Abstract: The author surveyed three sites in the central and eastern Sayan regions of Russia for snow leopards. In the Zhombolok River Basin of the Kropotkinskiy and Okinskiy Mountains, the author found seven snow leopard tracks, representing five or six individuals. In the Munku-Sardyk Peak area, one snow leopard track was found, and in the Tunkinskiy Ranffe area three tracks, representing at least two animals, were found. Other information is provided on local sightings. klf

Abstract: Between May 1990 and January 1991, behavioral observations were made of two captive pumas (Felis concolor Linnaeus), and two captive snow leopards (Panthera uncia Schreber) in their outdoor exhibits at the Lincoln Park Zoological Gardens, Chicago, Illinois. Behaviors compared within and between species included: 1) time spend in the different habitat types; 2) time budgets for the different behaviors: laying, moving, sitting, standing, crouching, in the tree, drinking, urinating, defecating, within their inside dens, and “behavior not determined” when the identity or behavior of the individuals could not be determined; and 3) mobility of the animals within their exhibits. Also examined were: 4) preferences for different habitat types; 5) recommendations for future exhibit designs. Both species located themselves within their exhibits in a non-random manner. The majority of cats' time was spent in elevated locations (i.e., gunite ledges approximately 1-5.5 m above ground-level). Snow leopards exhibited this tendency to a greater extent than did the pumas. Both species also spent the majority of their time in the lying-down behavior; again snow leopards displayed this tendency significantly more than the pumas. Pumas were highly mobile and changed locations and behaviors in their exhibit significantly more than the snow leopards. No significant differences were noted between conspecifics in regard to habitat type preference, or mobility within the exhibit. Suggestions for future exhibit design include elevated locations for the cats to lay and look around within and outside their exhibits, caves for access to shade or relief from inclement weather, and ground surfaces to move about on. Features for exhibit design should take into consideration the natural habitat of the cat to occupy the exhibit.

Abstract: I studied snow leopards (Panthera uncia) and blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur) in Manang District, Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal, to estimate numbers and analyze predatorprey interactions. Five to seven adult leopards used the 105-km2 study area, a density of 4.8 to 6.7 leopards/100 km2. Density of blue sheep was 6.6-10.2 sheep/km2, and biomass density was 304 kg/km2. Estimated relative biomass consumed by snow leopards suggested that blue sheep were the most important prey; marmots (Marmota himalayana) also contributed significantly to the diet of snow leopards. Snow leopards in Manang were estimated to harvest 9-20% of total biomass and 11-24% of total number of blue sheep annually. Snow leopard :blue sheep ratio was 1 :1 14-1 :159 on a weight basis, which was considered sustainable given the importance of small mammals in the leopard's diet and the absence of other competing predators.

Abstract: Public attitudes towards snow leopard Panthera uncia predation of domestic livestock were investigated by a questionnaire survey of four villages in snow leopard habitat within the Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal. Most local inhabitants were subsistence farmers, many dependent upon yaks, oxen, horses and goats, with an average livestock holding of 26.6 animals per household. Reported losses to snow leopards averaged 0.6 and 0.7 animals per household in two years of study, constituting 2.6% of total stockholding but representing in monetary terms almost a quarter of the average annual Nepali national per capita income. Local people held strongly negative attitudes towards snow leopards and most suggested that total extermination of leopards was the only acceptable solution to the predation problem. Snow leopards were reported to be killed by herdsmen in defence of their livestock. The long-term success of snow leopard conservation programmes may depend upon the satisfactory resolution of the predation conflict. Some possible ways of reducing predation losses are also discussed.

Abstract: Blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur) are the main prey of the endangered snow leopard (Panthera uncia) as well as an important game species in Nepal. A knowledge of how blue sheep utilize their habitat is essential for the scientific management of the sheep and for the conservation of the snow leopard, but we only have a limited understanding of this aspect of blue sheep ecology. I studied the habitat use pattern of blue sheep by direct observation in the Anna-purna Conservation Area, Nepal where they occur sympatrically with the snow leopard. The sheep used grassland habitats more frequently during pre-parturition (spring) and post-parturition (autumn) than other habitat types, but scrub and grassland habitats were used equally frequently during the rut (winter). The sheep used smooth undulating slopes of medium steepness (<40 degrees) on southerly aspects within the elevation range of 4,200-4,600 m most frequently in all seasons, and there was no evidence of seasonal migration along the elevation gradient. When not in broken landforms (e.g., cliff, landslides), the sheep maintained proximity (less than or equal to 150 m) to such features suggesting their importance as escape cover (i.e., from predators). The use of habitat components by blue sheep appeared to be related to the distribution of foraging areas and escape cover.