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  Title test Type Journal Article
  Year 2014 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages  
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  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1413  
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Author Mallon, D. url 
  Title Trophy Hunting of Cites-Listed Species in Central Asia Type Report
  Year 2013 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages  
  Keywords (up)  
  Abstract Executive Summary:

The report is part of a project aiming to strengthen capacities to implement CITES, especially in

Central Asia and to satisfy the CITES‐related requirements of trading partners, to prevent

overexploitation and to ensure legal international trade in wild fauna and flora does not exceed

sustainable levels. The objective is to enhance the policies and regulations concerning trophy

hunting in selected range States of the Argali Ovis ammon: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Russian

Federation, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and to provide a framework for the establishment of

sustainable hunting programmes that support conservation. This report is focused on the relevance

of trophy hunting for conservation and associated local livelihoods.

Sustainable use of biological diversity is an integral part of the Convention on Biodiversity (1992) and

is seen as a valuable tool in conserving biological diversity. The Addis Ababa Principles and Guidelines

(AAPG) set out the basis for sustainable use of natural resources. The IUCN SSC1 Guiding Principles on

Trophy Hunting as a Tool for Creating Conservation Incentives, and the European Charter on Hunting

and Biodiversity provide further guidance on the sustainability of trophy hunting, including on highly

threatened species. The International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) together

with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has also developed Best

Practice Guidelines for trophy hunting.

All five project countries are Parties to CITES, except Tajikistan, which has begun the accession

process. Argali are the focus of the trophy hunting in the region and they represent the most

expensive trophy in the five project countries. Other CITES‐listed hunting species are Brown Bear

Ursus arctos, Wolf Canis lupus, Musk Deer Moschus moschiferus, Eurasian Lynx Lynx lynx (all mainly

in Russia) and Houbara Bustard Chlamydotis undulata. Markhor Capra falconeri and Urial Ovis

orientalis have also been hunted at times but are not the object of regular trophy hunting

programmes at present. Other widely hunted species are not listed in the CITES Appendices.

A recent analysis by TRAFFIC of the CITES trade database showed that 10 245 hunting trophy items

from species listed in the CITES Appendices were exported from the project countries between 2000

and 2010. Almost all trophy items consisted of Argali, Brown Bear and Wolf. Most were exported

from Russia (9473 trophies), with smaller numbers from Tajikistan (705), Kyrgyzstan (668), and

Kazakhstan (126), and 13 from Uzbekistan.

In the region, wildlife is generally the property of the State, which awards rights to use it to

individuals or other entities. National legislation covering hunting and wildlife protection may refer

to sustainable use but this is undefined. The legal rights of local communities are also not generally

specified. FAO and CIC produced a review of national legislation that set out in detail the basic

principles of sustainable wildlife management laws (2008). One of the main findings was that

legislative frameworks in the region frequently consisted of different legal instruments that were not

always harmonized and sometimes overlapped. In some cases, there was also a lack of institutional

clarity, with overlapping jurisdictions among different agencies.

Poaching for meat and trophies or commercial products is a significant factor across the whole

region, negatively affecting all the main hunting species, as well as protected species. Wild

populations have been reduced, sometimes drastically so. Poaching of Argali and other mountain

ungulates may be carried out by military or border personnel and is not restricted to areas outside

formal nature reserves: indeed, law enforcement and protected area staff are sometimes complicit

in illegal hunting, driven in part by the very low salaries. There are numerous recent examples of

poaching and illegal trade in trophies of CITES‐listed species. The actual level of illegal off‐take is

unknown. Known cases may represent a very small fraction of the real total. The wildlife

conservation sector is under‐resourced across the region with a lack of funding, trained personnel,

transport and other equipment severely limiting the effectiveness of anti‐poaching efforts.

Memoranda of Understanding under the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS MoUs) and their

associated action plans for Saiga Saiga tatarica and Bukhara Deer Cervus elaphus bactrianus have

proven to be effective instruments in facilitating species recovery. A CMS Single Species Action Plan

for Argali is in preparation (Roettger & Singh, in prep) and will provide a framework for conservation.

