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Harris, R. B. (1994). A note on snow leopards and local people in Nangqian County, Southern Qinghai Province. In J.L.Fox, & D. Jizeng (Eds.), (pp. 79–84). Usa: Islt.
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Harris, R. B., Pletscher, D. H., Loggers, C. O., & Miller, D. J. (1999). Status and trends of Tibetan plateau mammalian fauna, Yeniugou, China. Biological Conservation, 87, 13–19.
Abstract: We conducted surveys focusing on the unique and vulnerable ungulate species in Yeniugou, Qinghai province, China, during September 1997 to compare population estimates with those from the early 1990s. The status of two ungulate species appeared essentially unchanged since 1990ñ1992: wild yak Bos grunniens (about 1200 to 1300 animals) and Tibetan gazelle Procapra picti- caudata. The status of one ungulate species, the white-lipped deer Cervus albirostris, appeared to improve, from a very few to close to 100. We are unsure how the status of the Tibetan wild ass Equus kiang compares with that of the early 1990s. The status of three species declined during the period: blue sheep Pseudois nayaur and argali Ovis ammon declined slightly (possibly due to a weather event), and the Tibetan antelope Pantholops hodgsoni declined dramatically (probably due primarily to poaching), from over 2000 estimated in 1991 to only two seen during 1997. Poaching of antelope has become a serious problem throughout the Tibetan plateau in recent years, and this survey provides evidence that an entire subpopulation can disappear (either through mortality, movement away from human disturbance or a combination) within a relatively short time-frame. That some species (e.g. wild yak, white-lipped deer) continue to thrive in Yeniugou is heartening, but even they remain vulnerable to market-driven poaching.#1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Heinen, J. T., & Mehta, J. (2000). Emerging issues in legal and procedural aspects of buffer zone management with case studies from Nepal. Journal of Environment and Development, , 45–67.
Abstract: Buffer zones have been used as part of larger integrated conservation development programs to provide the benefits of ecological buffering of protected areas and socioeconomic buffering of neighboring communities. The authors explore the legal and managerial development of buffer zones internationally and with the passage of a conservation amendment in Nepal. A review of Nepal's buffer zone policies and several ongoing projects shows that there are several potential inherent problems. As written, regulations tend to expand the authority of the state by imposing restrictions in populated areas formerly not under control of park officials. Some participatory rights are provided to citizens, but management authority largely remains top down from the standpoint of local users. The authors question whether the managerial and research capacities exist to monitor buffer zones for their effectiveness both for conservation and development purposes and make several recommendations to improve implementation.
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Heinen, J. T., & Metha, J. C. (1999). Conceptual and legal issues in the designation and management of conservation areas in Nepal. Environmental Conservation, 26, 21–29.
Abstract: The modern era of wildlife and protected area conservation in Nepal began in 1973 with the passage of comprehensive legislation, and has evolved very quickly as new priorities and problems have emerged. Here we explore the legal and managerial development of conservation areas, a recently-defined category of protected area designed to promote conservation through local-level participation and development. A review of the Conservation Area Management Regulations of 1996 shows that there are several potential problems inherent in this designation. As written, the regulations move power from the government to organizations under governmental contract. Thus, management authority largely remains top-down from the standpoint of local users. We also question how well the designation will protect some sensitive wildlife species, since organizations do not have law enforcement authority under Nepalese legislation.
Despite these concerns, there have been several successful conservation area programmes in existence in Nepal since the 1980s and most of the issues addressed are surmountable with the current regulations, providing that several criteria are met. We propose that His Majesty's Government and organizations under contract develop more definitive methods of disbursing funds for local-level projects, and institute social impact assessments. In addition, more attention must be paid to wildlife law enforcement; independent assessments of important wild populations and unique habitats are needed. Finally, we discuss some broader issues that should be better addressed in Nepal and elsewhere, including cross-sectoral coordination within the government.
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Holt, C. D. S., Nevin, O. T., Smith, D., Convery, I. (2018). Environmental niche overlap between snow leopard and four prey species in Kazakhstan. Elsevier, (48), 97–103.
Abstract: The snow leopard Panthera uncia has declined due to habitat loss, habitat fragmentation and human persecution. Predator distribution is heavily dependent on prey species availability and distribution. With increasing pressures from farming practices encroaching into native species range and persecution of snow leopards in response to livestock depredation, it is vital to assess current predator and prey species distribution to highlight sensitive areas of overlap for protection. This study uses MaxEnt, a presence-only Species Distribution Model (SDM) to assess snow leopard and four prey species habitat suitability along
the southern and eastern borders of Kazakhstan using environmental data. This area is considered an important corridor between snow leopard populations in the north and south of their range. Each of the five SDM's produced models of �good� discriminating abilities. We then compared the potential niche overlap between snow leopard and four prey species using ENMTools to highlight areas of important niche overlap within the corridor. The results indicated a very high degree of overlap between snow leopard and Siberian ibex and high degrees Capra sibirica with red deer Cervus elaphus, argali Ovis ammon and urial Ovis orientalis. The snow leopard population in this region is also found to be using forested areas below 2500 m, much lower than recorded in other areas of their range. The results highlight areas needed for protection but also pose additional conservation questions regarding the importance of prey species to transitory individuals.
