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Author Sharma, R. url 
  Title Of Men and Mountain Ghosts: Glimpses from the Rooftop of the World Type Magazine Article
  Year 2010 Publication GEO Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 3 Issue 6 Pages 56-67  
  Keywords snow leopard, camera trap, Spiti, India, Sharma  
  Abstract (up) Catching a glimpse of a snow leopard is a rare and exciting event for anyone. For researchers, hideen camera traps have become a vital tool in their work.  
  Address  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher GEO International Place of Publication India Editor  
  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rana @ Serial 1139  
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Author Alexander, J. S., Zhang, C., Shi, K., Riordan, P. url 
  Title A spotlight on snow leopard conservation in China Type Journal Article
  Year 2016 Publication Integrative Zoology Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue 11 Pages  
  Keywords China, conservation, Panthera uncia, research prioritization  
  Abstract (up) China holds the greatest proportion of the snow leopard’s (Panthera uncia) global range and is central to their conservation. The country is also undergoing unprecedented economic growth, which increases both the threats to the snow leopard and the opportunities for its conservation. In this paper we aim to review published literature (from 1950 to 2014) in English and Mandarin on snow leopard ecology and conservation in China in order to identify thematic and geographic research gaps and propose research priorities. We first retrieved all publish items that considered snow leopards in China (n = 106). We extracted from these papers 274 reports of snow leopard presence in China. We then reviewed a subset of papers (n = 33) of this literature, which specifically focused on snow leopard ecology and conservation within China. We introduced a thematic framework that allows a structured and comprehensive assessment of findings. This framework recognizes 4 critical and interrelated topics underpinning snow leopard ecology and conservation: habitat (distribution and protected area coverage); prey (distribution and abundance, predator–prey relationships); human interactions (hunting and trade, livestock interactions and conflicts); and the underlying policy context. Significant gains in knowledge as well as research gaps and priorities are discussed with reference to our framework. The modest quantity and limited scope of published research on the snow leopard in China calls for a continued and intensified effort to inform and support national conservation policies.  
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  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1442  
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Author Forrest, J. L.,Wikramanayake, E., Shrestha, R., Areendran, G., Gyeltshen, K., Maheshwari, A., Mazumdar, S., Naidoo, R., Thapa, G. J., Thapa, K. url 
  Title Conservation and climate change: Assessing the vulnerability of snow leopard habitat to treeline shift in the Himalaya Type Journal Article
  Year 2012 Publication Biological Conservation Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 150 Issue Pages 129-135  
  Keywords Snow leopard Climate adaptation Conservation planning Endangered species Climate change Himalaya  
  Abstract (up) Climate change is likely to affect the persistence of large, space-requiring species through habitat shifts,

loss, and fragmentation. Anthropogenic land and resource use changes related to climate change can also

impact the survival of wildlife. Thus, climate change has to be integrated into biodiversity conservation

plans. We developed a hybrid approach to climate-adaptive conservation landscape planning for snow

leopards in the Himalayan Mountains. We first mapped current snow leopard habitat using a mechanistic

approach that incorporated field-based data, and then combined it with a climate impact model using a

correlative approach. For the latter, we used statistical methods to test hypotheses about climatic drivers

of treeline in the Himalaya and its potential response to climate change under three IPCC greenhouse gas

emissions scenarios. We then assessed how change in treeline might affect the distribution of snow leopard

habitat. Results indicate that about 30% of snow leopard habitat in the Himalaya may be lost due to a

shifting treeline and consequent shrinking of the alpine zone, mostly along the southern edge of the range

and in river valleys. But, a considerable amount of snow leopard habitat and linkages are likely to remain

resilient to climate change, and these should be secured. This is because, as the area of snow leopard habitat

fragments and shrinks, threats such as livestock grazing, retaliatory killing, and medicinal plant collection

can intensify. We propose this approach for landscape conservation planning for other species

with extensive spatial requirements that can also be umbrella species for overall biodiversity.

