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Author Kachel, S., Anderson, K., Shokirov, Q. pdf 
  Title Predicting carnivore habitat use and livestock depredation risk with false-positive multi-state occupancy models Type Journal Article
  Year 2022 Publication Biological Conservation Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 271 Issue 109588 Pages 1-10  
  Keywords Bayesian hierarchical model,False-positive,Multi-state occupancy,Human-carnivore conflict,Livestock depredation,Snow leopard,Lynx,Wolf,Bear  
  Abstract (down) The cycle of livestock depredation and retaliatory killing constitutes a major threat to large carnivores worldwide and imposes considerable hardships on human communities. Mitigation efforts are often undertaken with little knowledge of ecological underpinnings and patterns of depredation, limiting conservationists' ability to develop, prioritize, and evaluate solutions. Carnivore detection and depredation data from interviews in affected communities may help address this gap, but such data are often prone to false-positive uncertainty. To address these challenges in the Pamir Mountains of Tajikistan we collected snow leopard, lynx, wolf, and bear detection and depredation reports from local communities via semi-structured interviews. We used a novel hierarchical multi-species multi-state occupancy model that accounted for potential false-positives to investigate carnivore site use and depredation concurrently with respondents' apparent vulnerability to that risk. Estimated false-positive probabilities were small, but failure to account for them overstated site use probabilities and depredation risk for all species. Although individual vulnerability was low, depredation was nonetheless commonplace. Carnivore site use was driven by clear habitat associations, but we did not identify any clearly important large-scale spatial correlates of depredation risk despite considerable spatial variation in that risk. Respondents who sheltered livestock in household corrals reinforced with wire mesh were less likely to report snow leopard depredations. Reducing depredation and retaliation at adequately large scales in the Pamirs will likely require a portfolio of species-specific strategies, including widespread proactive corral improvements. Our approach expanded inference on the often-cryptic processes surrounding human-carnivore conflict even though structured wildlife data were scarce.  
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  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1681  
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Author Parker, B. G., Khanyari, M., Ambarli, H., Buuveibaatar, B., Kabir, M., Khanal, G., Mirzadeh, H. R., Onon, Y., Farhadinia, M. S. pdf 
  Title A review of the ecological and socioeconomic characteristics of trophy hunting across Asia Type Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication Animal Conservation Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 1-16  
  Keywords Asia; conservation spending; communities; other effective area-based conservation measures (OECM); revenue sharing; trophy hunting; socioeconomics.  
  Abstract (down) The continuing debates about trophy hunting should be underpinned by an understanding of at least the basic characteristics of the practice (e.g. species, quotas, areas, prices). Whilst many countries in Asia have established trophy hunting programmes of considerable importance to conservation and local livelihoods, there remains some ambiguity over the extent of trophy hunting in Asia as its basic characteristics in each country have not been compiled. In this study, we compile information on various ecological and socioeconomic characteristics of trophy hunting of mammals for countries across Asia by reviewing published and unpublished literature, analysing trade data, and obtaining contributions from in-country contacts. Across Asia, established trophy hunting programmes exist in at least 11 countries and target at least 30 species and one hybrid (incl., five Vulnerable and one Endangered species). Trophy hunting in these countries varies markedly in areas (e.g. >1 million km2 in Kazakhstan, 37% of country, vs. 1325 km2 in Nepal, <1% of country) and annual offtakes (e.g. Kazakhstan: 4500 individuals from 4 of 5 trophy species; Pakistan: 229 from 4 of 7; Mongolia: 155 from 6 of 9; Tajikistan: 126 from 3 of 6; Nepal: 22 from 3 of the 4 that are trophy hunted in practice). Permit prices also vary across species and countries, with domestic and international hunters sometimes charged different rates. Hunters from the USA appear overwhelmingly prominent among international clients. National legislations typically mandate a proportion of trophy hunting revenue to accrue locally (range: 40–100%). We provide five key recommendations for research to inform trophy hunting policy in Asia: (1) Ecological impact assessments; (2) Socioeconomic impact assessments; (3) Evaluations of the contributions of trophy hunting to conservation spending; (4) Evaluations of the contributions of trophy hunting to the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework; (5) Further examinations of perceptions of trophy hunting.  
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  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1714  
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Author Khanyari, M., Suryawanshi, K. R., Milner-Gulland, E. J., Dickinson, E., Khara, A., Rana, R. S., Vineer, H. R., Morgan, E. R. pdf 
  Title Predicting Parasite Dynamics in Mixed-Use Trans-Himalayan Pastures to Underpin Management of Cross-Transmission Between Livestock and Bharal Type Journal Article
  Year 2021 Publication Frontiers in Veterinary Science Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 8 Issue 714241 Pages 1 - 21  
  Keywords disease, Trans-Himalaya, livestock, nematodes, bharal, model, ungulates, grazing  
