Author: Rakhee Karumbaya

SLN Webinar: Locally-Led Conservation in the South Gobi: Community Conservation Actions for Vulnerable Refuge Areas

SLN invites you to join us for our next webinar

About the Talk:

The Mongolian Gobi-Steppe is a vast and unique landscape, home to incredible wildlife and the nomadic herders who depend on it. In recent years, WCS Mongolia has increased its engagement with communities in the South Gobi to address growing threats like mining, infrastructure, and climate change.

(Photos by Ben Buckland)

In her talk, Boloroo will share strategies that are gradually catalyzing local conservation action, focusing on three key approaches that support communities in protecting this fragile ecosystem. First, she’ll describe how herders across seven communities are working to safeguard more than 4,400 km² of important wildlife corridors, helping to create a growing conservation landscape. Next, she’ll highlight how herder groups are being engaged to support nomadic wildlife, such as khulans and goitered gazelles, in safely moving through fragmented habitats. Finally, Boloroo will discuss climate adaptation efforts that apply local action to help communities and wildlife prepare for a changing environment.

(Photos by Ben Buckland)

Her presentation will show how these strategies are steadily building momentum and fostering conservation beyond protected areas.

(Photos by Ben Buckland)

About our Speaker:

 

Bolortsetseg Sanjaa is the Conservation Governance and Community Manager at the WCS Mongolia Program. She holds a Master’s degree in Science Biology from the National University of Mongolia and a second Master’s in Art Communication and Conservation Leadership from the University of Texas at El Paso. She also graduated with a degree in Environmental Law to strengthen her work at the intersection of conservation and policy.  Since joining WCS Mongolia in 2006, Bolortsetseg has been dedicated to strengthening conservation governance and engaging local communities and stakeholders across the Gobi Steppe ecosystem.  Her recent work focuses on integrating wildlife conservation into national and local environmental policies, laws, and international conventions. She is a Conservation Governance & Community Manager, who is currently leading efforts to support community-led conservation actions and multi-stakeholder collaboration in the South Gobi.

 

(Photos by Ben Buckland)

About our Facilitator:

Justine Shanti Alexander is the Country Director at WCS Mongolia program.  Over the past decade, she has dedicated herself to building partnerships at both national and local levels for the conservation of threatened species across High Asia, with a specific focus on Mongolia and China. Her conservation work revolves around bridging research, community programming, and international collaborations to strengthen conservation outcomes.

One issue that holds great significance for her is finding inclusive solutions that prioritize the voices of local stakeholders and place human well-being and community resilience at the heart of wildlife conservation programs. With a scientific academic background, she earned a master’s degree in Conservation Science from Imperial College (U.K.) in 2011 and completed a Ph.D. on snow leopard conservation at Beijing Forestry University (China) in 2015.

(Photos by Ben Buckland)

Date/Time:

Thursday, 28th August at 14:30 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:  Snow leopard prey selection on the mountain-adapted ibex: seasonal switching between prime-aged males and newborn kids

Author:  Johansson, O., Mishra, C., Lkhagvajav, P., Samelius, G., Alexander, J. S., Low, M.

Abstract: Predator–prey interactions occur within the context of relative prey abundance, the nutritional value of prey individuals, and their specific vulnerability to predation. Predation patterns can therefore be expected to vary between seasons, age and sex categories, with this variation important for understanding predator–prey ecology. We examined seasonal prey selection by snow leopards (Panthera uncia) on different age and sex categories of Siberian ibex (Capra sibirica) using data collected from 150 kill sites. These were analysed in relation to known ibex population composition using Jacobs’ index, which estimates the strength and direction of prey preference or avoidance. Although solitary felids typically select prey of similar or smaller size than themselves, both male and female snow leopards selected for prime-aged ibex males (>5 years old), despite these being at least twice their body mass. Female ibex, yearlings and medium-sized males, which are similar in size to snow leopards, were preyed upon less than expected. In spring, snow leopards increased their prey selection of females and newborn kids, and reduced their selection of prime males. Our results suggest that the vulnerability of ibex to snow leopard predation is related to their agility in negotiating steep mountain terrain. We propose that the much larger body size of prime-aged ibex males reduces their ability to evade snow leopard ambushes on mountain slopes. In spring, the switch to predation on kids likely relates to the ease of hunting because of their lower agility, with a similar explanation for increased predation on females in late gestation. This seasonal switching between different prey categories, and the snow leopard’s specialisation to hunt in steep mountainous terrain, may impose limits on sexual size dimorphism commonly seen in other large felids. In contrast, the vulnerability of prime-aged ibex males to snow leopard predation may reflect a sexually selected handicap, imposed by high sexual size dimorphism.

