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Author Khanal, G., Mishra, C., Suryawanshi, K. R. url 
  Title Relative influence of wild prey and livestock abundance on carnivore-caused livestock predation Type Journal Article
  Year 2020 Publication Ecology and Evolution Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages (down) 1-11  
  Keywords conservation conflict, human carnivore conflict, large mammalian carnivore, livestock depredation, Nepal, Shey Phoksundo National Park, snow leopard  
  Abstract Conservation conflict over livestock depredation is one of the

key drivers of large mammalian carnivore declines worldwide. Mitigating

this conflict requires strategies informed by reliable knowledge of

factors influencing livestock depredation. Wild prey and livestock

abundance are critical factors influencing the extent of livestock

depredation. We compared whether the extent of livestock predation by

snow leopards Panthera uncia differed in relation to densities of wild

prey, livestock, and snow leopards at two sites in Shey Phoksundo

National Park, Nepal. We used camera trap-based spatially explicit

capture–recapture models to estimate snow leopard density;

double-observer surveys to estimate the density of their main prey

species, the blue sheep Pseudois nayaur; and interview-based household

surveys to estimate livestock population and number of livestock killed

by snow leopards. The proportion of livestock lost per household was

seven times higher in Upper Dolpa, the site which had higher snow

leopard density (2.51 snow leopards per 100 km2) and higher livestock

density (17.21 livestock per km2) compared to Lower Dolpa (1.21 snow

leopards per 100 km2; 4.5 livestock per km2). The wild prey density was

similar across the two sites (1.81 and 1.57 animals per km2 in Upper and

Lower Dolpa, respectively). Our results suggest that livestock

depredation level may largely be determined by the abundances of the

snow leopards and livestock and predation levels on livestock can vary

even at similar levels of wild prey density. In large parts of the snow

leopard range, livestock production is indispensable to local

livelihoods and livestock population is expected to increase to meet the

demand of cashmere. Hence, we recommend that any efforts to increase

livestock populations or conservation initiatives aimed at recovering or

increasing snow leopard population be accompanied by better herding

practices (e.g., predator-proof corrals) to protect livestock from snow

leopard.
 