 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
 
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1385  
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Author Li, J., Yin, H., Wang, D., Jiagong, Z., Lu, Zhi url 
  Title Human-snow leopard conflicts in the Sanjiangyuan Region of the Tibetan Plateau Type Journal Article
  Year 2013 Publication Biological Conservs Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue 166 Pages 118-123  
  Keywords Panthera uncia, Human-wildlife conflict, Traditional use, Livestock depredation, Economic value, Cultural image, Attitude  
  Abstract (up) Conflicts between humans and snow leopards are documented across much of their overlapping distribution

in Central Asia. These conflicts manifest themselves primarily in the form of livestock depredation

and the killing of snow leopards by local herders. This source of mortality to snow leopards is a key conservation concern. To investigate human-snow leopard conflicts in the Sanjiangyuan Region of the Tibetan Plateau, we conducted household interviews about local herders’ traditional use of snow leopard

parts, livestock depredation, and overall attitudes towards snow leopards. We found most respondents

(58%) knew that snow leopard parts had been used for traditional customs in the past, but they claimed

not in the past two or three decades. It may be partly due to the issuing of the Protection of Wildlife Law

in 1998 by the People’s Republic of China. Total livestock losses were damaging (US$ 6193 per household

in the past 1 year), however snow leopards were blamed by herders for only a small proportion of those

losses (10%), as compared to wolves (45%) and disease (42%). Correspondingly, the cultural images of

snow leopards were neutral (78%) and positive (9%) on the whole. It seems that human-snow leopard

conflict is not intense in this area. However, snow leopards could be implicated by the retaliatory killing

of wolves. We recommend a multi-pronged conservation program that includes compensation, insurance

programs, and training local veterinarians to reduce livestock losses.
 
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  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1399  
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Author Ferretti, F., Lovari, S., Minder, I., Pellizzi, B. url 
  Title Recovery of the snow leopard in Sagarmatha (Mt.Everest) National Park: effects on main prey Type Journal Article
  Year 2014 Publication European Journal of Wildlife Research Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue 60 Pages 559-562  
  Keywords Predator–prey relationships . Small populations . Snow leopard . Himalayan tahr  
  Abstract (up) Consequences of predation may be particularly

heavy on small populations of herbivores, especially if they

are threatened with extinction. Over the 2006–2010 period, we

documented the effects of the spontaneous return of the endangered

snow leopard on the population of the vulnerable

Himalayan tahr. The study area was an area of central

Himalaya where this cat disappeared c. 40 years before, because

of persecution by man. Snow leopards occurred mainly

in areas close to the core area of tahr distribution. Tahr was the

staple (56.3 %) of snow leopards. After the arrival of this cat,

tahr decreased by more than 2/3 from 2003 to 2010 (mainly

through predation on kids). Subsequently, the density of snow

leopards decreased by 60%from2007 to 2010. The main prey

of snow leopards in Asia (bharal, marmots) were absent in our

study area, forcing snow leopards to specialize on tahr. The

restoration of a complete prey spectrum should be favoured

through reintroductions, to conserve large carnivores and to

reduce exploitation of small populations of herbivores, especially

if threatened.
 
