit from the program. Mentors help mentees in different ways such as offering insights, sharing experiences, providing feedback, and offering networking opportunities. In return, mentors gain leadership experience, personal growth, and a chance to influence the next generation of leaders in snow leopard conservation.  

How the program works:

After the mentees have been selected, our team at SLN will pair them with mentors within our network. There will be an initial online kick-off event where all the mentors and mentees are introduced to each other and the goals of the program discussed. After the event, the respective tandems of mentees/mentors set up further one-on-one meetings. They can meet as frequently as they desire, but we recommend a minimum of at least twice in three months. In addition, a check-in meeting after 6 months and a final meeting after one year, will be organized with all the mentors and mentees.

Who is eligible?

Members of SLN who consider themselves early career are welcome to apply.

Application Process:

To apply please click on this form. If the form is blocked in your region, please do email rakhee@snowleopardnetwork.org for details on how to submit an application.

SLN Webinar – “Cameras or camus? Comparing snow track surveys and camera traps to estimate densities of unmarked wildlife populations in the Russian Far East”

 

The Snow Leopard Network invites you to our next webinar presentation with Scott Waller, from Wildlife Conservation Society’s Temperate Asia regional program.

About the Talk:

Population density is a valuable metric used to manage wildlife populations. In the Russian Far East, wildlife managers use the Formozov-Malyushev-Pereleshin (FMP) snow tracking method to estimate densities of ungulate prey for hunting management and Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) conservation, since the carrying capacity of a landscape for tigers is closely linked with the density of available prey biomass. Yet, climate change and challenges with survey design call into question the reliability of the FMP, and wildlife managers are looking for alternative methods. Camera traps offer a promising new tool, but their suitability for monitoring prey remains unclear.

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Working with the Wildlife Conservation Society and Sikhote-Alin Biosphere Reserve, Scott and colleagues applied a rigorous scientific design of random sampling to estimate densities of preferred prey of the Amur tiger using both FMP and camera-based methods. They also converted these density estimates to prey biomass following conventions in the literature. They found that, while both track surveys and camera traps provided consistent estimates of density, cameras required more resources and effort to implement. They also consider the demands of random sampling of the landscape as restrictive, especially in other parts of the tiger’s range with more challenging terrain. Finally, they found that insignificant differences in density estimates between methods still led to large differences in prey biomass, emphasizing the need for more robust methods.

About our Speaker:

 

Scott Waller is a wildlife biologist working for the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Temperate Asia regional program. He grew up in Northwest Montana surrounded by wildlife and wild places. From 2015-2019, he began his career working as a technician trapping grizzly bears for Montana Fish Wildlife and Park’s population monitoring program. After graduating with a BA in conservation biology in 2018, he traveled to the Russian Far East to volunteer for the Wildlife Conservation Society’s (WCS) Russia program, a collaboration between WCS and the Russian-registered NGO “ANO WCS”. Scott received his MSc in wildlife biology from the University of Montana in 2022 studying methods to monitor preferred prey of the Amur tiger, which is the topic of his presentation in this series. Today, Scott works primarily with WCS-supported programs in Russia and China, helping address conservation challenges for Amur tigers and leopards such as habitat fragmentation and prey recovery.

 

About our Facilitator:

Eugenia Bragina (Genya) was born and raised in Russia. At the age of 13, she decided that conservation is the best choice for a profession. After getting her PhD in Moscow State University, Russia, this decision brought her to work for WCS in Russia. Her projects include research on species as diverse as Amur tiger, Long-tailed goral, Spectacled eider and cranes. She developed a capacity building program delivering courses on data analysis, GIS, leadership, human dimension in wildlife and other important skills for Russian conservationists. She is a Conservation Director for all WCS projects in Russia making sure that our work is prioritized, efficient and impactful.

Date/Time:

Thursday, 14th November at 09:00 AM (Bishkek time)

Location:

ZOOM, to join this talk, REGISTER HERE

Please note:

  • If you have never used Zoom before, we recommend that you try the link 10 minutes before the start of the lecture.
  • Please feel free to write questions in the comment area and there will be time for questions/discussion at the end of the talk.
  • Please note that the session will be recorded and later featured on the SLN website. If you have concerns about this please let us know before the session

 

 

New Article to the Bibliography

Please find details below of a new article added to our Bibliography:

Title: Return of the Eurasian lynx: using local stakeholder knowledge and experiences to inform lynx conservation in the French Alps

Author: Alexander, J. S., Christe, P., Zimmermann, F.

Abstract: Large carnivore conservation in human-dominated landscapes is a complex issue, often marked by the stark contrast between those who hold deep-rooted animosity towards these animals and those who welcome their presence. The survival of the Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx in Europe relies on effective coexistence with humans in multi-use areas. We explored the experiences and perceptions of local hunters and pastoralists regarding the return of the lynx to the Giffre Valley, France, and mapped lynx distribution based on the probability of site use while accounting for detection probability. We conducted in-depth interviews with 29 respondents to gather data on lynx sightings, rationale for hunting and pastoralism, and perceptions of lynxes. We found that 45% of respondents had detected lynxes in the last 40 years, with an estimated site use of 0.66 ± SE 0.33 over the last decade, indicating there was a 66% probability of lynxes using the sites during that time period. Our results suggest that hunting and pastoralism in the region are rooted in a desire to carry on local traditions and connect with the natural world. Respondents generally tolerated the presence of lynxes, perceiving few threats to their livelihoods and activities, and expressing a willingness to coexist peacefully. However, some identified future challenges that could arise with the return of large carnivores to the valley and highlighted scenarios that could lead to a decline in tolerance. This study emphasizes the valuable knowledge of local hunters and pastoralists and their potential role in lynx population monitoring and conservation. Integrating stakeholder values in decision- making processes is crucial for inclusive and sustainable responses to promote biodiversity.

URL: https://snowleopardnetwork.org/b/show.php?record=1764