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Author Mongolian Biosphere & Ecology Association
Title Mongolian Biosphere & Ecology Association Report March 2010 Type Manuscript
Year 2010 Publication Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages
Keywords nature; tourism; surveys; survey; snow; snow leopards; snow leopard; snow-leopards; snow-leopard; leopards; leopard; attack; domestic; Animals; Animal; illegal; illegal hunting; hunting; territory; province; 2010; hunt; 1990; movements; movement; pasture; desert; number; species; birds; river; mountain; hunters; hunter; recent; government; structure; management; national; central; people; Report; gobi; Gobi Desert; reproduction; Adult; meat; food; ibex; wild; wild sheep; sheep; marmot; nutrition; schools; population; use; local; big; big game; big-game; game; 310; mountains; wolves; wolf; Seasons; times; zones; global; Mongolia; 40; history; ecology
Abstract (up) In accordance with order of the Ministry of Nature and Tourism,

zoologists of our association have made surveys in three ways such as

reasons why snow leopards attack domestic animals, “Snow leopard” trial

operation to count them and illegal hunting in territories of Khovd,

Gobi-Altai, Bayankhongor, Uvurkhangai and Umnugobi provinces from

September 2009 to January 2010. As result of these surveys it has made

the following conclusions in the followings: Reason to hunt them illegally: the principal reason is that

administrative units have been increased and territories of

administrative units have been diminished. There have been four

provinces in 1924 to 1926, 18 since 1965, 21 since 1990. Such situation

limits movements of herdsmen completely and pastures digressed much than

ever before. As result of such situation, 70% of pastures become desert.

Such digression caused not only heads of animals and also number of

species. Guarantee is that birds such as owls, cuckoo, willow grouse in

banks of Uyert river, Burkhanbuudai mountain, located in Biger soum,

Gobi-Altai province, which are not hunted by hunters, are disappearing

in the recent two decades. For that reason we consider it is urgently

necessary for the government to convert administrative unit structures

into four provinces. This would influence herdsmen moving across

hundreds km and pastures could depart from digression.

Second reason: cooperative movement won. The issues related to management and strengthening of national

cooperatives, considered by Central Committee of Mongolian People's

Revolutionary Party in the meeting in March 1953 was the start of

cooperatives' movement. Consideration by Yu. Tsedenbal, chairman of

Ministers Council, chairman of the MPRP, on report “Result of to unify

popular units and some important issues to maintain entity management of

agricultural cooperatives” in the fourth meeting by the Central

Committee of Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party /MPRP/ on December

16-17, 1959, proclaimed complete victory of cooperative. At the end of

1959, it could unify 767 small cooperative into 389 ones, unify 99.3 %

of herdsmen and socialize 73.3 % of animals. The remaining of animals

amount 6 million 163 thousands animals, and equals to 26.7% of total

animals. This concerned number of animals related to the article

mentioned that every family should have not more that 50 animals in

Khangai zone and not more 75 animals in Gobi desert. It shows that such

number could not satisfy needs of family if such number is divided into

five main animals in separating with reproduction animals and adult

animals. So herdsmen started hunt hoofed animals secretly and illegally

in order to satisfy their meat needs. Those animals included main food

of snow leopard such as ibex, wild sheep, and marmot. Third reason is that the state used to hunt ibex, which are main

nutrition of snow leopards, every year. The administrative unit of the

soum pursued policy to hunt ibex in order to provide meat needs of

secondary schools and hospitals. That's why this affected decrease of

ibex population. Preciously from 1986 to 1990 the permissions to hunt

one thousands of wild sheep and two thousands of ibexes were hunt for

domestic alimentary use every year. Not less than 10 local hunters of every soum used to take part in big

game of ibexes. Also they hunted many ibexes, chose 3-10 best ibexes and

hid them in the mountains for their consummation during hunting.