  Abstract (down) The complexities of multi-use landscapes require sophisticated approaches to addressing disease transmission risks. We explored gastro-intestinal nematode (GINs) infections in the North India Trans-Himalayas through a socio-ecological lens, integrating parasite transmission modelling with field surveys and local knowledge, and evaluated the likely effectiveness of potential interventions. Bharal (blue sheep; Pseudois nayaur), a native wild herbivore, and livestock share pasture year-round and livestock commonly show signs of GINs infection. While both wild and domestic ungulates had GINs infections, egg counts indicated significantly higher parasite burdens in bharal than livestock. However, due to higher livestock densities, they contributed more to the total count of eggs and infective larvae on pasture. Herders also reported health issues in their sheep and goats consistent with parasite infections. Model simulations suggested that pasture infectivity in this system is governed by historical pasture use and gradually accumulated larval development during the summer, with no distinct short-term flashpoints for transmission. The most effective intervention was consequently predicted to be early-season parasite suppression in livestock using temperature in spring as a cue. A 1-month pause in egg output from livestock could lead to a reduction in total annual availability of infective larvae on pasture of 76%, potentially benefitting the health of both livestock and bharal. Modelling suggested that climate change over the past 33 years has led to no overall change in GINs transmission potential, but an increase in the relative influence of temperature over precipitation in driving pasture infectivity. Our study provides a transferable multi-pronged approach to investigating disease transmission, in order to support herders’ livelihoods and conserve wild ungulates.  
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  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1673  
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Author Esson, C., Samelius, G., Strand, T. M., Lundkvist, A., Michaux, J. R., Rasback, T., Wahab, T., Mijiddorj, T. N., Berger, L., Skerratt, L. F., Low, M. pdf 
  Title The prevalence of rodent-borne zoonotic pathogens in the South Gobi desert region of Mongolia Type Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication Infection Ecology & Epidemiology Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 13 Issue 2270258 Pages 1-10  
  Keywords Rodent; zoonoses; leptospira; hantavirus; haematology; Mongolia  
  Abstract (down) The alpine ecosystems and communities of central Asia are currently undergoing large-scale ecological and socio-ecological changes likely to affect wildlife-livestock-human disease interactions and zoonosis transmission risk. However, relatively little is known about the prevalence of pathogens in this region. Between 2012 and 2015 we screened 142 rodents in Mongolia’s Gobi desert for exposure to important zoonotic and livestock pathogens. Rodent seroprevalence to Leptospira spp. was>1/3 of tested animals, Toxoplasma gondii and Coxiella burnetii approximately 1/8 animals, and the hantaviruses being between 1/20 (Puumala-like hantavirus) and<1/100 (Seoul-like hantavirus). Gerbils trapped inside local dwellings were one of the species seropositive to Puumala-like hantavirus, suggesting a potential zoonotic transmission pathway. Seventeen genera of zoonotic bacteria were also detected in the faeces and ticks collected from these rodents, with one tick testing positive to Yersinia. Our study helps provide baseline patterns of disease prevalence needed to infer potential transmission between source and target populations in this region, and to help shift the focus of epidemiological research towards understanding disease transmission among species and proactive disease mitigation strategies within a broader One Health framework.  
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  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1734  
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Author Sharkey, W., Milner-Gulland, E. J., Sinovas, P., Keane, A. pdf 
  Title A framework for understanding the contributions of local residents to protected area law enforcement Type Journal Article
  Year 2024 Publication Oryx Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 1-13  
  Keywords Community engagement, framework, law enforcement, monitoring, participation, protected areas, rule-breaking  
  Abstract (down) Terrestrial and marine protected areas have long been championed as an approach to biodiversity conservation. For protected areas to be effective, equitable and inclusive, the involvement of local residents in their management and governance is considered important. Globally, there are many approaches to involving local residents in protected area law enforcement. However, opportunities for comparing different approaches have been limited by the lack of a clear common framework for analysis. To support a more holistic understanding, we present a framework for analysing the contributions of local residents to protected area law enforcement. Informed by a review of the literature and discussions with conservation practitioners, the framework comprises five key dimensions: (1) the different points in the enforcement system at which local residents are involved, (2) the nature of local participation in decision-making, (3) the type of external support provided to local residents, (4) the different motivating forces for participation, and (5) the extent to which local participation is formalized. We apply the framework to three real-world case studies to demonstrate its use in analysing and comparing the characteristics of different approaches. We suggest this framework could be used to examine variation in local participation within the enforcement system, inform evaluation and frame constructive discussions between relevant stakeholders. With the global coverage of protected areas likely to increase, the framework provides a foundation for better understanding the contributions of local residents to protected area law enforcement.  
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  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1746  
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Author Durbach, I., Borchers, D., Sutherland, C., Sharma, K. url 
  Title Fast, flexible alternatives to regular grid designs for spatial capture–recapture. Type Research Article
  Year 2020 Publication Methods in Ecology and Evolution Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 1-13  
  Keywords camera trap, population ecology,sampling, spatial capture-recapture, surveys  
  Abstract (down) Spatial capture–recapture (SCR) methods use the location of