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Hunter, D. O., Jackson, R., Freeman, H., & Hillard, D. (1994). Project snow leopard: a model for conserving central Asia biodiversity. In J.Fox, & D.Jizeng (Eds.), (pp. 247–252). Usa: International Snow Leopard Trust.
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Hussain, I. (1999). Conserving Biodiversity through Institutional Diversity: Concept Paper.
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Hussain, S. (2002). Nature and Human Nature: Conservation, Values and Snow Leopard.. Islt: Islt.
Abstract: The failure of top-down environmental conservation practices gave rise to the so-called
`Community Based Conservation' or CBC approach. CBC promises to achieve the dual goals of
conserving nature and improving peoples' livelihoods. CBC programs also aim to involve local
communities as active partners in conservation efforts, and to use traditional knowledge and
local values in management of resources (Adams & Hulme 2001; Agrawal & Gibson 1999).
There are variations between different CBC programs; however, the underlying rationale of the
approach, common to all programs, is that introducing or changing economic incentives into the
conservation calculus of local people will bring about the behavioural change necessary for
successful conservation (Kellert et al 2000). Thus, the major emphasis in CBC programs is
conserving nature based on its utilitarian value. Since utilitarian value is measured in terms of
economics, hence the emphasis of CBCs on economic incentives in promoting conservation.
Recent evaluation of the CBC approach has shown that while local people may have benefited in
economic terms from the use of nature, no tangible improvements in biodiversity conservation
have occurred (Kellert et al 2000; Terborgh 1999). The disappointing performance of CBC
programs, which promised so much and yet have failed in practice to deliver, has recently lead to
a resurgence of the protectionist approach, calling for a renewed separation between the
conservation and human development objectives (Redford & Sanderson 2000; Terborgh 1999;
Oats 1999). Others, however, believe that the CBC approach has enormous potential, and that a
return to protectionist strategies would be disastrous, like `reinventing the square wheel'
(Brechin 2001; Wilhusen 2001). It is crucial that the flaws in the CBC approach are remedied if
there is to be any hope of a conservation agenda that does not conflict with the needs, aspirations
and interests of local people, and that therefore has a chance of having a long term, sustainable
conservation outcome.
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Ikeda, N. (2004). Economic impacts of livestock depredation by snow leopard Uncia uncia in the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area, Nepal Himalaya (Vol. 31).
Abstract: It is necessary to fully understand the economic conditions of local herders in order to find solutions to the conflicts between wildlife conservation and livestock rearing in remote areas of low-income countries. In the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area (KCA), Nepal, livestock depredation by snow leopards impacts on yak herders' livelihoods. Retaliatory killings of snow leopard by the herders have been reported and the concerned authorities recently initiated snow leopard conservation programmes. In 2001, interviews with the yak herders who used the pastures in the Ghunsa valley in the preceding year collected data on the incidence of livestock death caused by snow leopards. The annual net cash income of the yak herders was estimated by obtaining baseline values of sales and expenditure per livestock head through field measurement of dairy products and interviews with a sample of herders. As yet, the average annual damage does not appear to have adversely affected fundamental livelihoods in households with an average herd size (36.6 head). However, in the worst scenario of livestock depredation, households with medium or small-sized herds (<40 head) might risk their living conditions becoming unsustainable or having to withdraw from yak pastoralism. A supplementary interview showed that the majority of the herders, except those who took completely neutral attitudes towards the regional conservation and development programme, had negative views of the snow leopard conservation policy. For the snow leopard conservation programme in the KCA to be a success, there must be a system to compensate the herders' households for livestock damage.
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Inayat, S. (2002). Role of Women In Conservation of Snow Leopard In Pakistan.. Islt: Islt.
Abstract: Generally speaking, men and women are the two wheels of the same vehicle. Women's
participation and involvement in the conservation of snow leopards is as indispensable as it is to
any other discipline. Unfortunately, their dual role was not exploited and so the involvement of
women in nature conservation is considered almost inappropriate and not up to the mark.
Mountainous people still live with their centuries old traditions and culture. Although with the
passage of time they are leaning towards modernization, still most of them are associated with
the centuries-old tradition of keeping livestock. These people take their livestock to the pastures
and thus share in the snow leopard's habitat. A large number of livestock grazing in the snow
leopard's habitat attracts this opportunistic animal to attack domestic animals. This is the point
where the conflict between snow leopards and livestock owners starts, with the snow leopard
killed in retaliation. Snow leopard depredation causes economic losses to the herders and
women, being the managers of the house, take the maximum impact. Keeping this fact in view,
a study was undertaken in the two demonstration sites of the snow leopard project in Chitral and
Gilgit. A specific questionnaire was used and information was collected from all the women
herders in the two demo sites. The study revealed that women have positive attitudes toward and
feel love for this precious animal.
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