Fourth reason: hunting of wolves. Until 1990 the state used to give

prizes to hunter, who killed a wolf in any seasons of the year. Firstly

it offered a sheep for the wolf hunter and later it gave 25 tugrugs /15

USD/. Every year, wolf hunting was organized several times especially

picking wolf-cubs influenced spread and population of wolves. So snow

leopard came to the places where wolves survived before and attack

domestic animals. Such situation continued until 1990. Now population of

ibexes has decreased than before 1990 since the state stopped hunting

wolves, population of wolves increased in mountainous zones. We didn't

consider it had been right since it was natural event. However

population of ibexes decreased. Fifth reason: Global warming. In recent five years it has had a drought

and natural disaster from excessive snow in the places where it has

never had such natural disasters before. But Mongolia has 40 million

heads of domestic animals it has never increased like such quantity in

its history before. We consider it is not incorrect that decrease of

domestic animals could give opportunities to raise population of wild

animals. Our next survey is to make attempt to fix heads of snow leopards

correctly with low costs.
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Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
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ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number SLN @ rana @ 1100 Serial 705
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Author Thapa, K., Rayamajhi, S.
Title Anti-predator strategies of blue sheep (naur) under varied predator compositions: a comparison of snow leopard-inhabited valleys with and without wolves in Nepal Type Journal Article
Year 2023 Publication Wildlife Research Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages 1-9
Keywords Annapurna conservation area, antipredator behavior, blue sheep (Naur), predation, prey predator traits, snow leopard, trade-off, wolf.
Abstract (up) In Nepal, naur are usually the staple wild prey for the snow leopard, a solitary stalker hunter, and in some cases, for the wolf who hunts in a pack. We assumed that naur would adapt their anti-predatory responses to the presence of chasing and ambushing predators in the Manang Valley, where there are snow leopards and wolves, and in the Nar Phu valley, an area where there is only the snow leopard.

Aims. The aim of this study was to determine if there were differences in anti-predator strategies (vigilance, habitat selection and escape terrain) of naur in two valleys over two seasons, spring and autumn.

Methods. In spring 2019, we conducted a reconnaissance survey on the status of the naur and its habitat in the Manang and Nar Phu valleys of the Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal. In spring and autumn 2020 and 2021, we observed 360 focal naur individuals (180 individuals in each valley), using the vigilance behaviour methodology to examine the behaviour of the naur.