Trophy hunting in the region is predominantly organized on a commercial basis. Community‐based

hunting initiatives in the region are in their infancy and face some legal and institutional obstacles.

There are however promising developments: for example, five community‐based NGOs in Tajikistan

are managing wildlife in legally assigned areas and three of them have hosted hunting clients (on

non‐CITES species). Well‐developed community‐based trophy hunting programmes operate in

Pakistan, targeted at Markhor Capra falconeri which is listed in CITES Appendix I, and in Namibia,

which is widely seen as a leader in such programmes, and while the specific conditions and sociopolitical

background of both differ in several ways from those in the region, they nonetheless

provide instructive guidance on the principles of successful community conservancy organization.

There is an extensive literature on trophy hunting, its potential to contribute to conservation of

biodiversity and local livelihoods, and the potential negative effects of selective harvesting on

species. The consensus view seems to be that selective harvest of trophy‐age males does not impact

negatively in the short term, if only a low proportion of the available trophy‐age individuals are

harvested, but uncontrolled harvest can lead to a decline in horn size and thus trophy quality, as well

as have negative demographic effects. Trophy hunting programmes raise substantial revenues in

some African countries, and in the best cases significant sums are received at community or

conservancy level. However, this is not universally the case and inequitable benefit sharing remains

a major challenge to be overcome. Good governance is an essential requirement when developing

hunting and other forms of community based management initiative.

A possible decline in size of Argali trophies in Kyrgyzstan has been reported and determining

whether this is actually the case, and the causes, is a priority. Standardized monitoring, involvement

of independent experts, transparency in quota setting and allocation of licences are all seen as

prerequisites of well‐managed and sustainable hunting operations. Allocation of long‐term leases for

concessions is needed to motivate managers to invest in anti‐poaching and other conservation

measures and remove the temptation for short‐term profit that threatens the sustainability of the

resource.

Developing all forms of Community‐based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) – trophy hunting

and tourism – is also recommended. As the concept is still new to many parts of the region, and the

legal‐political background is not always sympathetic, building on examples of existing community

conservancies (in Tajikistan) or where there is an administrative basis for local management of

resources (Kyrgyzstan), is likely to be effective. Ensuring that communities and conservancies are

legally empowered to manage and utilise wildlife and to receive revenues for such use is a basic

requirement.

Recommendations on good practice are set out in several publications and salient points relevant to the region are highlighted.
 
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  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1415  
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Author Sharma, K., Bayrakcismith, R., Tumursukh, L., Johansson, O., Sevger, P., McCarthy, T., Mishra, C. url 
  Title Vigorous Dynamics Underlie a Stable Population of the Endangered Snow Leopard Panthera uncia in Tost Mountains, South Gobi, Mongolia Type Journal Article
  Year 2014 Publication Plos One Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 9 Issue 7 Pages  
  Keywords (up)  
  Abstract Population monitoring programmes and estimation of vital rates are key to understanding the mechanisms of population growth, decline or stability, and are important for effective conservation action. We report, for the first time, the population trends and vital rates of the endangered snow leopard based on camera trapping over four years in the Tost Mountains, South Gobi, Mongolia. We used robust design multi-season mark-recapture analysis to estimate the trends in abundance, sex ratio, survival probability and the probability of temporary emigration and immigration for adult and young snow leopards. The snow leopard population remained constant over most of the study period, with no apparent growth (l = 1.08+20.25). Comparison of model results with the ‘‘known population’’ of radio-collared snow leopards suggested

high accuracy in our estimates. Although seemingly stable, vigorous underlying dynamics were evident in this population, with the adult sex ratio shifting from being male-biased to female-biased (1.67 to 0.38 males per female) during the study. Adult survival probability was 0.82 (SE+20.08) and that of young was 0.83 (SE+20.15) and 0.77 (SE +20.2) respectively, before and after the age of 2 years. Young snow leopards showed a high probability of temporary emigration and immigration (0.6, SE +20.19 and 0.68, SE +20.32 before and after the age of 2 years) though not the adults (0.02 SE+20.07). While the current female-bias in the population and the number of cubs born each year seemingly render the study population safe, the vigorous dynamics suggests that the situation can change quickly. The reduction in the proportion of

male snow leopards may be indicative of continuing anthropogenic pressures. Our work reiterates the importance of monitoring both the abundance and population dynamics of species for effective conservation.
 