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Serial 1611  
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Author Suryawanshi, K.R.; Bhatnagar, Y.; Mishra, C. url 
  Title Why should a grazer browse? Livestock impact on winter resource use by bharal Pseudois nayaur Type Journal Article
  Year 2009 Publication Oecologia Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages (down) 1-10  
  Keywords browse; livestock; impact; winter; resource; use; bharal; Pseudois; pseudois nayaur; Pseudois-nayaur; nayaur; diet; variation; diets; conservation; Media; study; decline; areas; area; grazing; Pressure; plants; plant; sign; feeding; location; population; structure; populations; using; young; Female; times; High; Competition; species; predators; predator; endangered; snow; snow leopard; snow-leopard; leopard; trans-himalaya; transhimalaya  
  Abstract Many mammalian herbivores show a temporal diet variation between graminoid-dominated and browse dominated diets. We determined the causes of such a diet shift and its implications for conservation of a medium sized ungulate-the bharal Pseudois nayaur. Past studies show that the bharal diet is dominated by graminoids (>80%) during summer, but the contribution of graminoids declines to about 50% in winter. We tested the predictions generated by two alternative hypotheses explaining the decline: low graminoid availability during winter causes bharal to include browse in their diet; bharal include browse, with relatively higher nutritional quality, in their diet to compensate for the poor quality of graminoids during winter. We measured winter graminoid availability in areas with no livestock grazing, areas with relatively moderate livestock grazing, and those with intense livestock grazing pressures. The chemical composition of plants contributing to the bharal diet was analysed. The bharal diet was quantiWed through signs of feeding on vegetation at feeding locations. Population structures of bharal populations were recorded using a total count method. Graminoid availability was highest in areas without livestock grazing, followed by areas with moderate and intense livestock grazing. The bharal diet was dominated by graminoids (73%) in areas with highest graminoid availability. Graminoid contribution to the bharal diet declined monotonically (50, 36%) with a decline in graminoid availability. Bharal young to female ratio was 3 times higher in areas with high graminoid availability than areas with low graminoid availability. The composition of the bharal winter diet was governed predominantly by the availability of graminoids in the rangelands. Our results suggest that bharal include more browse in their diet during winter due to competition from livestock for graminoids. Since livestock grazing reduces graminoid availability, creation of livestock-free areas is necessary for the conservation of grazing species such as the bharal and its predators including the endangered snow leopard in the Trans-Himalaya.  
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  Notes This study was made possible by a grant from the Snow Leopard Network. Additional support was given by the Wildlife Conservation Society-India Program and Nature Conservation Foundation, the Whitley Fund for Nature, the Ford Foundation, and the Nadathur Conservation Trust. Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rana @ 1062 Serial 951  
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Author Suryawanshi, K.R. url 
  Title Towards snow leopard prey recovery: understanding the resource use strategies and demographic responses of bharal Pseudois nayaur to livestock grazing and removal; Final project report Type Report
  Year 2009 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages (down) 1-43  
  Keywords project; snow; snow leopard; snow-leopard; leopard; network; conservation; program; prey; recovery; resource; use; strategy; demographic; Response; bharal; Pseudois; pseudois nayaur; Pseudois-nayaur; nayaur; livestock; grazing; Report; decline; wild; populations; population; Himalayan; region; Competition; threats; threat; uncia; Uncia uncia; Uncia-uncia; study; diet; winter; Test; browse; nutrition; areas; area; young; Female; times; High; Adult; mortality; species; predators; predator; endangered; trans-himalaya; transhimalaya  
  Abstract Decline of wild prey populations in the Himalayan region, largely due to competition with livestock, has been identified as one of the main threats to the snow leopard Uncia uncia. Studies show that bharal Pseudois nayaur diet is dominated by graminoids during summer, but the proportion of graminoids declines in winter. We explore the causes for the decline of graminoids from bharal winter diet and resulting implications for bharal conservation. We test the predictions generated by two alternative hypotheses, (H1) low graminoid availability caused by livestock grazing during winter causes bharal to include browse in their diet, and, (H2) bharal include browse, with relatively higher nutrition, to compensate for the poor quality of graminoids during winter. Graminoid availability was highest in areas without livestock grazing, followed by areas with moderate and intense livestock grazing. Graminoid quality in winter was relatively lower than that of browse, but the difference was not statistically significant. Bharal diet was dominated by graminoids in areas with highest graminoid availability. Graminoid contribution to bharal diet declined monotonically with a decline in graminoid availability. Bharal young to female ratio was three times higher in areas with high graminoid availability than areas with low graminoid availability. No starvation-related adult mortalities were observed in any of the areas. Composition of bharal winter diet was governed predominantly by the availability of graminoids in the rangelands. Since livestock grazing reduces graminoid availability, creation of livestock free areas is necessary for conservation of grazing species such as the bharal and its predators such as the endangered snow leopard in the Trans-Himalaya.  
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  Notes Project funded by Snow Leopard Network's Snow Leopard Conservation Grant Program, 2008. Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysore. Post-graduate Program in Wildlife Biology and Conservation, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Wildlife Conservation Society -India program, Bangalore, India. Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rana @ 1077 Serial 952  
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Author Suryawanshi, K. R., Bhatia, S., Bhatnagar, Y. V., Redpath, S., Mishra, C url 
  Title Multiscale Factors Affecting Human Attitudes toward Snow Leopards and Wolves Type Journal Article
  Year 2014 Publication Conservation biology Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 00 Issue Pages (down) 1-10  
  Keywords Canis lupus, carnivore, human–wildlife conflicts, Panthera uncia, wildlife acceptance  
  Abstract The threat posed by large carnivores to livestock and humans makes peaceful coexistence between

them difficult. Effective implementation of conservation laws and policies depends on the attitudes of local

residents toward the target species. There are many known correlates of human attitudes toward carnivores,

but they have only been assessed at the scale of the individual. Because human societies are organized hierarchically, attitudes are presumably influenced by different factors at different scales of social organization, but this scale dependence has not been examined.We used structured interview surveys to quantitatively assess the attitudes of a Buddhist pastoral community toward snow leopards (Panthera uncia) and wolves (Canis lupus).

We interviewed 381 individuals from 24 villages within 6 study sites across the high-elevation Spiti Valley in

the Indian Trans-Himalaya. We gathered information on key explanatory variables that together captured

variation in individual and village-level socioeconomic factors.We used hierarchical linear models to examine how the effect of these factors on human attitudes changed with the scale of analysis from the individual to the community. Factors significant at the individual level were gender, education, and age of the respondent (for wolves and snow leopards), number of income sources in the family (wolves), agricultural production, and large-bodied livestock holdings (snow leopards). At the community level, the significant factors included the number of smaller-bodied herded livestock killed by wolves and mean agricultural production (wolves) and village size and large livestock holdings (snow leopards). Our results show that scaling up from the individual to higher levels of social organization can highlight important factors that influence attitudes of people toward wildlife and toward formal conservation efforts in general. Such scale-specific information can help managers apply conservation measures at appropriate scales. Our results reiterate the need for conflict management programs to be multipronged.
 