Key results. There was little difference in the size of the naur groups between the Manang and Nar Phu valleys. The naur were twice as vigilant in Manang (15%), where there are snow leopards and wolves, as they were in Nar Phu (9%), with only snow leopards. The distance from the naur to escape cover was significantly shorter in Manang than in Nar Phu valley. Naur used significantly more rolling terrain in Nar Phu than in Manang. Conclusions. The return of wolves to the Manang valley may have resulted in an increase in the level of naur vigilance. Most likely, the wolves in Manang have already had an effect on the female-to-young-ratio, and this effect will possibly have important consequences for the naur population, as well as at the ecosystem level in the future. Other key determining factors, such as the climate crisis and changes in local resources, could have a significant impact on the naur population, indicating the need for more research. Implications. The findings of this study would provide valuable baseline information for the design of a science-based conservation strategy for conservation managers and scientists on naur, snow leopards and wolves.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1732
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Author Shrestha, R.; Wegge, P.
Title Habitat relationships between wild and domestic herbivores in Nepalese trans – Himalaya Type Journal Article
Year 2008 Publication Journal of Arid Environments Abbreviated Journal
Volume 72 Issue Pages 914-925
Keywords blue sheep; Competition; domestic; habitat partitioning; naur; Nepal; pastoralism; pseudois nayaur; trans-himalaya
Abstract (up) In the semi-arid ecosystems of Asia, where pastoralism is a main subsistence occupation, grazing competition from domestic stock is believed to displace the wild ungulates. We studied the habitat relationships among sympatric naur and domestic yak and smallstock in Phu valley in upper Manang district, Nepal, on the basis of their distribution on vegetation types, elevation and slope. To control for the disturbance effect by humans, we collected the data on naur from those ranges where domestic stock were not being attended by herders. We applied correspondence analysis to explore habitat associations among animal groups (n ¬ 1415) within and across-seasons. Within each association, interspecific habitat overlaps and species habitat preferences were calculated. Naur was strongly associated with free-ranging yak as they used similar altitudinal ranges in all seasons, except in spring. Their distributions on vegetation types and slopes were also quite similar, except for a stronger preference for alpine meadows by naur during summer and winter. Naur and smallstock did not form temporal associations as the latter consistently used lower elevations. In autumn and spring, however, naur spatially overlapped with the summer range of smallstock, and both preferred the alpine meadow habitat during these periods. Alpine meadow was the least abundant vegetation type but was consistently and preferentially used by all animal groups across seasons. At high stocking densities, all three animals groups are therefore likely to compete for this vegetation type. The role of spatio-temporal heterogeneity for interpreting the interspecific relationships among ungulates in the semi-arid rangelands of the trans-Himalaya is discussed.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number SLN @ rana @ 937 Serial 891
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Author Thapa, K., Schmitt, N., Pradhan, N. M. B., Acharya, H. R., Rayamajhi, S.
Title No silver bullet? Snow leopard prey selection in Mt. Kangchenjunga, Nepal Type Journal Article
Year 2021 Publication Ecology and Evolution Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages 1-13
Keywords blue sheep, common leopard, fecal, genetic analysis, snow leopard, wolf, yak
Abstract (up) In this study, we investigated the impact of domestic and wild prey availability on snow leopard prey preference in the Kangchenjunga Conservation Area of eastern Nepal-a region where small domestic livestock are absent and small wild ungulate prey are present. We took a comprehensive approach that combined fecal genetic sampling, macro- and microscopic analyses of snow leopard diets, and direct observation of blue sheep and livestock in the KCA. Out of the collected 88 putative snow leopard scat samples from 140 transects (290km) in 27 (4x4km2) sampling grid cells, 73 (83%) were confirmed to be from snow leopard. The genetic analysis accounted for 19 individual snow leopards (10 males and 9 females), with a mean population size estimate of 24 (95% CI: 19-29) and an average density of 3.9 snow leopards/100km2 within 609km2. The total available prey biomass of blue sheep and yak was estimated at 355,236 kg (505 kg yak/km2 and 78kg blue sheep/km2). From the available prey biomass, we estimated snow leopards consumed 7% annually, which comprised wild prey (49%), domestic livestock (45%). and 6% unidentified items. the estimated 47,736 kg blue sheep biomass gives a snow leopard-to-blue sheep ratio of 1:59 on a weight basis. The high preference of snow leopard to domestic livestock appears to be influenced by a much smaller available biomass of wild prey then in other regions of Nepal (e.g., 78kg/km2 in the KCA compared with a range of 200-300 kg/km2 in other regions of Nepal?. Along with livestock insurance scheme improvement, there needs to be a focus on improved livestock guarding, predator-proof corrals as well as engaging and educating local people to be citizen scientists on the importance of snow leopard conservation, involving them in long-term monitoring programs and promotion of ecotourism.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1665
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Author Bobrinskiy N.A.
Title Mountains of Central Asia Type Miscellaneous
Year 1967 Publication Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages 296-321
Keywords Middle Asia; mountain; tien shan; Pamir; Hissar ridge; Turkestan ridge; Kopet-Dag ridge; Animals; plants; Issyk-Kul lake; Sary-Chelek; spiders; birds; lizards; marmots; wild sheep; ibex; snow leopard.; 6330; Russian
Abstract (up) It provides a zoogeographical description of Central Asia mountains: Tien Shan (west and east), Pamir, the Turkestan and Hissar ridges, and ruinous mountains in Kyzylkum. Distribution of various animal species over the area under study is described. Data concerning Central Asia sheep, ibex, and snow leopard in the alpine meadow zone, and data concerning the otter (in the Tupalang river basin) and grey partridge is presented. The author noted that generally fauna of Tien Shan, Hissar, and Pamir is similar to that of Inner Asia. The other type of fauna more similar to that of Transcaucasia is typical for Kopet-Dag.
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Notes Full text available in RussianJournal Title: Fauna and nature of the USSR. Approved no
Call Number SLN @ rana @ 611 Serial 180
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Author Khatiwada, J.R. & Chalise, M.K.
Title Status of snow leopard and conflict perception in Kangchenjunga Conservation Area, Eastern Nepal Type Journal Article
Year 2006 Publication Nepalese Journal of Zoology Abbreviated Journal
Volume 1 Issue 1 Pages 1-8
Keywords Uncia uncia, Kangchenjunga Conservation Area, livestock depredation, blue sheep
Abstract (up) Kangchenjunga Conservation Area (KCA) is situated in the Taplejung district at the north-eastern region of Nepal. Livestock keeping is the main activity of people for making a living amidst a conflict with snow leopard (Uncia uncia). Each year snow leopard kills a number of livestock resulting significant economic losses for the poor people living in this remote area. Unless the people – snow leopard conflicts is well understood and appropriate conflict management activities are implemented, the long run co-existence between people and snow leopard –especially the existence of snow leopard in this part of the world–will be in question. This has now become an utmost important as the aspiration of the people for economic development has risen significantly and the area has been open to tourism. Study was done by counting snow leopard signs walking systematically in total 18 snow leopard sign transects covering 18.01 km in length in three sites, i.e. Lonak, Khambachen and Dudhpokhari of the Conservation Area. The average sign density was 12.63/km. The livestock depredation by snow leopard for one year (2005-06) was studied by interviewing the herders to understand the responsible and specific bio-physical and economic factors. The study revealed that sub-adult yaks were mostly hunted by snow leopard. Cattle's' winter (December-April) pastures are most vulnerable sites for predation. Presence of bushes, forest and boulders and rugged mountain crevices make good hides for snow leopard. The study also showed that a lax animal guarding system was significantly responsible for high livestock depredation by snow leopard. Blue sheep was observed by walking in selected trails and from vantage points. A total of 354 individual sheep of different age and sex of 14 different herds were recorded during the study period. The study showed that improvement in livestock guarding system should be adopted as the most important activity. However despite the importance of livestock in the KCA it is still not well understood why the herders neglect for proper livestock guarding. Proper guarding system required in winter pastures to reduce the depredation pressure.
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Language English Summary Language Original Title
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Notes September Approved no
Call Number SLN @ rana @ Serial 1319
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Author Suryawanshi, K., K.
Title Sunshine and the Shadow Type Magazine Article
Year 2011 Publication Hornbill Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue April-June Pages 34-37
Keywords Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, India, snow leopard, sighting, observation, blue sheep, Pseudois nayaur
Abstract (up) Kulbhushansingh Suryawanshi shares an update on his blog which describes snow leopard sightings in Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, while studying the foraging behavior and eating habits of blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur).
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Notes Approved no
Call Number SLN @ rana @ Serial 1360
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Author Kohli, K., Sankaran, M., Suryawanshi, K. R., Mishra, C
Title A penny saved is a penny earned: lean season foraging strategy of an alpine ungulate Type Journal Article
Year 2014 Publication Animal Behaviour Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue 92 Pages 93-100
Keywords blue sheep, grazing, herbivore, mountain ungulate, optimal foraging, Pseudois nayaur, trans-Himalaya
Abstract (up) Lean season foraging strategies are critical for the survival of species inhabiting highly seasonal environments