detectors (camera traps, hair snares and live-capture traps) and the

locations at which animals were detected (their spatial capture

histories) to estimate animal density. Despite the often large expense

and effort involved in placing detectors in a landscape, there has been

relatively little work on how detectors should be located. A natural

criterion is to place traps so as to maximize the precision of density

estimators, but the lack of a closed-form expression for precision has

made optimizing this criterion computationally demanding. 2. Recent

results by Efford and Boulanger (2019) show that precision can be well

approximated by a function of the expected number of detected

individuals and expected number of recapture events, both of which can

be evaluated at low computational cost. We use these results to develop

a method for obtaining survey designs that optimize this approximate

precision for SCR studies using count or binary proximity detectors, or

multi-catch traps. 3. We show how the basic design protocol can be

extended to incorporate spatially varying distributions of activity

centres and animal detectability. We illustrate our approach by

simulating from a camera trap study of snow leopards in Mongolia and

comparing estimates from our designs to those generated by regular or

optimized grid designs. Optimizing detector placement increased the

number of detected individuals and recaptures, but this did not always

lead to more precise density estimators due to less precise estimation

of the effective sampling area. In most cases, the precision of density

estimators was comparable to that obtained with grid designs, with

improvement in some scenarios where approximate CV(¬D) < 20% and density

varied spatially. 4. Designs generated using our approach are

transparent and statistically grounded. They can be produced for survey

regions of any shape, adapt to known information about animal density

and detectability, and are potentially easier and less costly to

implement. We recommend their use as good, flexible candidate designs

for SCR surveys when reasonable knowledge of model parameters exists. We

provide software for researchers to construct their own designs, in the

form of updates to design functions in the r package oSCR.
 
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  Call Number Serial 1618  
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Author Johansson, O., Ullman, K., Lkhagvajav, P., Wiseman, M., Malmsten, J., Leijon, M. url 
  Title Detection and Genetic Characterization of Viruses Present in Free-Ranging Snow Leopards Using Next-Generation Sequencing Type Journal Article
  Year 2020 Publication Frontiers in Veterinary Science Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 7 Issue 645 Pages 1-9  
  Keywords snow leopard, free-ranging, virome, Mongolia, rectal swabs, next-generating sequencing, Panthera unica  
  Abstract (down) Snow leopards inhabit the cold, arid environments of the high

mountains of South and Central Asia. These living conditions likely

affect the abundance and composition of microbes with the capacity to

infect these animals. It is important to investigate the microbes that

snow leopards are exposed to detect infectious disease threats and

define a baseline for future changes that may impact the health of this

endangered felid. In this work, next-generation sequencing is used to

investigate the fecal (and in a few cases serum) virome of seven snow

leopards from the Tost Mountains of Mongolia. The viral species to which

the greatest number of sequences reads showed high similarity was

rotavirus. Excluding one animal with overall very few sequence reads,

four of six animals (67%) displayed evidence of rotavirus infection. A

serum sample of a male and a rectal swab of a female snow leopard

produced sequence reads identical or closely similar to felid

herpesvirus 1, providing the first evidence that this virus infects snow

leopards. In addition, the rectal swab from the same female also

displayed sequence reads most similar to feline papillomavirus 2, which

is the first evidence for this virus infecting snow leopards. The rectal

swabs from all animals also showed evidence for the presence of small

circular DNA viruses, predominantly Circular Rep-Encoding

Single-Stranded (CRESS) DNA viruses and in one case feline anellovirus.

Several of the viruses implicated in the present study could affect the

health of snow leopards. In animals which are under environmental

stress, for example, young dispersing individuals and lactating females,

health issues may be exacerbated by latent virus infections.
 