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1417  
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Author Alexander, J., Chen, P., Damerell, P., Youkui, W., Hughes, J., Shi, K., Riordan, P. url 
  Title Human wildlife conflict involving large carnivores in Qilianshan, China and the minimal paw-print of snow leopards Type Journal Article
  Year 2015 Publication Biological Conservation Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 187 Issue Pages (down) 1-9  
  Keywords Snow leopard Carnivores Livestock depredation Social attitudes China  
  Abstract In this paper, we assess local perceptions towards snow leopards in North West China using a framework

depicting key conflict domains. We describe the perceived threats posed to humans by the snow leopard

and set them within beliefs and attitudes towards other species within the large carnivore assemblage in

this region. Surveys were conducted in seven villages within Qilianshan National Nature Reserve, Gansu

Province, China, to document reports of snow leopard (Panthera uncia), grey wolf (Canis lupus), Eurasian

lynx (Lynx lynx) and brown bear (Ursus arctos) depredation of livestock, and local attitudes towards each

species. Questionnaire-based interviews were held with 60 households and 49 livestock herders. Herding

of yak, sheep and goats was found to be a common livelihood activity among households in all villages.

Herders reported losing livestock to all four carnivore species. Herders reported that depredation was the

most common event affecting livestock, compared with natural disasters or disease, and represented a

total loss of 3.6% of the livestock population during the previous year. Most (53%) depredation losses were

attributed to lynx, while snow leopards were held responsible for only 7.8% of depredation losses. The

reported impact of snow leopards on herding activities was relatively small and the majority of both

householders and herders expressed positive attitudes towards them and supported measures for their

protection. Households and herders held negative attitudes towards lynx, wolves and bears, however,

most likely due to their perceived threat to livestock and humans. Understanding community perceptions

of threats posed by wildlife is vital for gaining community support for, and engagement in, conflict

mitigation.
 