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  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1408  
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Author Johansson, O., Rauset, G. R., Samelius, G., McCarthy, T., Andren, H., Tumursukh, L., Mishra, C. url 
  Title Land sharing is essential for snow leopard conservation Type Journal Article
  Year 2016 Publication Biological Conservation Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue 203 Pages 1-7  
  Keywords Home range, LoCoH, Mongolia, Panthera uncial, Protected areas, Land sparing  
  Abstract (up) Conserving large carnivores in an increasingly crowded planet raises difficult challenges. A recurring debate is whether large carnivores can be conserved in human used landscapes (land sharing) or whether they require specially designated areas (land sparing). Here we show that 40% of the 170 protected areas in the global range of the snow leopard (Panthera uncia) are smaller than the home range of a single adult male and only 4– 13% are large enough for a 90% probability of containing 15 or more adult females. We used data from 16 snow leopards equipped with GPS collars in the Tost Mountains of South Gobi, Mongolia, to calculate home range size and overlap using three different estimators: minimum convex polygons (MCP), kernel utility distributions (Kernel), and local convex hulls (LoCoH). Local convex hull home ranges were smaller and included lower proportions of unused habitats compared to home ranges based on minimum convex polygons and Kernels. Intra-sexual home range overlapwas low, especially for adult males, suggesting that snowleopards are territorial. Mean home range size based on the LoCoH estimates was 207 km2 ± 63 SD for adult males and 124 km2 ± 41 SD for adult females. Our estimates were 6–44 times larger than earlier estimates based on VHF technology when comparing similar estimators, i.e. MCP. Our study illustrates that protected areas alone will not be able to conserve predatorswith large home ranges and conservationists and managers should not restrict their efforts to land sparing.  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1446  
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Author Mijiddorj, T. N., Alexander, J. S., Samelius, G. url  doi
  Title Livestock depredation by large carnivores in the South Gobi, Mongolia Type Journal Article
  Year 2018 Publication Wildlife Research Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages A-J  
  Keywords co-existence, livestock, pastoralism  
  Abstract (up) Context. Livestock depredation is a major conservation challenge around the world, causing considerable economical losses to pastoral communities and often result in retaliatory killing. In Mongolia, livestock depredation rates are thought to be increasing due to changes in pastoral practices and the transformation of wild habitats into pasture lands. Few studies have examined the interactions between humans and carnivores and even fewer have considered how recent changes in pastoral practices may affect depredation rates.

Aim. This study aimed to assess the influence of herding practices on self-reported livestock losses to snow leopards and wolves in two communities in South Gobi, Mongolia. Methods. In total, 144 herder households were interviewed and an information-theoretic approach was used to analyse the factors influencing self-reported livestock losses to snow leopards and wolves. Key results. The majority of self-reported losses to both snow leopards and wolves occurred when herds were left unattended in the pastures. The economic loss associated with livestock losses to snow leopards and wolves amounted to an average loss of US$825 per herder and year. The number of livestock owned by a household and the frequency of shifting campsite had the strongest influence on livestock losses to snow leopards and wolves. Other determinants of livestock losses included frequency of visiting the soum (county) centre. Implications. On the basis of the findings, we make recommendations for mitigating the conflict with large carnivores, with focus on guiding future herding practices.
 
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  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1469  
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Author Weiskopf, S. R., Kachel, S. M., McCarthy, K. P. url 
  Title What Are Snow Leopards Really Eating? Identifying Bias in Food-Habit Studies Type Journal Article
  Year 2016 Publication Wildlife Society Bulletin Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 1-8  
  Keywords diet, DNA genotyping, feces, Panthera uncia, scat, snow leopard. Lack of  
  Abstract (up) Declining prey populations are widely recognized as a primary threat to snow leopard (Panthera

uncia) populations throughout their range. Effective snow leopard conservation will depend upon reliable

knowledge of food habits. Unfortunately, past food-habit studies may be biased by inclusion of nontarget

species in fecal analysis, potentially misinforming managers about snow leopard prey requirements.

Differentiation between snow leopard and sympatric carnivore scat is now cost-effective and reliable using

genetics. We used fecal mitochondrial DNA sequencing to identify scat depositors and assessment bias in

snow leopard food-habit studies. We compared presumed, via field identification, and genetically confirmed

snow leopard scats collected during 2005 and 2012 from 4 sites in Central Asia, using standard forensic

microscopy to identify prey species. Field identification success varied across study sites, ranging from 21% to

64% genetically confirmed snow leopard scats. Our results confirm the importance of large ungulate prey for

snow leopards. Studies that fail to account for potentially commonplace misidentification of snow leopard

scat may mistakenly include a large percentage of scats originating from other carnivores and report

inaccurate dietary assessments. Relying on field identification of scats led to overestimation of percent

occurrence, biomass, and number of small mammals consumed, but underestimated values of these measures for large ungulates in snow leopard diet. This clarification suggests that the conservation value of secondary prey, such as marmots (Marmota spp.) and other small mammals, may be overstated in the literature; stable snow leopard populations are perhaps more reliant upon large ungulate prey than previously understood.
 