URL:  https://snowleopardnetwork.org/b/show.php?record=1781

 

SLN Special Webinar Presentation – Forty-eight Years Among the Snow Leopards of Central and South Asia: from the first telemetry study to mobilizing communities and fostering multisectoral partnerships.

 

We are delighted to invite you to view this special webinar presentation with Rodney Jackson and Rinzin Phunjok Lama.

In this webinar, Rodney Jackson – the first scientist to radio-collar snow leopards, will share milestones along his 45+year career dedicated to the research and conservation of this seldom seen big cat. Much of Rodney’s pioneering work was undertaken before the introduction of PC computers, hand-held GPS devices, or smart phones and without benefit of walkie-talkies or digital cameras. His study area in Western Nepal was only reachable via a 12-day or more trek over arduous, dangerous trails, with all supplies, food and equipment for the 3–6-month field session portered in by local people or more rarely on yaks. Rodney and his team rarely saw snow leopards but nevertheless were able to gather extensive information on snow leopard behavior, movements and habitat selection using telemetry and tracking social sign-posts along travel lanes favored by male and female snow leopards alike.

From this seminal study, Rodney will share his work training Protected Area rangers in Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and Mongolia using sign transects (SLIMS) to conducting the first camera trap and non-invasive studies, pioneering community-driven conservation and wildlife-livestock conflict mitigation to working with Traditional Cultural Elders, shamans and educators in Central Asia. Over the past few decades, he has focused on mentoring the next generation of conservationists.  

Rodney and Rinzin will then discuss how studies of snow leopards and their prey have changed from the “muddy boots” days of the 1970s-1990’s to involve closer and more interactive exchanges with local communities for resolving human-wildlife conflict, address climate change and laying basic framework for empowering local people to become increasingly effective as citizen scientists and front-line guardians of the snow leopard, its mountain biodiversity and their own environment. While key questions remain, like “how many snow leopards are there?”, the need for more strategic conservation action to address many growing threats remains. Indeed, the future of snow leopards’ rests with the current generation of biologists, ecologists and social scientists — men and women working in tandem with local people (especially pastoralists and herders) and government rather than being heavily driven by academia.


 

New Article to the Bibliography

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

Title: Decades of leopard coexistence in the Himalayas driven by ecological dynamics, not climate change

Author: Singh, P. B., Saud, P., Aryal, P. C., Rai, P., Muntifering, J. R., Hu, H., Karki, A., Hu, Y., Mainali, K. P.

Abstract: The interaction between two predators in overlapping habitats with distinct habitat requirements poses critical challenges for conservation and management strategies. This study explores the ecological dynamics and coexistence of common leopards (Panthera pardus) and snow leopards (Panthera uncia) in the Himalayan regions, explicitly focusing on their spatial and temporal distribution as well as factors influencing their habitat overlap. Utilizing historical accounts dating back to the 1950s and our winter sighting data from trail cameras from 2016 to 2023 in the trans-Himalayan part of Annapurna Conservation Area of Nepal (3100–4696 m), we provide substantial evidence of the common leopard’s established residency at high altitudes traditionally associated with snow leopards. This challenges the notion that the co-occurrence of these species is a recent phenomenon attributable to climate change. Instead, our findings suggest a long-term adaptation of common leopards to high-altitude environments, demonstrated by their ability to survive and breed in cold temperatures as low as − 18◦C. We show that the likelihood of co-occurrence of the two leopard species increases with proximity to open forest canopy, farmland and greater distances from snowline. In contrast, steep terrain negatively impacted the likelihood of co-occurrence, highlighting the snow leopard’s specialized adaptations to rugged landscapes. Our analysis reveals a considerable overlap between common and snow leopards in sub-alpine mixed forest and alpine scrub. This overlap extends to dietary habits along the altitudinal range, with both species preying on similar wild and domestic animals, highlighting the potential for interspecies competition, especially during the winter months when prey availability decreases.

URL: https://snowleopardnetwork.org/b/show.php?record=1780

Two leopards, One Landscape: Patterns of Coexistence in the Trans-Himalayan Region, Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal

 

SLN invites you to this webinar presentation that delves into the ecological coexistence of two apex predators—the snow leopard (Panthera uncia) and the common leopard (Panthera pardus)—within the trans-Himalayan region of Nepal. Drawing from a combination of historical accounts dating back to the 1950s and extensive winter camera trap data collected between 2016 and 2023 in the Annapurna Conservation Area (elevations 3,100–4,696 m), the study challenges conventional assumptions about the recent appearance of common leopards at high altitudes being solely a result of climate change.