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1422  
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Author Tumursukh, L., Suryawanshi, K. R., Mishra, C., McCarthy, T. M., Boldgiv, B. url 
  Title Status of the mountain ungulate prey of the Endangered snow leopard Panthera uncia in the Tost Local Protected Area, South Gobi, Mongolia Type Journal Article
  Year 2015 Publication Oryx Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages (down) 1-6  
  Keywords Argali, Central Asia, double-observer survey, ibex, Panthera uncia, snow leopard, ungulate prey  
  Abstract The availability of wild prey is a critical predictor of carnivore density. However, few conservation pro- grammes have focused on the estimation and monitoring of wild ungulate populations and their trends, especially in the remote mountains of Central Asia. We conducted double-observer surveys to estimate the populations of ibex Capra sibirica and argali Ovis ammon in the mountain- ous regions of Tost Local Protected Area, South Gobi prov- ince, Mongolia, which is being considered for designation as a Nature Reserve. We also conducted demographic surveys of the more abundant ibex to examine their sex-ratio and the survival of young during –. The estimated ibex population remained stable in  and  and the es- timated argali population increased from  in  to  in . The biomass of wild ungulates was c. % that of live- stock. Mortality in young ibex appeared to increase after weaning, at the age of  months. We estimated the popula- tion of wild ungulates was sufficient to support – adult snow leopards Panthera uncia. The adult snow leopard population in our study area during –, estimated independently using camera-trap-based mark–recapture methods, was –. Based on our results we identify the Tost Local Protected Area as an important habitat for the conservation of these ungulates and their predator, the Endangered snow leopard, and recommend elevation of its status to a Nature Reserve.  
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  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1425  
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Author Alexander, J. S., Shi, K., Tallents, L. A., Riordan, P. url  doi
  Title On the high trail: examining determinants of site use by the Endangered snow leopard Panthera uncia in Qilianshan, China Type Journal Article
  Year 2015 Publication Oryx Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Fauna & Flora International Pages (down) 1-8  
  Keywords Camera Trap, China, Detection Probability, Occupancy Modelling, Panthera Uncia, Site use, Snow Leopard  
  Abstract Abstract There is a need for simple and robust techniques for assessment and monitoring of populations of the Endangered snow leopard Panthera uncia to inform the de- velopment of action plans for snow leopard conservation. We explored the use of occupancy modelling to evaluate the influence of environmental and anthropogenic features on snow leopard site-use patterns. We conducted a camera trap survey across  km in Gansu Province, China, and used data from  camera traps to estimate probabilities of site use and detection using the single season occupancy model. We assessed the influence of three covariates on site use by snow leopards: elevation, the presence of blue sheep Pseudois nayaur and the presence of human disturb- ance (distance to roads). We recorded  captures of snow leopards over , trap-days, representing a mean capture success of . captures per  trap-days. Elevation had the strongest influence on site use, with the probability of site use increasing with altitude, whereas the influence of presence of prey and distance to roads was relatively weak. Our findings indicate the need for practical and robust tech- niques to appraise determinants of site use by snow leo- pards, especially in the context of the limited resources available for such work.  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1433  
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Author Alexander, J., S., Gopalaswamy, A., M., Shi, K., Hughes, J., Riordan, P. url  doi
  Title Patterns of Snow Leopard Site Use in an Increasingly Human-Dominated Landscape Type Journal Article
  Year 2016 Publication PLoS ONE Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages (down) 1-15  
  Keywords  
  Abstract Human population growth and concomitant increases in demand for natural resources pose threats to many wildlife populations. The landscapes used by the endangered snow leopard (Panthera uncia) and their prey is increasingly subject to major changes in land use. We aimed to assess the influence of 1) key human activities, as indicated by the presence of mining and livestock herding, and 2) the presence of a key prey species, the blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur), on probability of snow leopard site use across the landscape. In Gansu Province, China, we conducted sign surveys in 49 grid cells, each of 16 km2 in size, within a larger area of 3392 km2. We analysed the data using likelihood-based habitat occupancy models that explicitly account for imperfect detection and spatial auto-correlation between survey transect segments. The model-averaged estimate of snow leopard occupancy was high [0.75 (SE 0.10)], but only marginally higher than the naïve estimate (0.67). Snow leop- ard segment-level probability of detection, given occupancy on a 500 m spatial replicate, was also high [0.68 (SE 0.08)]. Prey presence was the main determinant of snow leopard site use, while human disturbances, in the form of mining and herding, had low predictive power. These findings suggest that snow leopards continue to use areas very close to such disturbances, as long as there is sufficient prey. Improved knowledge about the effect of human activity on large carnivores, which require large areas and intact prey populations, is urgently needed for conservation planning at the local and global levels. We highlight a number of methodological considerations that should guide the design of such research.  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1440  
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Author Suryawanshi, K. R., Redpath, S. M., Bhatnagar, Y. V., Ramakrishnan, U., Chaturvedi, V., Smout, S. C., Mishra, C. url 
  Title Impact of wild prey availability on livestock predation by snow leopards Type Journal Article
  Year Publication Royal Society Open Science Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages (down) 1-11  
  Keywords apparent competition, apparent facilitation, conservation conflicts, indirect interactions, predator� prey interactions, snow leopard  
  Abstract An increasing proportion of the world�s poor is rearing livestock today, and the global livestock population is growing. Livestock predation by large carnivores and their retaliatory

killing is becoming an economic and conservation concern. A common recommendation for carnivore conservation and for reducing predation on livestock is to increase wild prey populations based on the assumption that the carnivores will consume this alternative food. Livestock predation, however, could either reduce or intensify with increases in wild prey depending on prey choice and trends in carnivore abundance. We show that the extent of livestock predation by the endangered snow leopard Panthera uncia

intensifies with increases in the density of wild ungulate prey, and subsequently stabilizes. We found that snow leopard density, estimated at seven sites, was a positive linear function of the density of wild ungulates�the preferred prey�and showed no discernible relationship with livestock density. We also found that modelled livestock predation increased with livestock density. Our results suggest that snow leopard conservation would benefit from an increase in wild ungulates, but that would intensify the problem of livestock predation for pastoralists. The potential benefits of increased wild prey abundance in reducing livestock predation

can be overwhelmed by a resultant increase in snow leopard populations. Snow leopard conservation efforts aimed atfacilitating increases in wild prey must be accompanied by greater assistance for better livestock

protection and offsetting the economic damage caused by carnivores.
 
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1452  
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Author Suryawanshi, K. R., Redpath, S., Bhatnagar, Y. V., Ramakrishnan, U., Chaturvedi, V., Smout, S. C., Mishra, C. url 
  Title Impact of wild prey availability on livestock predation by snow leopards Type Journal Article
  Year 2017 Publication Royal Society Open Science Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages (down) 1-11  
  Keywords apparent competition, apparent facilitation, conservation conflicts, indirect interactions, predator� prey interactions, snow leopard  
  Abstract An increasing proportion of the world�s poor is rearing

livestock today, and the global livestock population is growing.

Livestock predation by large carnivores and their retaliatory

killing is becoming an economic and conservation concern.