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  Call Number Serial 1612  
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Author Thapa, K., Baral, S., Rahamajhi, S. pdf  url
doi 
  Title Effectiveness of Human-Snow leopard co-existence measure- a systematic analysis Type Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication Journal for Nature Conservation Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 76 Issue 126511 Pages 1-11  
  Keywords Community-based conservation, Himalayan, Snow leopard range countries  
  Abstract (down) Snow leopards and agropastoral communities have co-existed in snow leopard range countries for centuries. The vulnerable snow leopard forms and maintains the entire ecosystem, serving as an indicator species of a healthy alpine ecosystem. However, snow leopards, on the other hand, habitually kill livestock, occasionally killing 100 or more livestock in a single night, resulting in snow leopard retaliation. Thus, the snow leopard is becoming more threatened, so more attention should be paid. Therefore, numerous conservation mitigation strategies have been applied to maintain human-snow leopard coexistence in countries of the snow leopard range. However, such implemented conservation strategies lacked a thorough assessment of their achievements or shortcomings in protecting the snow leopard and enhancing community tolerance. Therefore, we systematically examined and evaluated peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on existing and implemented mitigation measures. We use the software Publish or Perish to achieve this, and we assess using the Preferred Reporting of Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) review approach. We thoroughly analyzed 42 papers and book chapters that were condensed human- snow leopard co-existence-related literature published in English from 2010 to 2023. Almost 90% of the papers were country-specific, with the remaining papers covering regional or snow leopard ranges countries. Nepal had the most papers, followed by China, India, and Mongolia; however, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Pakistan, Russia, and Tajikistan each had<10%, but there was no single document from Kazakhstan or Kyrgyzstan. Predator-proof corral, improved herding practices, and community-based insurance programs were three of the key recommendations that were more than 10 to 22 times proposed interventions. There are site-specific sociocultural situations and environments that require long-term action-oriented research that is area-specific rather than short-term and generic interventions. We identified a large knowledge gap in snow leopard research, specifically a lack of evidence that demonstrates and quantifies the effects of conservation actions, and strongly advise that it be further researched.  
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  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1735  
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Author Solari, K. A., Morgan, S., Poyarkov, A. D., Weckworth, B., Samelius, G., Sharma, K., Ostrowski, S., Ramakrishnan, U., Kubanychbekov, Z., Kachel, S., Johansson, O., Lkhagvajav, P., Hemmingmoore, H., Alexandrov, D. Y., Bayaraa, M., Grachev, A., Korablev, M. P., Hernandez-Blanco, J. A., Munkhtsog, B., Rosenbaum, B., Rozhnov, V. V., Rajabi, A. M., Noori, H., Armstrong, E. E., Petrov, D. A. pdf  doi
  Title Extreme in Every Way: Exceedingly Low Genetic Diversity in Snow Leopards Due to Persistently Small Population Size Type Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication bioRxiv Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 1-24  
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  Abstract (down) Snow leopards (Panthera uncia) serve as an umbrella species whose conservation benefits their high-elevation Asian habitat. Their numbers are believed to be in decline due to numerous Anthropogenic threats; however, their conservation is hindered by numerous knowledge gaps. They are the least studied genetically of all big cat species and little is known about their historic population size and range, current population trends, or connectivity across their range. Here, we use whole genome sequencing data for 41 snow leopards (37 newly sequenced) to assess population connectivity, historic population size, and current levels of genetic diversity. Among our samples, we find evidence of a primary genetic divide between the northern and southern part of the range around the Dzungarian Basin and a secondary divide south of Kyrgyzstan around the Taklamakan Desert. However, we find evidence of gene flow, suggesting that barriers between these groups are permeable. Perhaps most noteworthy, we find that snow leopards have the lowest genetic diversity of any big cat species, likely due to a persistently small population size throughout their evolutionary history. Without a large population size or ample standing genetic variation to help buffer them from any forthcoming Anthropogenic challenges, snow leopard persistence may be more tenuous than currently appreciated.  
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  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1739  
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Author Piaopiao, T., Suryawanshi, K. R., Lingyun, X., Mishra, C., Zhi, L., Alexander, J. S. pdf 
  Title Factors shaping the tolerance of local Tibetan herders toward snow leopards Type Journal Article
  Year 2022 Publication Journal for Nature Conservation Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 71 (2023) Issue 126305 Pages 1-8  
  Keywords Attitude, Gender, Social-norms, Religion, Livestock, Community-based  
  Abstract (down) Snow leopards (Panthera uncia) have long co-existed with livestock herding people across Asia’s high mountains. Multiple use landscapes however imply potential competition for shared resources, livestock predation, and the risk of retaliatory killing of predators. Community-based conservation is a central pillar for supporting people’s livelihoods and safeguarding predators and their habitat. Based on the theory of planned behavior, we examined the factors that shape herders’ tolerance of snow leopards. Our questionnaire-based study was conducted in the Sanjiangyuan Region, China, encompassing four communities with varying livelihoods, experiences with live- stock depredation and levels of exposure to community conservation interventions. Our results showed that respondents generally held positive views towards snow leopards, although women tended to have relatively more negative views towards snow leopards compared with men. Current household income was largely dependent on caterpillar fungus rather than livestock. Social norms around religion and the role of community leaders in our study area seemed to be the main determinants of the generally benign association of people with wildlife, overshadowing potential influences of community-based conservation interventions. Our work suggests that conservations programs will be aided through collaborations with communities and religious institutions, and that conservationists must proactively engage with women as significant actors in conservation.  
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  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1713  
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