Instead, the findings reveal a long-standing adaptation of common leopards to high-altitude environments, including successful foraging and breeding in extreme winter conditions with temperatures as low as -18°C. Spatial analysis indicates that the likelihood of species co-occurrence increases in areas near open forest canopies and farmland, and decreases with proximity to snowline and steeper terrain—underscoring the snow leopard’s affinity for rugged landscapes.

By examining spatial, temporal, and ecological interactions, this presentation provides a deeper understanding of the factors enabling the coexistence of these two charismatic felids and offers valuable guidance for future conservation planning in the high Himalayas.

SLN Special Webinar Presentation – Forty-eight Years Among the Snow Leopards of Central and South Asia: from the first telemetry study to mobilizing communities and fostering multisectoral partnerships.

 

We are delighted to invite you to join us for this special webinar presentation with Rodney Jackson and Rinzin Phunjok Lama.

About the Talk:

In this webinar, Rodney Jackson – the first scientist to radio-collar snow leopards, will share milestones along his 45+year career dedicated to the research and conservation of this seldom seen big cat. Much of Rodney’s pioneering work was undertaken before the introduction of PC computers, hand-held GPS devices, or smart phones and without benefit of walkie-talkies or digital cameras. His study area in Western Nepal was only reachable via a 12-day or more trek over arduous, dangerous trails, with all supplies, food and equipment for the 3–6-month field session portered in by local people or more rarely on yaks. Rodney and his team rarely saw snow leopards but nevertheless were able to gather extensive information on snow leopard behavior, movements and habitat selection using telemetry and tracking social sign-posts along travel lanes favored by male and female snow leopards alike.

 

 

 

From this seminal study, Rodney will share his work training Protected Area rangers in Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and Mongolia using sign transects (SLIMS) to conducting the first camera trap and non-invasive studies, pioneering community-driven conservation and wildlife-livestock conflict mitigation to working with Traditional Cultural Elders, shamans and educators in Central Asia. Over the past few decades, he has focused on mentoring the next generation of conservationists.  

 

 

 

Rodney and Rinzin will then discuss how studies of snow leopards and their prey have changed from the “muddy boots” days of the 1970s-1990’s to involve closer and more interactive exchanges with local communities for resolving human-wildlife conflict, address climate change and laying basic framework for empowering local people to become increasingly effective as citizen scientists and front-line guardians of the snow leopard, its mountain biodiversity and their own environment. While key questions remain, like “how many snow leopards are there?”, the need for more strategic conservation action to address many growing threats remains. Indeed, the future of snow leopards’ rests with the current generation of biologists, ecologists and social scientists — men and women working in tandem with local people (especially pastoralists and herders) and government rather than being heavily driven by academia.

 

About our Speaker:

Dr. Rodney Jackson was born in South Africa and grew up in Southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. In 1968 he came to the US to obtain his master’s degree from UC Berkeley, and upon graduating he started his career as an independent wildlife and land management consultant in California and eastern Africa. In 1981 he received the Rolex Award for Enterprise that enabled his pioneering radio-tracking study of snow leopards in the remote mountains of the Nepalese Himalaya. This four-year study led to a National Geographic cover story in 1986 and his PhD in 1996 from the University of London.

Rodney is widely acknowledged as a leading world expert on snow leopards and their high-mountain ecosystem. A founder member of the International Snow leopard Trust, in 2000 he and his wife Darla Hillard launched the Snow Leopard Project which evolved into the Snow Leopard Conservancy (SLC) based on his 40+ years’ experience gained in working closely with rural herders and farmers whose lives are directly impacted when snow leopards’ prey upon their livestock. In 2003 Rodney and Darla established the SLC – India Trust, now an independent NGO based in Ladakh, India.

Rodney prepared the original snow leopard section for the IUCN-World Conservation Union’s Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan for Cats published in 1996. He is a long-time member of IUCN’s Cat Specialist Core Group and served on the Snow Leopard Network Steering Committee between 2003 and 2008. Rodney led the standardization of snow leopard field survey methods across the twelve snow leopard host countries, known as the Snow Leopard Information Management System (SLIMS). Working with partner agencies, he has trained biologists in survey and conservation methods for parks and nature reserves in China, Pakistan, Mongolia, Nepal, Bhutan, and India. SLIMS has since been superseded by advancements in camera trapping and genetic technology for surveying snow leopard populations. Rodney has served as a consultant to the World Bank on a GEF protected areas project in Pakistan, and to the UNDP for a GEF Biodiversity Conservation Project in Upper Mustang Project in Nepal. He assisted ACTED, to develop community-based wildlife initiatives in Tajikistan centered around snow leopards and Marco Polo sheep, funded by UNESCO, along with providing technical support for transboundary and wildlife management for the Makalu-Barun National Park (Nepal)i, the Qomolangma National Nature Preserve (Tibet, China) and four protected areas in Pakistan.