A common recommendation for carnivore conservation and

for reducing predation on livestock is to increase wild prey

populations based on the assumption that the carnivores

will consume this alternative food. Livestock predation,

however, could either reduce or intensify with increases

in wild prey depending on prey choice and trends in

carnivore abundance. We show that the extent of livestock

predation by the endangered snow leopard Panthera uncia

intensifies with increases in the density of wild ungulate

prey, and subsequently stabilizes. We found that snow leopard

density, estimated at seven sites, was a positive linear

function of the density of wild ungulates�the preferred

prey�and showed no discernible relationship with livestock

density. We also found that modelled livestock predation

increased with livestock density. Our results suggest that

snow leopard conservation would benefit from an increase

in wild ungulates, but that would intensify the problem of

livestock predation for pastoralists. The potential benefits of

increased wild prey abundance in reducing livestock predation

can be overwhelmed by a resultant increase in snow leopard

populations. Snow leopard conservation efforts aimed at

facilitating increases in wild prey must be accompanied by greater assistance for better livestock

protection and offsetting the economic damage caused by carnivores.
 
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1457  
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Author Suryawanshi, K. R., Khanyari, M., Sharma, K., Lkhagvajav, P., Mishra, C. url 
  Title Sampling bias in snow leopard population estimation studies Type Journal Article
  Year 2019 Publication Population Eccology Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages (down) 1-9  
  Keywords camera trap, Central Asia, Himalaya, meta-analysis, monitoring, Panthera uncia, population ecology  
  Abstract Accurate assessments of the status of threatened species and their conservation

planning require reliable estimation of their global populations and robust monitoring

of local population trends. We assessed the adequacy and suitability of studies

in reliably estimating the global snow leopard (Panthera uncia) population. We

compiled a dataset of all the peer-reviewed published literature on snow leopard

population estimation. Metadata analysis showed estimates of snow leopard density

to be a negative exponential function of area, suggesting that study areas have generally

been too small for accurate density estimation, and sampling has often been

biased towards the best habitats. Published studies are restricted to six of the

12 range countries, covering only 0.3�0.9% of the presumed global range of the

species. Re-sampling of camera trap data from a relatively large study site

(c.1684 km2) showed that small-sized study areas together with a bias towards

good quality habitats in existing studies may have overestimated densities by up to

five times. We conclude that current information is biased and inadequate for generating

a reliable global population estimate of snow leopards. To develop a rigorous

and useful baseline and to avoid pitfalls, there is an urgent need for

(a) refinement of sampling and analytical protocols for population estimation of

snow leopards (b) agreement and coordinated use of standardized sampling protocols

amongst researchers and governments across the range, and (c) sampling

larger and under-represented areas of the snow leopard's global range.
 
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1477  
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Author Samelius, G., Suryawanshi, K., Frank, J., Agvaantseren, B., Baasandamba, E., Mijiddorj, T., Johansson, O., Tumursukh, L., Mishra, C. url 
  Title Keeping predators out: testing fences to reduce livestock depredation at night-time corrals Type Journal Article
  Year 2020 Publication Oryx Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages (down) 1-7  
  Keywords Canis lupus, carnivore conservation, coexistence, conflict mitigation, conservation conflict, livestock depreda- tion, Panthera uncia, preventative measure  
  Abstract Livestock depredation by large carnivores is a global conservation challenge, and mitigation measures to reduce livestock losses are crucial for the coexistence of large carnivores and people. Various measures are employed to reduce livestock depredation but their effectiveness has rarely been tested. In this study, we tested the effectiveness of tall fences to reduce livestock losses to snow leopards Panthera uncia and wolves Canis lupus at night-time corrals at the winter camps of livestock herders in the Tost Mountains in southern Mongolia. Self-reported livestock losses at the fenced corrals were reduced from a mean loss of 3.9 goats and sheep per family and winter prior to the study to zero losses in the two winters of the study. In contrast, self-reported livestock losses in winter pastures, and during the rest of the year, when herders used different camps, remained high, which indicates that livestock losses were reduced because of the fences, not because of temporal variation in predation pressure. Herder attitudes towards snow leopards were positive and remained positive during the study, whereas attitudes towards wolves, which attacked livestock also in summer when herders moved out on the steppes, were negative and worsened during the study. This study showed that tall fences can be very effective at reducing night-time losses at corrals and we conclude that fences can be an important tool for snow leopard conservation and for facilitating the coexistence of snow leopards and people.  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1492  
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Author Murali,R., Ikhagvajav, P., Amankul, V., Jumabay, K., Sharma, K., Bhatnagar, Y. V., Suryawanshi, K., Mishra, C. url 
  Title Ecosystem service dependence in livestock and crop-based Type Journal Article
  Year 2020 Publication Journal of Arid Environments Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 180 Issue Pages (down) 1-10  
  Keywords Provisioning services Arid ecosystems Local communities Land-use  
  Abstract Globally, in semi-arid and arid landscapes, there is an

