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Sloane, A., Kelly, C., McDavitt, S., & Marples, N. (1998). Big cats in captivity: a quantitative analysis of enrichment. Adv.Etho, 33, 43.
Abstract: Studies on three species of big cats at Dublin Zoo have led to firm conclusions about the effects of certain forms of enrichment, some of which will be presented here. Lions, jaguars, and snow leopards were studied over two years and their behaviours quantified using focal animal sampling during selected hours during daylight. By comparison of these activity budgets with and without the enrichments being present, it was possible to identify the exact behavioural changes caused by each enrichment method, and to quantify these changes. In this contribution we present results showing that the presence of a platform in both lion and jaguar enclosures dramatically reduced stereotypic pacing behaviour. We will demonstrate that the effects of short term enrichment devices may have a wide range of effects on behaviours which outlast the presence of the stimulus. For instance scents added to the cage, or food/play items such as horse hides, hidden fish or ice-blocks often reduce pacing and increase resting later in the day, even after the cats have ceased using the enrichment items. This reduction in pacing and increase in resting time often meant that the amount of the enclosure used per hour was actually reduced with the presence of new stimuli, as result opposite to what might have been expected. The results of these studies will be discussed in relation to effective animal management.
Keywords: abnormal-behavior; behavior; captive-animal-care; endangered; threatened-species; zoos; enrichment; abnormal; captive; Animal; care; threatened; species; browse; 1280; study; big; big cats; Cats; cat; zoo; effects; Lions; lion; jaguar; snow; snow leopards; snow leopard; snow-leopards; snow-leopard; leopards; leopard; behaviour; using; activity; activities; change; presence; enclosures; range; scent; cage; horse; hides; management
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Shrestha, B. (2008). Prey Abundance and Prey Selection by Snow Leopard (uncia uncia) in the Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) National Park, Nepal.
Abstract: Predators have significant ecological impacts on the region's prey-predator dynamic and community structure through their numbers and prey selection. During April-December 2007, I conducted a research in Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) National Park (SNP) to: i) explore population status and density of wild prey species; Himalayan tahr, musk deer and game birds, ii) investigate diet of the snow leopard and to estimate prey selection by snow leopard, iii) identify the pattern of livestock depredation by snow leopard, its mitigation, and raise awareness through outreach program, and identify the challenge and opportunities on conservation snow leopard and its co-existence with wild ungulates and the human using the areas of the SNP. Methodology of my research included vantage points and regular monitoring from trails for Himalayan tahr, fixed line transect with belt drive method for musk deer and game birds, and microscopic hair identification in snow leopard's scat to investigate diet of snow leopard and to estimate prey selection. Based on available evidence and witness accounts of snow leopard attack on livestock, the patterns of livestock depredation were assessed. I obtained 201 sighting of Himalayan tahr (1760 individuals) and estimated 293 populations in post-parturient period (April-June), 394 in birth period (July -October) and 195 November- December) in rutting period. In average, ratio of male to females was ranged from 0.34 to 0.79 and ratio of kid to female was 0.21-0.35, and yearling to kid was 0.21- 0.47. The encounter rate for musk deer was 1.06 and density was 17.28/km2. For Himalayan monal, the encounter rate was 2.14 and density was 35.66/km2. I obtained 12 sighting of snow cock comprising 69 individual in Gokyo. The ratio of male to female was 1.18 and young to female was 2.18. Twelve species (8 species of wild and 4 species of domestic livestock) were identified in the 120 snow leopard scats examined. In average, snow leopard predated most frequently on Himalayan tahr and it was detected in 26.5% relative frequency of occurrence while occurred in 36.66% of all scats, then it was followed by musk deer (19.87%), yak (12.65%), cow (12.04%), dog (10.24%), unidentified mammal (3.61%), woolly hare (3.01%), rat sp. (2.4%), unidentified bird sp. (1.8%), pika (1.2%), and shrew (0.6%) (Table 5.8 ). Wild species were present in 58.99% of scats whereas domestic livestock with dog were present in 40.95% of scats. Snow leopard predated most frequently on wildlife species in three seasons; spring (61.62%), autumn (61.11%) and winter (65.51%), and most frequently on domestic species including dog in summer season (54.54%). In term of relative biomass consumed, in average, Himalayan tahr was the most important prey species contributed 26.27% of the biomass consumed. This was followed by yak (22.13%), cow (21.06%), musk deer (11.32%), horse (10.53%), wooly hare (1.09%), rat (0.29%), pika (0.14%) and shrew (0.07%). In average, domestic livestock including dog were contributed more biomass in the diet of snow leopard comprising 60.8% of the biomass consumed whilst the wild life species comprising 39.19%. The annual prey consumption by a snow leopard (based on 2 kg/day) was estimated to be three Himalayan tahr, seven musk deer, five wooly hare, four rat sp., two pika, one shrew and four livestock. In the present study, the highest frequency of attack was found during April to June and lowest to July to November. The day of rainy and cloudy was the more vulnerable to livestock depredation. Snow leopard attacks occurred were the highest at near escape cover such as shrub land and cliff. Both predation pressure on tahr and that on livestock suggest that the development of effective conservation strategies for two threatened species (predator and prey) depends on resolving conflicts between people and predators. Recently, direct control of free – ranging livestock, good husbandry and compensation to shepherds may reduce snow leopard – human conflict. In long term solution, the reintroduction of blue sheep at the higher altitudes could also “buffer” predation on livestock.
Keywords: project; snow; snow leopard; snow-leopard; leopard; network; conservation; program; prey; abundance; selection; uncia; Uncia uncia; Uncia-uncia; Sagarmatha; national; national park; National-park; park; Nepal; resource; predators; predator; ecological; impact; region; community; structure; number; research; population; status; density; densities; wild; prey species; prey-species; species; Himalayan; tahr; musk; musk-deer; deer; game; birds; diet; livestock; livestock depredation; livestock-depredation; depredation; awareness; co-existence; ungulates; ungulate; Human; using; areas; area; monitoring; transect; Hair; identification; scat; attack; patterns; sighting; 1760; populations; birth; Male; Female; young; domestic; domestic livestock; 120; scats; yak; Dog; pika; wildlife; Seasons; winter; horse; study; cover; land; predation; Pressure; development; strategy; threatened; threatened species; threatened-species; conflicts; conflict; people; control; husbandry; compensation; reintroduction; blue; blue sheep; blue-sheep; sheep; free ranging
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Schaffer, E., Wiesner, H., & Von Hegel, G. (1988). Multiple ocular coloboma (MOC) with persistent pupillary membrane in the snow leopard (Panthera uncia). Tierarztl Prax, 16(1), 87–91.
Abstract: In a litter of three snow leopards, bilateral colobomata of the upper temporal eyelids, bilateral persistent pupillary membranes and a unilateral coloboma of the optic nerve entrance are described as “Multiple Ocular Colobomata” (MOC). The causal pathogenesis of each of the colobomata is discussed comparatively. The colobomata of the eyelids, essential feature of the MOC syndrome in snow leopards, are most probably not of hereditary, but rather of intrauterine infectious viral origin.
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McCarthy, T., Khan, J., Ud-Din, J., & McCarthy, K. (2007). First study of snow leopards using GPS-satellite collars underway in Pakistan. Cat News, 46(Spring), 22–23.
Abstract: Snow leopards (Uncia uncia) are highly cryptic and occupy remote inaccessible habitat, making studying the cats difficult in the extreme. Yet sound knowledge of the cat's ecology, behavior and habitat needs is required to intelligently conserve them. This information is lacking for snow leopards, and until recently so was the means to fill that knowledge gap. Two long-term studies of snow leopards using VHF radio collars have been undertaken in Nepal (1980s) and Mongolia (1990s) but logistical and technological constraints made the findings of both studies equivocal. Technological advances in the interim, such as GPS collars which report data via satellite, make studies of snow leopards more promising, at least in theory.