Rodney has contributed to numerous scientific peer-reviewed papers and general interest publications targeting administrators and the general public.  He is an Honorary Fellow of the California Academy of Sciences and a five-time finalist for the Indianapolis Prize, among the world’s most prestigious and largest individual award for animal conservation. He numerous presentations have reached audiences across America to Britain, South Africa, Australia and Nepal. 

Rodney retired as SLC’s Executive Director in 2022, although currently serving as President of its Board of Directors, while also devoting his time mentoring the next generation of promising range-country conservationists and of course keeping his hand in special projects (including using drones for enumerate prey species in Mongolia).

About our Facilitator:

Rinzin Phunjok Lama is an internationally recognized conservationist from Humla, Nepal. He holds a BSc in Forestry from Tribhuvan University, Institute of Forestry, Pokhara, and a Master’s degree in International Nature Conservation jointly from the University of Göttingen, Germany, and Lincoln University, New Zealand. Rinzin currently leads UKALI, a community-led initiative focused on trans-Himalayan biodiversity conservation in Nepal, with emphasis on his native Upper Karnali region.

Since 2014, Rinzin has been actively involved in high-altitude wildlife research and conservation, contributing numerous peer-reviewed publications. His leadership and dedication have earned him several prestigious accolades, including the WWF Nepal Conservation Award (2020), the prestigious Rolex Award for Enterprise (2021), and recognition as one of Time magazine’s Next Generation Leaders (2022). In 2024, he received the Future for Nature Award and the National Geographic Wayfinder Award, and was named among OnlineKhabar’s “40 Under 40” most influential youths in Nepal.)

 

Date/Time:

Thursday, 10th July at 09:15 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

 

 

 

 

 

 

SLN Webinar: Two leopards, One Landscape: Patterns of Coexistence in the Trans-Himalayan Region, Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal

 

About the Talk:

SLN invites you to our upcoming webinar presentation that delves into the ecological coexistence of two apex predators—the snow leopard (Panthera uncia) and the common leopard (Panthera pardus)—within the trans-Himalayan region of Nepal. Drawing from a combination of historical accounts dating back to the 1950s and extensive winter camera trap data collected between 2016 and 2023 in the Annapurna Conservation Area (elevations 3,100–4,696 m), the study challenges conventional assumptions about the recent appearance of common leopards at high altitudes being solely a result of climate change.

Instead, the findings reveal a long-standing adaptation of common leopards to high-altitude environments, including successful foraging and breeding in extreme winter conditions with temperatures as low as -18°C. Spatial analysis indicates that the likelihood of species co-occurrence increases in areas near open forest canopies and farmland, and decreases with proximity to snowline and steeper terrain—underscoring the snow leopard’s affinity for rugged landscapes.

By examining spatial, temporal, and ecological interactions, this presentation provides a deeper understanding of the factors enabling the coexistence of these two charismatic felids and offers valuable guidance for future conservation planning in the high Himalayas.

About our Presenter:

Dr. Paras Bikram Singh is a conservation ecologist from Nepal with a PhD in Ecology from the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He worked for six years in the Annapurna Conservation Area (ACA) as a conservation officer. During his PhD and time with ACA, Paras carried out extensive field research in the Himalayas, focusing particularly on Himalayan musk deer and large carnivores such as the snow leopard. Paras is currently the Director of BIOCOS Nepal (www.biocosnepal.org.np), an organization dedicated to biodiversity conservation. His approach combines scientific research with community-based conservation initiatives aimed at protecting threatened species. Paras’s work has significantly contributed to understanding species distribution, habitat use, and coexistence dynamics in the Annapurna Himalayan region of Nepal. He has authored over 35 peer-reviewed publications and remains actively involved in local conservation outreach. At BIOCOS, the current focus of research and conservation programs is on common leopards, snow leopards, red pandas, musk deer, and Nepal’s pheasants.