ongoing transition from livestock-production systems to crop-production

systems, and in many parts of Asia's arid mountains, mining for minerals

is also increasing. These changes are accompanied by a change in the

generation and quality of ecosystem services (ES), which can impact

human well-being. In this study, to better understand the impacts of

such transitions, we quantified ES in two crop-based and three

livestock-based production systems in the arid and semi-arid landscapes

of the High Himalaya and Central Asia, specifically in the Indian

Himalaya, Kyrgyz Tien Shan, and Mongolian Altai. Our results showed 1)

high economic dependence (3.6–38 times the respective annual household

income) of local farmers on provisioning ES, with the economic value of

ES being greater in livestock-production systems (7.4–38 times the

annual household income) compared to crop-production systems (3.6–3.7

times the annual household income); 2) ES input into cashmere

production, the main commodity from the livestock-production systems,

was 13–18 times greater than the price of cashmere received by the

farmer; and 3) in the livestock production systems affected by mining,

impacts on ES and quality of life were reported to be negative by

majority of the respondents. We conclude that livestock-based systems

may be relatively more vulnerable to degrading impacts of mining and

other ongoing developments due to their dependence on larger ES resource

catchments that tend to have weaker land tenure and are prone to

fragmentation. In contrast to the general assumption of low value of ES

in arid and semi-arid landscapes due to relatively low primary

productivity, our study underscores the remarkably high importance of ES

in supporting local livelihoods.
 
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  Call Number Serial 1603  
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Author Bhatia, S., Suryawanshi, K., Redpath, S., Namgail, S., Mishra, C. url 
  Title Understanding People's Relationship With Wildlife in Trans-Himalayan Folklore. Type Journal Article
  Year 2021 Publication Frontiers in Environmental Science Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 9 Issue 595169 Pages (down) 1-10  
  Keywords attitudes, culture, human-wildlife, narrative, stories, storytelling  
  Abstract People's views and values for wild animals are often a result of their experiences and traditional knowledge. Local folklore represents a resource that can enable an understanding of the nature of human-wildlife interactions, especially the underlying cultural values. Using archival searches and semi-structured interviews, we collected narratives about the ibex (Capra sibirica) (n = 69), and its predators, the wolf (Canis lupus) (n = 52) and the snow leopard (Panthera uncia) (n = 43), in Ladakh, India. We compared these stories to those of a mythical carnivore called seng ge or snow lion (n = 19), frequently referenced in local Tibetan Buddhist folklore and believed to share many of the traits commonly associated with snow leopards (except for livestock depredation). We then categorized the values along social-cultural, ecological and psychological dimensions. We found that the ibex was predominantly associated with utilitarianism and positive symbolism. Both snow leopard and wolf narratives referenced negative affective and negative symbolic values, though more frequently in the case of wolves. Snow leopard narratives largely focused on utilitarian and ecologistic values. In contrast, snow lion narratives were mostly associated with positive symbolism. Our results suggest that especially for snow leopards and wolves, any potentially positive symbolic associations appeared to be overwhelmed by negative sentiments because of their tendency to prey on livestock, unlike in the case of the snow lion. Since these values reflect people's real and multifarious interactions with wildlife, we recommend paying greater attention to understanding the overlaps between natural and cultural heritage conservation to facilitate human-wildlife coexistence.  
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  Call Number Serial 1632  
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Author Guoliang, P., Alexander, J. S., Riordan, P., Shi, K., Kederhan, Yang, H url 
  Title Detection of a snow leopard population in northern Bortala, Xinjiang, China Type Journal Article
  Year 2016 Publication Cat News Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue 63 Pages (down)  
  Keywords  
  Abstract We substantiate the presence of snow leopards Panthera uncia using camera

traps within the Dzungarian Alatau range in Bortala Mongolia Autonomous Prefecture,