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  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1416  
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Author Mallon, D., Kulikov, M. url 
  Title Transboundary Snow Leopard Conservation in Central Asia: Report of the FFI/CMS Workshop, 1-2 December 2014 Type Report
  Year 2015 Publication Fauna & Flora International Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages  
  Keywords (up)  
  Abstract  
  Address  
  Corporate Author In Partnership with Convention on Migratory Species Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1419  
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Author Janecka, J. E., Alves, P., Karmacharya, D., Samsel, N., Cheng, E., Tallmom, D., Schwartz, M. url 
  Title Wildlife Genetics in Mountainous Rugged Asian Landscapes: Methods, Applications and Examples Type Book Chapter
  Year 2013 Publication Wildlife Research Techniques in rugged Mountainous Asian Landscapes Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 44-91  
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  Abstract  
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  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
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  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1429  
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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 1-15  
  Keywords (up)  
  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.  
  Address  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1440  
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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  
  Keywords (up)  
  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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  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1443  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Nowell, K., Li, J., Paltsyn, M., Sharma, R. K url 
  Title An ounce of prevention: Snow Leopard Crime Revisited Type Report
  Year 2016 Publication Traffic Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages  
  Keywords (up)  
  Abstract Snow Leopard poaching and trafficking – referred to herein as Snow Leopard crime – is revisited 13 years after TRAFFIC’s first report on the subject, Fading Footprints: The Killing and Trade of Snow Leopards (Theile, 2003). This report builds on a preliminary analysis published in May 2016 (Maheshwari and von Meibom, 2016). It addresses a major information gap concerning the linkage between retaliatory killing for livestock depredation and poaching for trade, and the scale at which both are taking place. The focus is on 12 Snow Leopard range countries: Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. There is little evidence of illegal trade in Snow Leopards outside these countries.

Two sets of data were developed in the research for this report. The first is a Snow Leopard crime database containing records of seizures (legal actions taken by government authorities) and observations (reports of Snow Leopard killing, capture or trade, including market surveys). The database contains records dating back to 1989 (which are discussed in Annex 1), but the analysis focuses on the period since the release of Fading Footprints, the first TRAFFIC report: 2003-June 2016. Seizures are a function of law enforcement effort, effectiveness and publicization, as well as the magnitude of illegal trade, and so observations are an important component of the analysis, particularly for countries where few seizures are made or reported. However, detailed observations are not regularly published, and may be are biased toward countries where there is more effort, so a simple multiple choice survey was designed for Snow Leopard experts. Completed by 42 of them in 2016, and covering all 12 range countries, the survey asked experts for their total number of known cases, case outcomes, and reasons for killing Snow Leopards.

Based on the average number of cases known to experts over the average of nine years spent working in their geographic areas of knowledge, 221-450 Snow Leopards were estimated to have been poached annually since 2008. With the average rate of poaching detection estimated by experts at less than 38%, these numbers could be substantially higher. Of these, 55% are killed in retaliation for livestock depredation, 21% killed for trade and 18% taken by non-targeted methods such as snares. Although retaliatory killing is estimated to account for roughly half of Snow Leopard poaching (55%), experts estimate that there is a 50-50 chance (48%) that a poaching attempt will take place after a depredation incident. On average, experts estimate that 60% of retaliatory and non-targeted poaching incidents result in an attempt to sell; accounting for differences in this estimate between countries, a total of 108-219 Snow Leopards potentially enter into illegal trade. Over 90% of annual Snow Leopard poaching is estimated to occur in five range countries: China (103-236), Mongolia (34-53), Pakistan (23-53), India (21-45) and Tajikistan (20-25).