such as alpine regions. However, inferring foraging strategies is often difficult because of

challenges associated with empirically estimating energetic costs and gains of foraging in the field. We

generated qualitative predictions for the relationship between daily winter foraging time, body size and

forage availability for three contrasting foraging strategies including time minimization, energy intake

maximization and net energy maximization. Our model predicts that for animals employing a time

minimization strategy, daily winter foraging time should not change with body size and should increase

with a reduction in forage availability. For energy intake maximization, foraging time should not vary

with either body size or forage availability. In contrast, for a net energy maximization strategy, foraging

time should decrease with increase in body size and with a reduction in forage availability. We contrasted

proportion of daily time spent foraging by bharal, Pseudois nayaur, a dimorphic grazer, across

different body size classes in two high-altitude sites differing in forage availability. Our results indicate

that bharal behave as net energy maximizers during winter. As predicted by the net energy maximization

strategy, daily winter foraging time of bharal declined with increasing body size, and was lower in the

site with low forage availability. Furthermore, as predicted by our model, foraging time declined as the

winter season progressed. We did not find support for the time minimizing or energy intake maximizing

strategies. Our qualitative model uses relative rather than absolute costs and gains of foraging which are

often difficult to estimate in the field. It thus offers a simple way to make informed inferences regarding

animal foraging strategies by contrasting estimates of daily foraging time across gradients of body size

