Abstract: The Snow Leopard (Uncia uncia) investigation in the Tomur area is the second step of the “Project of Snow Leopard Study in Xinjiang”. In this part of the project, we collected information on the distribution , abundance and population size of the snow leopard in this area. The investigation lasted for 3 weeks, between October 17 and November 7th, 2004. During the 22 days of field work, we surveyed 4 different places in Wensu County, Aksu District: e.g. Pochenzi and the Muzat River area, Bozdun and the Little Kuzbay River area, Yinyar and the Tomur River area, Taglak and the Qiong Tailan River area. The 4 main areas, along with a few other valleys, covered most of the Tomur National Conservation Zone. In total, we ran 42 transects. In 15 transects, we found signs left by snow leopards. We also collected 15 fecal samples for diet analysis. This time we interviewed nearly 90 local people from different nationalities: e.g. Han (Chinese), Uygur and Kyrgyz people, including herdsmen, geologists, mineworkers, drivers, veterinarians, businessmen, forest officials, soldiers and policemen. They provided us with an array of information on the historical and current distribution and abundance of the snow leopard in this area.

Abstract: China, the world's most populous country, also contains the largest number of Snow Leopards of any country in the world. But the survey and research of the snow leopard had been very little for the second half of the 20th century. Until recent years, the members of Xinjiang Snow Leopards Group (XSLG/SLT/XFC) , the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences have been tracking down the solitary animal. The journal reporter does a face-to-face interview with professor Ma Ming who is a main responsible expert of the survey team. By the account of such conversation, we learn the achievements, advances and difficulty of research of snow leopards in the field, Tianshan and Kunlun, Xinjiang, the far west China, and we also know that why the team adopt the infrared camera to capture the animals. Last but not least professor talked about the survival menace faced by the Snow Leopards in Xinjiang.

Abstract: The habitat of the snow leopard Uncia uncia across South and Central Asia is subject to extensive pastoral use. Levels of livestock depredation by the snow leopard and other carnivores in the region are high, and often provokes retaliatory killing by the herders. This direct threat to large carnivores is further aggravated by a depletion of wild prey due to poaching and out-competition by livestock. In this paper, we describe a pilot project in the Indian Trans-Himalaya, which uses an incentive scheme to create areas free from livestock grazing on community-owned land, thereby fostering conservation commitment among local
pastoralists, as well as contributing directly to an enhancement of wild prey density.

Abstract: Livestock predation by large carnivores and their retaliatory persecution by pastoralists are worldwide conservation concerns. Poor understanding of the ecological and social underpinnings of this human-wildlife conflict hampers effective conflict management programs. The endangered snow leopard Uncia uncia is involved in conflict with people across its mountainous range in South and Central Asia, where pastoralism is the predominant land use, and is widely persecuted in retaliation. We examined human-snow leopard conflict at two sites in the Spiti region of the Indian Trans-Himalaya, where livestock outnumber wild ungulates, and the conflict is acute. We quantified the snow leopard's dependence on livestock by assessing its diet in two sites that differed in the relative abundance of livestock and wild ungulates. We also surveyed the indigenous Buddhist community's attitudes towards the snow leopard in these two sites. Our results show a relatively high dependence of snow leopards on livestock. A higher proportion of the snow leopard's diet (58%) was livestock in the area with higher livestock (29.7 animals km^2) and lower wild ungulate abundance (2.1-3.1 bharal Pseudois nayaurkm^2), compared with 40% of diet in the area with relatively lower livestock (13.9km^2) and higher wild ungulate abundance (4.5-7.8 ibex Capra ibexkm^2). We found that the community experiencing greater levels of livestock losses was comparatively more tolerant towards the snow leopard. This discrepancy is explained by the presence of a conservation-incentive program at the site, and by differences in economic roles of livestock between these two communities. The former is more dependent on cash crops as a source of income while the latter is more dependent on livestock, and thereby less tolerant of the snow leopard. These data have implications for conflict management strategies. They indicate that the relative densities of livestock and wild prey may be reasonable predictors of the extent of predation by the snow leopard. However, this by itself is not an adequate measure of the intensity of conflict even in apparently similar cultural settings.

Abstract: Snow leopard is distributed in the Ugam, Pskem, Chatkal, Fergana, Alai, Turkistan, and Hissar ridges. Though there is no precise data concerning number of snow leopard in Uzbekistan it is estimated to range from 15-20 to 50 animals.

Abstract: A visit to a nature reserve, where the author met protected animals, is described in a popular form. It describes the encounters with wild boar, griffon vulture, brown bear, Menzbier's marmot, Tien Shan souslik, golden eagle, snow leopard, and Siberian ibex.

Abstract: Snow leopard inhabits in zones of alpine meadows and juniper forests. Main preys are ibexes and wild sheep. Irbis included in Red Data book of USSR.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Description of Felidae family species (Tigris tigris, D…nthera d…rdus, Unci uncia, Felis silvestris, Felis ocreata, Felis †udtilur…, L¢no l¢no, A¤tŒn¢o jub…tus) is given. Snow leopard inhabited in mountain ridges of Middle and Central Asia.

Abstract: It provides general information about the Kyrgyz state nature park ®Ala-Archa", its physico-geographical features, relief, landscape zoning, and description of flora and fauna. Snow leopard, Tien-Shan brown bear, ibex (more than 300 animals), porcupine, stone marten, ermine, and marmot, etc. are mentioned as the most interesting animals.

Abstract: History of establishment of the nature reserves in Uzbekistan, climate, flora and fauna are described. Status of mammals in Chatkal nature reserve is described. Here inhabited marten, weasel, ermine, badger, brown bear, wild ibex and snow leopard.

Abstract: It describes identification signs and taxonomy of genus Uncia Gray and the only representative of genus Uncia uncia Sch., 1778, distribution and some features of the species' biology. A habitat of snow leopard includes the mountains of Central Asia from Kopet-Dag and northern Iran to the east along the mountain systems of Pamir, Turkestan, Gilgit, Tibet, Himalayas before the country Kam. On the north, snow leopard is met in Tarbagatai, Altai, Sayans, and further eastward to the Yablonoviy and Stanovoy ridges reaching the confluence of the Shilka and Argun rivers.