Given the uncertainties about population numbers, as well as the low rate of poaching detection, it is difficult to assess the impact of this offtake on the viability of the species. Snow Leopard range is used as a proxy for Snow Leopard population numbers; most national Snow Leopard population estimates are derived from extrapolating study site densities across likely range. Although China had by far the highest number of seizures and observations (309 Snow Leopards from 2003-2016) and the highest annual poaching estimate, its share of Snow Leopard crime was not disproportionate to its large share (at least 60%) of Snow Leopard range. Countries flagged for having disproportionate shares of crime levels relative to share of range included Afghanistan and Russia (seizures and observations), and Nepal and Pakistan (annual poaching estimates). China and Russia were most frequently identified as destinations for animals poached in other countries.

The expert survey indicates that the scale of Snow Leopard crime is more serious than apparent from the annual average number of Snow Leopard seized (18) or observed (34) from 2003-2016. This could be in part due to the challenges of law enforcement in the Snow Leopard’s remote montane habitat. Indeed, the survey found that an average of 23% of known cases were investigated by authorities, and only 14% prosecuted.

The minimum number of Snow Leopards in the seizures and observations database fell by 43% from the first half of the analysis period (2003-2009) compared to the second (2010-June 2016) (from 451 to 259). However, the decline was in the number of Snow Leopards observed in trade and in market surveys, which fell by 80% (from 280 to 54), with the largest decline taking place in China. There were more market surveys in the first half of the analysis period (13) than the second (5), but they

TRAFFIC report: An Ounce Of Prevention: Snow Leopard Crime Revisited xi

were repeated in the same places (Kabul, Afghanistan and cities in western China), and far fewer skins were seen (for example, 60 skins in the Chinese city of Linxia in 2007, compared to one in 2011). The numbers of Snow Leopards in other observations were roughly equivalent for the two periods (108 in the first and 100 in the second), but the numbers in trade observations fell by 46% (from 52 to 28). Otherwise, the number of Snow Leopards seized rose by 16% (from 115 to 133), and the number of individual seizure cases rose by 77% (from 44 to 78). The number of poached Snow Leopards seized doubled (from 31 to 60), and the observed number of poached Snow Leopards also increased by 14% (from 56 to 64). The number of Snow Leopards in trade seizures was the same in both periods (55), and the number smuggled roughly equivalent (29 seized in the first period, and 24 seized and observed in the second).

There are three possible interpretations of this situation of rising numbers of Snow Leopards poached (as measured by seizures and observations), steady numbers in smuggling and trade seizures, and steeply declining numbers in trade observations and market surveys. It could be that the limitations of available data and the authors’ inability to collect all of it has resulted in an incorrect picture. It is apparent that illegal trade has become more clandestine and difficult to detect in most countries, so that secondly, it could be increasing, as indicated by the apparent rise in poaching numbers. However, the number of Snow Leopards seized in large cases (more than 3 Snow Leopards per case), indicative of organized trafficking activity, declined from 60 in the 2003-2009 to 23 in 2010-2016. This points to a third possibility: that trade (and perhaps demand) is declining, possibly due to increased enforcement, but local people continue to opportunistically sell Snow Leopards they poached primarily to protect livestock.

With skins being the main Snow Leopard product type in trade (78%), the primary motive for buyers appears to be for display, with some observations of skins hanging on walls in homes and restaurants, as well as stuffed taxidermy specimens. Priced in the thousands of US dollars, skins have been described as a “symbol of wealth and power.” However, there probably exists very little in the way of a definable consumer segment deliberately seeking out such items. They are most likely purchased opportunistically – “impulse buys” – and most consumers probably only buy one in their lifetime. Once in a home, the illegal possession has very low probability of detection, and moreover law enforcement authorities may be reluctant to investigate in such situations. The purchase itself also has a low probability of detection, as indicated by the sharp decline in observed numbers of Snow Leopard skins being offered for sale. While growing personal wealth in Asia has been highlighted as a primary driver of illegal wildlife trade, poverty is also recognized as a driver, and the Snow Leopard trade may be more driven by rural people in Snow Leopard habitat attempting to make money and make up for livestock losses to predators than by wealthy people placing orders for luxury household decorations. Unlike the demand-driven Tiger trade (Annex 2), to which it otherwise bears many similarities, the market for Snow Leopards may be more a function of supply, and actions should focus on the communities living near Snow Leopards to reduce incentives to poach and sell. This notion is reflected in the aphorism behind the title of this report: an ounce of prevention equals a pound of cure. Preventing livestock losses, offsetting the costs of losses and improving community support for Snow Leopard conservation are the most important approaches to tackling the problem of Snow Leopard trafficking.