  Address  
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  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1445  
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Author Thapa, K., Pradhan, N, M, B., Barker, J., Dhakal, M., Bhandari, A, R., Gurung, G, S., Rai, D, P., Thapa, G, J., Shrestha, S., Singh, G, R. url 
  Title High elevation record of a leopard cat in the Kangchenjunga Conservation Area, Nepal Type Journal Article
  Year 2013 Publication Cat News Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue No 58 Pages 26-27  
  Keywords leopard cat, camera trapping survey, Nepal  
  Abstract (up) During a camera trapping survey in Khambachen valley of Kangchenjunga Conservation

Area KCA from 24 April to 26 May 2012 we camera trapped one leopard cat

Prionailurus bengalensis at an altitude of 4,474 meter. This is probably the highest

altitudinal record for the species in its range. Additionally, one melanistic leopard

Panthera pardus was captured at an altitude of 4,300 m, which is probably as well the

highest documented record in the country. Yet at this stage, no obvious reason can

explain these unusual high records for both species, thus more surveys are recommended

for this region.
 
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  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1394  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Mallon, D. url 
  Title Trophy Hunting of Cites-Listed Species in Central Asia Type Report
  Year 2013 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages  
  Keywords  
  Abstract (up) Executive Summary:

The report is part of a project aiming to strengthen capacities to implement CITES, especially in

Central Asia and to satisfy the CITES‐related requirements of trading partners, to prevent

overexploitation and to ensure legal international trade in wild fauna and flora does not exceed

sustainable levels. The objective is to enhance the policies and regulations concerning trophy

hunting in selected range States of the Argali Ovis ammon: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Russian

Federation, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and to provide a framework for the establishment of

sustainable hunting programmes that support conservation. This report is focused on the relevance

of trophy hunting for conservation and associated local livelihoods.

Sustainable use of biological diversity is an integral part of the Convention on Biodiversity (1992) and

is seen as a valuable tool in conserving biological diversity. The Addis Ababa Principles and Guidelines

(AAPG) set out the basis for sustainable use of natural resources. The IUCN SSC1 Guiding Principles on

Trophy Hunting as a Tool for Creating Conservation Incentives, and the European Charter on Hunting

and Biodiversity provide further guidance on the sustainability of trophy hunting, including on highly

threatened species. The International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) together

with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has also developed Best

Practice Guidelines for trophy hunting.

All five project countries are Parties to CITES, except Tajikistan, which has begun the accession

process. Argali are the focus of the trophy hunting in the region and they represent the most

expensive trophy in the five project countries. Other CITES‐listed hunting species are Brown Bear

Ursus arctos, Wolf Canis lupus, Musk Deer Moschus moschiferus, Eurasian Lynx Lynx lynx (all mainly

in Russia) and Houbara Bustard Chlamydotis undulata. Markhor Capra falconeri and Urial Ovis

orientalis have also been hunted at times but are not the object of regular trophy hunting

programmes at present. Other widely hunted species are not listed in the CITES Appendices.

A recent analysis by TRAFFIC of the CITES trade database showed that 10 245 hunting trophy items

from species listed in the CITES Appendices were exported from the project countries between 2000

and 2010. Almost all trophy items consisted of Argali, Brown Bear and Wolf. Most were exported

from Russia (9473 trophies), with smaller numbers from Tajikistan (705), Kyrgyzstan (668), and

Kazakhstan (126), and 13 from Uzbekistan.