Keywords: study; snow; snow leopards; snow leopard; snow-leopards; snow-leopard; leopards; leopard; using; collars; collar; Pakistan; uncia; Uncia uncia; Uncia-uncia; habitat; Cats; cat; sound; knowledge; ecology; behavior; conserve; information; radio; radio collars; radio collar; radio-collars; radio-collar; Nepal; 1980; Mongolia; 1990; Gps; Report; Data; Satellite
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Mehta, J., & Heinen, J. T. (2001). Does community-based conservation shape favorable attitudes among locals? An empirical study from Nepal. Environmental Management, 28(2), 165–177.
Abstract: Like many developing countries, Nepal has adopted a community-based conservation (CBC) approach in recent years to manage its protected areas mainly in response to poor park-people relations. Among other things, under this approach the government has created new “people-oriented” conservation areas, formed and devolved legal authority to grassroots-level institutions to manage local resources, fostered infrastructure development, promoted tourism, and provided income-generating trainings to local people. Of interest to policy-makers and resource managers in Nepal and worldwide is whether this approach to conservation leads to improved attitudes on the part of local people. It is also important to know if personal costs and benefits associated with various intervention programs, and socioeconomic and demographic characteristics influence these attitudes. We explore these questions by looking at the experiences in Annapurna and Makalu-Baran Conservation Areas, Nepal, which have largely adopted a CBC approach in policy formulation, planning, and management. The research was conducted during 1996 and 1997; the data collection methods included random household questionnaire surveys, informal interviews, and review of official records and published literature. The results indicated that the majority of local people held favorable attitudes toward these conservation areas. Logistic regression results revealed that participation in training, benefit from tourism, wildlife depredation issue, ethnicity, gender, and education level were the significant predictors of local attitudes in one of the other conservation area. We conclude that the CBC approach has potential to shape favorable local attitudes and that these attitudes will be mediated by some personal attributes.
Keywords: community-based; conservation; attitudes; attitude; local; study; Nepal
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Ming, M. (2004). Study on Snow Leopards in Xinjiang (Training Guide). |
Roth, T. L., Howard, J. G., Donoghue, A. M., Swanson, W. F., & Wildt, D. E. (1994). Function and culture requirements of snow leopard (Panthera uncia) spermatozoa in vitro. J Reprod Fertil, 101(3), 563–569.
Abstract: Electroejaculates from eight snow leopards were used to determine how the motility of spermatozoa was influenced by (i) type of media (Ham's F10, PBS, human tubal fluid or RPMI-1640); (ii) holding temperature (23 degrees C versus 37 degrees C); (iii) washing of spermatozoa and (iv) a sperm metabolic enhancer, pentoxifylline. The duration of sperm motility was assessed by evaluating samples in each treatment every hour for 6 h and a sperm motility index (a value combining percentage sperm motility and rate of forward progression) calculated. Spermatozoa from the Ham's F10, PBS and PBS plus pentoxifylline treatments were also co-incubated with zona-intact, domestic cat eggs that were fixed and evaluated for spermatozoa bound to the zona pellucida, penetrating the outer and inner layers of the zona pellucida and within the perivitelline space. During the 6 h co-incubation, the sperm motility index in PBS with pentoxifylline was greater (P < 0.05) than in PBS alone which, in turn, was greater (P < 0.05) than in the other three test media. Washing the spermatozoa enhanced (P < 0.05) motility in both PBS and PBS plus pentoxifylline relative to unwashed samples, but there was no effect (P > 0.05) of holding temperature. Pentoxifylline supplementation enhanced (P < 0.05) the proportion of cat eggs with bound, but not penetrated, snow leopard spermatozoa in the inner layer of the zona pellucida, and there were no spermatozoa in the perivitelline space.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Keywords: Animal; Carnivora; physiology; Cell; survival; Cells; Cultured; Comparative; study; Culture; Media; Female; Male; Pentoxifylline; Sperm; Motility; Ovum; Interactions; Spermatozoa; cytology; Support; Non-U.S.Gov't; U.S.Gov't; P.H.S.; browse; non; us; gov't; government; 190
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Jack, R. (2008). DNA Testing and GPS positioning of snow leopard (Panthera uncia) genetic material in the Khunjerab National Park Northern Areas, Pakistan.