and forage availability.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1409
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Author Namgail, T.
Title Interactions between argali and livestock, Gya-Miru Wildlife Sanctuary, Ladakh, India, Final Project Report Type Report
Year 2004 Publication Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages 1-39
Keywords Interactions; interaction; argali; livestock; Gya-Miru; wildlife; sanctuary; sanctuaries; Ladakh; India; project; Report; land-use; land use; region; indian; trans-himalaya; transhimalaya; economy; Animal; products; meat; diet; people; wool; goats; goat; International; High; recent; change; population; grazing; Pressure; pasture; impact; 2000; knowledge; primary; Chundawat; wild; area; Support; ungulate; species; fox; nature; domestic; sheep; habitat; habitat use; use; tibetan; Tibetan argali; ovis; Ovis ammon hodgsoni; ammon; reserve; international snow leopard trust; International-Snow-Leopard-Trust; snow; snow leopard; snow-leopard; leopard; trust; program
Abstract (up) Livestock production is the major land-use in Ladakh region of the Indian Trans-Himalaya, and is a crucial sector that drives the region's economy (Anon, 2002). Animal products like meat and milk provide protein to the diet of people, while products like wool and pashmina (soft fibre of goats) find their way to the international market. Such high utility of livestock and the recent socio-economic changes in the region have caused an increase in livestock population (Rawat and Adhikari, 2002; Anon. 2002), which, if continue apace, may increase grazing pressure and deteriorate pasture conditions. Thus, there is an urgent need to assess the impact of such escalation in livestock population on the regions wildlife. Although, competitive interaction between wildlife and livestock has been studied elsewhere in the Trans-Himalaya (Bhatnagar et al., 2000; Mishra, 2001; Bagchi et al., 2002), knowledge on this aspect in the Ladakh region is very rudimentary. The rangelands of Ladakh are characterised by low primary productivity (Chundawat & Rawat, 1994), and the wild herbivores are likely to compete with the burgeoning livestock on these impoverished rangelands (Mishra et al., 2002). Thus, given that the area supports a diverse wild ungulate assemblage of eight species (Fox et al., 1991b), and an increasing livestock population (Rawat and Adhikari, 2002), the nature of interaction between wildlife and livestock needs to be assessed. During this project, we primarily evaluated the influence of domestic sheep and goat grazing on the habitat use of Tibetan argali Ovis ammon hodgsoni in a prospective wildlife reserve in Ladakh.
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Notes Project funded by International Snow Leopard Trust Small Grants Program, 2003. Approved no
Call Number SLN @ rana @ 1073 Serial 711
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Author Gurung, Gand T.K.
Title Snow Leopard (Uncia uncia) and Human Interaction in Phoo Village in the Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal Type Miscellaneous
Year 2004 Publication Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages
Keywords phoo; annapurna conservation area; Nepal; livestock; human interaction; conflict management; yaks; goats; sheep; horse; corral; 5280
Abstract (up) Phoo village in the Annapurna Conservation Area (ACA) in Nepal is located at 4,052 m als physically

in the central north of the country. Livestock keeping is the main activity of the people for making a

living amidst a conflict with snow leopard (Uncia uncia). Each year snow leopard kills a number of

livestock resulting significant economic losses for the poor people living in this remote area. Unless

the people – snow leopard conflict is well understood and appropriate conflict management activities

are implemented, the long run co-existence between people and snow leopard – especially the

existence of snow leopard in this part of the world -will be in question. This has now become an

utmost important as the aspiration of the people for economic development has risen significantly and

the area has been opened to tourism since spring 2002. In addition to this, the globalisation process has

directly and indirectly affected the traditional resource management practices and co-existence

strategies of many traditional societies including Phoo.

The livestock depredation for 3 years (2001 – 2004) by snow leopard was studied by interviewing the

herders to understand the responsible and specific bio-physical and socio-economic factors. The study

revealed that goats are most depredated species followed by sheep. Winter months (January – April)

and winter pastures are most vulnerable to snow leopard predation. Presence of bushes, forest and

boulders make good hides for snow leopard resulting into high depredation. The study also showed

that a lax animal guarding system was significantly responsible for high livestock depredation by snow

leopard.

The study showed that improvement in livestock guarding system should be adopted as the most

important activity. However despite the importance of livestock in the economy of Phoo it is still not

well understood why the herders neglect for proper livestock guarding. This requires further study.

Proper guarding system is required especially in winter season in winter pastures. It is also suggested

that there should be changes in the composition of livestock species by promoting more yaks and

discouraging or minimising goats. Yaks and large animals are less depredated and small animals like

goats and sheep are highly depredated by snow leopard. A trend was also observed in Phoo village

where there is an increase in the number of yaks and a decrease in the number of goats over last few

years. This could be a management response of the herders to livestock depredation. Other protective

measures of the livestock at the corrals have also been recommended including promotion of guard

dogs and other measures.

Since the area is opened for tourism, it is suggested that the tourism opportunity for the economic

development of the area should be grasped so that the heavy dependence on livestock raising would be

minimised. This will help minimise the number of human – snow leopard conflicts.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number SLN @ rana @ 513 Serial 363
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