Recommendations focus on addressing the leading cause of Snow Leopard poaching (retaliatory killing/Human-Wildlife Conflict) as well as measures to stem illegal trade, and are primarily targeted at the 12 Snow Leopard range countries. They are aligned with existing recommendations and planned actions, including CITES recommendations, draft Decisions and consultant’s reports around implementation of Resolution Conf. 12.5 (CITES 2015, 2016; Nowell and Pervushina, 2014); the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program (GSLEP, 2013, 2015, n.d.); the SLN’s Snow Leopard Survival Strategy (SLN, 2014); and WWF’s Snow Leopard Species Action Plan (WWF, 2015 and Sharma, 2016). There was also an informal discussion about recommendations to address poaching and illegal trade at the Second China Snow Leopard Forum, held in Urumqi, Xinjiang province 24-26 August 2016 (B. Weckworth, Panthera, pers. comm.).

Recommendations are grouped according to four primary actors in Snow Leopard conservation: 1) governments of Snow Leopard range countries; 2) communities living in Snow Leopard range; 3) conservation organizations and Snow Leopard experts; and 4) donor governments and agencies.
 
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  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1447  
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Author Li, J., Xiao, L.,Lu, Z url 
  Title Challenges of snow leopard conservation in China Type Journal Article
  Year 2016 Publication Science China Life Sciences Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 59 Issue 6 Pages 637-639  
  Keywords (up)  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1448  
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Author Chetri, M., Odden, M., Wegge, P. url 
  Title Snow Leopard and Himalayan Wolf: Food Habits and Prey Selection in the Central Himalayas, Nepal Type Journal Article
  Year 2017 Publication Plos Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue 12(2) Pages 2-16  
  Keywords (up)  
  Abstract Top carnivores play an important role in maintaining energy flow and functioning of the ecosystem,

and a clear understanding of their diets and foraging strategies is essential for

developing effective conservation strategies. In this paper, we compared diets and prey

selection of snow leopards and wolves based on analyses of genotyped scats (snow leopards

n = 182, wolves n = 57), collected within 26 sampling grid cells (5×5 km) that were distributed

across a vast landscape of ca 5000 km2 in the Central Himalayas, Nepal. Within the

grid cells, we sampled prey abundances using the double observer method. We found that

interspecific differences in diet composition and prey selection reflected their respective

habitat preferences, i.e. snow leopards significantly preferred cliff-dwelling wild ungulates

(mainly bharal, 57% of identified material in scat samples), whereas wolves preferred typically

plain-dwellers (Tibetan gazelle, kiang and argali, 31%). Livestock was consumed less

frequently than their proportional availability by both predators (snow leopard = 27%; wolf =

24%), but significant avoidance was only detected among snow leopards. Among livestock

species, snow leopards significantly preferred horses and goats, avoided yaks, and used

sheep as available. We identified factors influencing diet composition using Generalized Linear

Mixed Models. Wolves showed seasonal differences in the occurrence of small mammals/

birds, probably due to the winter hibernation of an important prey, marmots. For snow

leopard, occurrence of both wild ungulates and livestock in scats depended on sex and latitude.

Wild ungulates occurrence increased while livestock decreased from south to north,

probably due to a latitudinal gradient in prey availability. Livestock occurred more frequently

in scats from male snow leopards (males: 47%, females: 21%), and wild ungulates more frequently

in scats from females (males: 48%, females: 70%). The sexual difference agrees

with previous telemetry studies on snow leopards and other large carnivores, and may

reflect a high-risk high-gain strategy among males.
 
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  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1450  
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