Abstract: The protection of Snow Leopards in the remote and economically disadvantaged Northern Areas of Pakistan needs local people equipped with the skills to gather and present information on the number and range of individual animals in their area. It is important for the success of a conservation campaign that the people living in the area are engaged in the conservation process. Snow Leopards are elusive and range through inhospitable terrain so direct study is difficult. Consequently the major goals for this project were twofold, to gather information on snow leopard distribution in this area and to train local university students and conservation management professionals in the techniques used for locating snow leopards without the need to capture or even see the animals. This project pioneered the use of DNA testing of field samples collected in Pakistan to determine the distribution of snow leopards and to attempt to identify individuals. These were collected in and around that country's most northerly national park, the Kunjurab National Park, which sits on the Pakistan China border. Though the Northern Areas is not a well developed part of Pakistan, it does possess a number of institutions that can work together to strengthen snow leopard conservation. The first of these is a newly established University with students ready to be trained in the skills needed. Secondly WWF-Pakistan has an office in the main town and a state of the art GIS laboratory in Lahore and already works closely with the Forest Department who manage the national park. All three institutions worked together in this project with WWF providing GIS expertise, the FD rangers, and the university students carrying out the laboratory work. In addition in the course of the project the University of the Punjab in Lahore also joined the effort, providing laboratory facilities for the students. As a result of this project maps have been produced showing the location of snow leopards in
two areas. Preliminary DNA evidence indicates that there is more than one animal in this relatively small area, but the greatest achievement of this project is the training and experience gained by the local students. For one student this has been life changing. Due to the opportunities provided by this study the student, Nelofar gained significant scientific training and as a consequence she is now working as a lecturer and research officer for the Center for Integrated Mountain Research, New Campus University of the Punjab, Lahore Pakistan Keywords: project; snow; snow leopard; snow-leopard; leopard; network; conservation; program; Dna; Gps; panthera; panthera uncia; Panthera-uncia; uncia; Khunjerab; Khunjerab-National-Park; national; national park; National-park; park; areas; area; Pakistan; protection; snow leopards; snow-leopards; leopards; local; local people; people; information; number; range; Animals; Animal; study; distribution; management; professional; techniques; capture; use; field; country; China; border; work; art; Gis; Forest; manage; Wwf; maps; map; location; training; research; mountain
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Hunter, D. (1997). Mongolian-American Snow Leopard Project. Cat News, 26, 15–16.
Abstract: A snow leopard project is underway to study snow leopards in Mongolia. The project, called the Mongolian-American Snow Leopard Project, involves the Wildlife Conservation Society, the Mongolian Association for the Conservation of Nature and Environment, the National Geographic Society, the Mongolian Ministry of Nature and the Environment, the U.S. National Biological Service, and the International Snow Leopard Trust. The objective of the study is to survey the distribution and status of Mongolia's snow leopards, including those living in the Gobi Desert. klf.
Keywords: asia; Mongolia; panthera uncia; endangered; threatened species; mammals; study methods; techniques; telemetry; snow leopard project; distribution; Gobi Desert; threatened; species; snow; leopard; snow-leopard; project; study; methods; panthera; uncia; browse; 630
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Jackson, R., & Ahlborn, G. (1986). Himalayan snow leopard project: final progress report, phase 1. |