In the region, wildlife is generally the property of the State, which awards rights to use it to

individuals or other entities. National legislation covering hunting and wildlife protection may refer

to sustainable use but this is undefined. The legal rights of local communities are also not generally

specified. FAO and CIC produced a review of national legislation that set out in detail the basic

principles of sustainable wildlife management laws (2008). One of the main findings was that

legislative frameworks in the region frequently consisted of different legal instruments that were not

always harmonized and sometimes overlapped. In some cases, there was also a lack of institutional

clarity, with overlapping jurisdictions among different agencies.

Poaching for meat and trophies or commercial products is a significant factor across the whole

region, negatively affecting all the main hunting species, as well as protected species. Wild

populations have been reduced, sometimes drastically so. Poaching of Argali and other mountain

ungulates may be carried out by military or border personnel and is not restricted to areas outside

formal nature reserves: indeed, law enforcement and protected area staff are sometimes complicit

in illegal hunting, driven in part by the very low salaries. There are numerous recent examples of

poaching and illegal trade in trophies of CITES‐listed species. The actual level of illegal off‐take is

unknown. Known cases may represent a very small fraction of the real total. The wildlife

conservation sector is under‐resourced across the region with a lack of funding, trained personnel,

transport and other equipment severely limiting the effectiveness of anti‐poaching efforts.

Memoranda of Understanding under the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS MoUs) and their

associated action plans for Saiga Saiga tatarica and Bukhara Deer Cervus elaphus bactrianus have

proven to be effective instruments in facilitating species recovery. A CMS Single Species Action Plan

for Argali is in preparation (Roettger & Singh, in prep) and will provide a framework for conservation.

Trophy hunting in the region is predominantly organized on a commercial basis. Community‐based

hunting initiatives in the region are in their infancy and face some legal and institutional obstacles.

There are however promising developments: for example, five community‐based NGOs in Tajikistan

are managing wildlife in legally assigned areas and three of them have hosted hunting clients (on

non‐CITES species). Well‐developed community‐based trophy hunting programmes operate in

Pakistan, targeted at Markhor Capra falconeri which is listed in CITES Appendix I, and in Namibia,

which is widely seen as a leader in such programmes, and while the specific conditions and sociopolitical

background of both differ in several ways from those in the region, they nonetheless

provide instructive guidance on the principles of successful community conservancy organization.

There is an extensive literature on trophy hunting, its potential to contribute to conservation of

biodiversity and local livelihoods, and the potential negative effects of selective harvesting on

species. The consensus view seems to be that selective harvest of trophy‐age males does not impact

negatively in the short term, if only a low proportion of the available trophy‐age individuals are

harvested, but uncontrolled harvest can lead to a decline in horn size and thus trophy quality, as well

as have negative demographic effects. Trophy hunting programmes raise substantial revenues in

some African countries, and in the best cases significant sums are received at community or

conservancy level. However, this is not universally the case and inequitable benefit sharing remains

a major challenge to be overcome. Good governance is an essential requirement when developing

hunting and other forms of community based management initiative.

A possible decline in size of Argali trophies in Kyrgyzstan has been reported and determining

whether this is actually the case, and the causes, is a priority. Standardized monitoring, involvement

of independent experts, transparency in quota setting and allocation of licences are all seen as

prerequisites of well‐managed and sustainable hunting operations. Allocation of long‐term leases for

concessions is needed to motivate managers to invest in anti‐poaching and other conservation

measures and remove the temptation for short‐term profit that threatens the sustainability of the

resource.

Developing all forms of Community‐based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) – trophy hunting

and tourism – is also recommended. As the concept is still new to many parts of the region, and the

legal‐political background is not always sympathetic, building on examples of existing community

conservancies (in Tajikistan) or where there is an administrative basis for local management of

resources (Kyrgyzstan), is likely to be effective. Ensuring that communities and conservancies are

legally empowered to manage and utilise wildlife and to receive revenues for such use is a basic

requirement.

Recommendations on good practice are set out in several publications and salient points relevant to the region are highlighted.
 
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  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1415  
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