About our Facilitator:

 

Pawan Rai holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Science and has been working with BIOCOS Nepal since 2023. With a strong interest in ecology, he is actively engaged in wildlife research across Nepal, focusing on both ecological patterns and conservation challenges. His work emphasizes community-based conservation approaches that integrate local knowledge and participation. In addition to his field expertise, Pawan has a good background in GIS and remote sensing, which he effectively applies in spatial analysis and habitat mapping. He is also skilled in designing and managing conservation programs that are scientifically sound and socially inclusive. 

Date/Time:

Monday, 30th June at 14:30 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: Exploring sustainability in trophy hunting practices at Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve, Nepal: A balancing act?

Author: Thapa, K., Shreesh, I. K., Magar, K. T.

Abstract: Since 1987, trophy hunting of blue sheep has been operated in the Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve in western Nepal to maintain mountain ecosystem balance. We assessed the impacts of these practices by analyzing ecological, socioeconomical, and cultural variables, including the demographic structure of the blue sheep population, income from trophy hunting, management costs, and a perception survey with 293 respondents through semi-structured interviews. The blue sheep population has significantly declined from 2,593 in 1979 to 1,290 in 2021. The young-to-female recruitment ratio also dropped sharply from 83 to 37, and the male-to-female ratio decreased from 129 to 91, indicating a dramatic population decline over 30 years. The average annual management cost for DHR showed a deficit of $322,508 compared to trophy hunting earnings over six fiscal years 2017/18 to 2022/23. Indigenous peoples and local communities practice agropastoral economies, relying on natural resources for about 75 % of their subsistence, with only 25 % coming from
overseas remittances and market enterprises. More than 90 % felt they had not benefited from trophy hunting sharing initiatives, and 75 % to 80 % expressed distrust in the blue sheep population counts, opposing current trophy hunting practices. Additionally, 69 % rejected the proposed buffer zone, while 90 % advocated for reviving customary practices over current conservation methods. In conclusion, the existing trophy hunting practices in DHR are unsustainable from ecological, socioeconomical, and cultural perspectives, threatening the entire ecosystem if left unchanged. Urgent research on predator–prey dynamics, pasture carrying capacity, and interactions among indigenous communities is needed. A major overhaul of current conservation strategies and the revitalization of customary practices are essential for ensuring the long-term sustainability of trophy hunting and restoring trust with Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities.

URL: https://snowleopardnetwork.org/b/show.php?record=1779

First Large-scale Assessment of Snow Leopard Population in China: Case in Sanjiangyuan Region

 

This work unveils China’s first large-scale assessment of snow leopard populations, focusing on the Sanjiangyuan region, spanning over 360,000 km2. By integrating and standardizing seven years of camera trap data (2015–2021) from 12 sites across four organizations, we obtained a population estimation of 1,002 snow leopards (755–1,341) in Sanjiangyuan, with a density of 0.90 individuals per 100 km². These findings not only highlight Sanjiangyuan’s role as a global conservation priority but also demonstrate a scalable framework for synthesizing existing data to estimate elusive species population.


 

SLN Webinar:First Large-scale Assessment of Snow Leopard Population in China: Case in Sanjiangyuan Region

 

SLN invites you to join us for our upcoming webinar and is delighted to welcome Li Xueyang (Our Speaker) and Wei Chunyue (Our Facilitator).

About the Talk:

This work unveils China’s first large-scale assessment of snow leopard populations, focusing on the Sanjiangyuan region, spanning over 360,000 km2. By integrating and standardizing seven years of camera trap data (2015–2021) from 12 sites across four organizations, we obtained a population estimation of 1,002 snow leopards (755–1,341) in Sanjiangyuan, with a density of 0.90 individuals per 100 km². These findings not only highlight Sanjiangyuan’s role as a global conservation priority but also demonstrate a scalable framework for synthesizing existing data to estimate elusive species population.

About our Speaker:

 

Li Xueyang is a Scientific Consultant at Shan Shui Conservation Center, China, and a postdoctoral researcher at Peking University. Since 2017, Li has focused on large carnivores on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, starting her research from snow leopard population. Her PhD focused on the interspecific relationship between sympatric snow leopards and common leopards. She is now focusing on snow leopard initiatives in Shan Shui and managing the camera trap database.

 

 

About our Facilitator:

 

Wei Chunyue starts her journey in wildlife conservation from camera trap data processing and analysis working with Shan Shui Conservation Center. She then participated in snow leopard monitoring and conservation work on the Tibetan Plateau and Southeast Tibet. Chunyue is now dedicated to exploring the potential of other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) in China. Chunyue holds a BSc. In Environmental Engineering from Tsinghua University and a MSc. In Environmental Engineering from Stanford University.

 

Date/Time:

Thursday, 22nd May at 15:00 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