Xinjiang Province, China. A total of 13 camera trap stations were set up in

2012 and a total of 14 camera trap stations in 2013 within an area of 192 km2. A total

of 11-15 individual adult snow leopards and two sub adults were identified from

photo captures of sufficient quality. A range of human activities were noted within

and surrounding the survey area, including livestock herding and mining. We recommend

more large scale and intensive camera trap surveys to further assess the

population status of the snow leopard within this area
 
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1443  
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Author Alexander, J. S., Zhang, C., Shi, K., Riordan, P. url 
  Title A spotlight on snow leopard conservation in China Type Journal Article
  Year 2016 Publication Integrative Zoology Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue 11 Pages (down)  
  Keywords China, conservation, Panthera uncia, research prioritization  
  Abstract China holds the greatest proportion of the snow leopard’s (Panthera uncia) global range and is central to their conservation. The country is also undergoing unprecedented economic growth, which increases both the threats to the snow leopard and the opportunities for its conservation. In this paper we aim to review published literature (from 1950 to 2014) in English and Mandarin on snow leopard ecology and conservation in China in order to identify thematic and geographic research gaps and propose research priorities. We first retrieved all publish items that considered snow leopards in China (n = 106). We extracted from these papers 274 reports of snow leopard presence in China. We then reviewed a subset of papers (n = 33) of this literature, which specifically focused on snow leopard ecology and conservation within China. We introduced a thematic framework that allows a structured and comprehensive assessment of findings. This framework recognizes 4 critical and interrelated topics underpinning snow leopard ecology and conservation: habitat (distribution and protected area coverage); prey (distribution and abundance, predator–prey relationships); human interactions (hunting and trade, livestock interactions and conflicts); and the underlying policy context. Significant gains in knowledge as well as research gaps and priorities are discussed with reference to our framework. The modest quantity and limited scope of published research on the snow leopard in China calls for a continued and intensified effort to inform and support national conservation policies.  
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  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1442  
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Author Alexander, J. S., Gopalswamy, A. M., Shi, K., Riordan, P. url  doi
  Title Face Value: Towards Robust Estimates of Snow Leopard Densities Type Journal Article
  Year 2015 Publication Plos One Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages (down)  
  Keywords Densities, Snow Leopard, Camera traps, Spatial Capture Recapture models  
  Abstract When densities of large carnivores fall below certain thresholds, dramatic ecological effects

can follow, leading to oversimplified ecosystems. Understanding the population status of

such species remains a major challenge as they occur in low densities and their ranges are

wide. This paper describes the use of non-invasive data collection techniques combined

with recent spatial capture-recapture methods to estimate the density of snow leopards

Panthera uncia. It also investigates the influence of environmental and human activity indicators

on their spatial distribution. A total of 60 camera traps were systematically set up during

a three-month period over a 480 km2 study area in Qilianshan National Nature Reserve,

Gansu Province, China. We recorded 76 separate snow leopard captures over 2,906 trapdays,

representing an average capture success of 2.62 captures/100 trap-days. We identified

a total number of 20 unique individuals from photographs and estimated snow leopard

density at 3.31 (SE = 1.01) individuals per 100 km2. Results of our simulation exercise indicate

that our estimates from the Spatial Capture Recapture models were not optimal to

respect to bias and precision (RMSEs for density parameters less or equal to 0.87). Our

results underline the critical challenge in achieving sufficient sample sizes of snow leopard

captures and recaptures. Possible performance improvements are discussed, principally by

optimising effective camera capture and photographic data quality.
 
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  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1431  
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Author Atzeni, L., Wang, J., Riordan, P., Shi, K., Cushman, S. A. pdf 
  Title Landscape resistance to gene flow in a snow leopard population from Qilianshan National Park, Gansu, China Type Journal Article
  Year 2023 Publication Landscape Ecology Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages (down)  
  Keywords Landscape genetics · MLPE · Gene flow · Genetic distance · Isolation by distance · Isolation by resistance · Landscape resistance · Snow leopard · Principal component analysis  
  Abstract Context: The accurate estimation of landscape resistance to movement is important for ecological understanding and conservation applications. Rigorous estimation of resistance requires validation and optimization. One approach uses genetic data for the optimization or validation of resistance models. Objectives We used a genetic dataset of snow leopards from China to evaluate how landscape genetics resistance models varied across genetic distances and spatial scales of analysis. We evaluated whether landscape genetics models were superior to models of resistance derived from habitat suitability or isolation-by-distance.

Methods: We regressed genetically optimized, habitat-based, and isolation-by-distance hypotheses against genetic distances using mixed effect models. We explored all subset combinations of genetically optimized variables to find the most supported resistance scenario for each genetic distance.

Results: Genetically optimized models always out-performed habitat-based and isolation-by-distance hypotheses. The choice of genetic distances influenced the apparent influence of variables, their spatial scales and their functional response shapes, producing divergent resistance scenarios. Gene flow in snow leopards was largely facilitated by areas of intermediate ruggedness at intermediate elevations corresponding to small-to-large valleys within and between the mountain ranges.

Conclusions: This study highlights that landscape genetics models provide superior estimation of functional dispersal than habitat surrogates and suggests that optimization of genetic distance should be included as an optimization routine in landscape genetics, along with variables, scales, effect size and functional response shape. Furthermore, our study provides new insights on the ecological conditions that promote gene flow in snow leopards, which expands ecological knowledge, and we hope will improve conservation planning.
 
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  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1720  
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Author Atzeni, L., Cushman, S. A., Wang, J., Riordan, P., Shi, K., Bauman, D. url  doi
  Title Evidence of spatial genetic structure in a snow leopard population from Gansu, China Type Journal Article
  Year 2021 Publication Heredity Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages (down)  
  Keywords  
  Abstract Understanding the spatial structure of genetic diversity provides insights into a populations’ genetic status and enables assessment of its capacity to counteract the effects of genetic drift. Such knowledge is particularly scarce for the snow leopard, a conservation flagship species of Central Asia mountains. Focusing on a snow leopard population in the Qilian mountains of Gansu Province, China, we characterised the spatial genetic patterns by incorporating spatially explicit indices of diversity and multivariate analyses, based on different inertia levels of Principal Component Analysis (PCA). We compared two datasets differing in the number of loci and individuals. We found that genetic patterns were significantly spatially structured and were characterised by a broad geographical division coupled with a fine-scale cline of differentiation. Genetic admixture was detected in two adjoining core areas characterised by higher effective population size and allelic diversity, compared to peripheral localities. The power to detect significant spatial relationships depended primarily on the number of loci, and secondarily on the number of PCA axes. Spatial patterns and indices of diversity highlighted the cryptic structure of snow leopard genetic diversity, likely driven by its ability to disperse over large distances. In combination, the species’ low allelic richness and large dispersal ability result in weak genetic differentiation related to major geographical features and isolation by distance. This study illustrates how cryptic genetic patterns can be investigated and analysed at a fine spatial scale, providing insights into the spatially variable isolation effects of both geographic distance and landscape resistance.  
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  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1661  
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Author Sharma, R. K., Sharma, K., Borchers, D., Bhatnagar, Y. V., Suryawanshi, K. S., Mishra, C. url 
  Title Spatial variation in population-density, movement and detectability of snow leopards in 2 a multiple use landscape in Spiti Valley, Trans-Himalaya Type Journal Article
  Year 2020 Publication bioRxiv Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages (down)  
  Keywords Co-existence; land sharing; population-density; spatial capture recapture; Pseudois nayaur Capra sibirica; ungulates; livestock.  
  Abstract The endangered snow leopard Panthera uncia occurs in human use landscapes in the mountains of South and Central Asia. Conservationists generally agree that snow leopards must be conserved through a land-sharing approach, rather than land-sparing in the form of strictly protected areas. Effective conservation through land-sharing requires a good understanding of how snow leopards respond to human use of the landscape. Snow leopard density is expected to show spatial variation within a landscape because of variation in the intensity of human use and the quality of habitat. However, snow leopards have been difficult to enumerate and monitor. Variation in the density of snow leopards remains undocumented, and the impact of human use on their populations is poorly understood. We examined spatial variation in snow leopard density in Spiti Valley, an important snow leopard landscape in India, via spatially explicit capture recapture analysis of camera trap data. We camera trapped an area encompassing a minimum convex polygon of 953 km . We estimated an overall density of 0.49 (95% CI: 0.39-0.73) adult snow leopards per 100 km . Using AIC, our best model showed the density of snow leopards to depend on wild prey density, movement about activity centres to depend on altitude, and the expected number of encounters at the activity centre to depend on topography. Models that also used livestock biomass as a density covariate ranked second, but the effect of livestock was weak. Our results highlight the importance of maintaining high density pockets of wild prey populations in multiple use landscapes to enhance snow leopard conservation.  
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  Call Number Serial 1620  
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Author Suryawanshi, K. url 
  Title An encounter in snow Type Magazine Article
  Year 2011 Publication FRONTLINE Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 28 Issue 10 Pages (down)  
  Keywords  
  Abstract In the trans-Himalayan region, a conservation effort has reduced conflicts between snow leopards and pastoralists. Photographs & text by author.  
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  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
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  Notes http://www.frontline.in/stories/20110520281005800.htm; INDIA'S NATIONAL MAGAZINE, from the publishers of THE HINDU, May 7-20, 2011 Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rana @ Serial 1316  
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