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Author Janjua,S., Peters, J. L., Weckworth, B., Abbas, F. I., Bahn, Volker, Johansson, O., Rooney, T.P.
Title Improving our conservation genetic toolkit: ddRAD-seq for SNPs in snow leopards Type Journal Article
Year 2019 Publication Conservation Genetic Resource Abbreviated Journal
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Abstract Snow leopards (Panthera uncia) are an enigmatic, high-altitude species whose challenging habitat, low population densities

and patchy distribution have presented challenges for scientists studying its biology, population structure, and genetics.

Molecular scatology brings a new hope for conservation efforts by providing valuable insights about snow leopards, including

their distribution, population densities, connectivity, habitat use, and population structure for assigning conservation units.

However, traditional amplification of microsatellites from non-invasive sources of DNA are accompanied by significant

genotyping errors due to low DNA yield and poor quality. These errors can lead to incorrect inferences in the number of

individuals and estimates of genetic diversity. Next generation technologies have revolutionized the depth of information

we can get from a species' genome. Here we used double digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD-seq),

a well-established technique for studying non-model organisms, to develop a reference sequence library for snow leopards

using blood samples from five Mongolian individuals. Our final data set reveals 4504 loci with a median size range of 221 bp.

We identified 697 SNPs and low nucleotide diversity (0.00032) within these loci. However, the probability that two random

individuals will share identical genotypes is about 10-168. We developed probes for DNA capture using this sequence library

which can now be used for genotyping individuals from scat samples. Genetic data from ddRAD-seq will be invaluable for

conducting population and landscape scale studies that can inform snow leopard conservation strategies.
Address Snow leopard · ddRAD-seq · Next generation sequencing · SNP discovery
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Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1483
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Author Farhadinia, M. S., Maheshwari, A., Nawaz, M. A., Ambarli, H., Gritsina, M. A., Koshkin, M. A., Rosen, T., Hinsley, A., Macdonald, D. W.
Title Belt and Road Initiative may create new supplies for illegal wildlife trade in large carnivores Type Miscellaneous
Year 2019 Publication Nature Ecology & Evolution Abbreviated Journal
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Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1487
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Author Garget, J.
Title Living with a predator Type Magazine Article
Year Publication Abbreviated Journal
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Abstract Why understanding local attitudes is vital for successful snow leopard conservation.

Published in the University of Cambridge Website.
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Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1488
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Author Hanson, J. H., Schutgens, M., Leader-Williams, N.
Title What factors best explain attitudes to snow leopards in the Nepal Himalayas? Type Journal Article
Year 2019 Publication PLoS ONE Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages 1-19
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Abstract The snow leopard Panthera uncia is a vulnerable wild felid native to mountainous regions of 12 Asian countries. It faces numerous overlapping threats, including killings by herders retaliating against livestock losses, the illegal wildlife trade, loss of prey and habitat, infra- structure, energy and mining developments, and climate change. The species ranges over large territories that often lie outside of protected areas (PA), so coexistence with human populations across its range is key to its persistence. Human attitudes to snow leopards may be an important factor to consider in reducing overlapping threats to this species. How- ever, this nexus has not been widely studied to date. Attitudes to snow leopard conserva- tion, including actors and interventions, may also be a significant aspect of coexistence. These have also received limited empirical attention. This study therefore explored human attitudes to snow leopards and to snow leopard conservation, the motivations for these atti- tudes and the individual factors that best explained them. Using systematic sampling, a quantitative questionnaire was administered to 705 households at two sites in the Nepal Himalayas: Sagarmatha National Park, with a less decentralised governance model, and Annapurna Conservation Area, with a more decentralised model. Linear regression models were the main form of analysis. Based on these, attitudes to snow leopard conservation emerged as the strongest influence on local attitudes to snow leopards, and vice versa. This was true in both PAs, despite their differing management regimes. Other important explana- tory factors included numbers of livestock owned, years of education, household livelihoods and age. Furthermore, a positive intrinsic motivation was the most common reason given by respondents to explain their attitudes to both snow leopards and snow leopard conservation. These findings demonstrate that, in addition to the usual suite of factors that influence atti- tudes to a species, the way in which its conservation is pursued and perceived also needs consideration. How the snow leopard is conserved may strongly influence its coexistence with local communities.
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Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1489
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Author Planning Wildlife Conservation in Leh and Kargil Districts of Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir
Title Establising Snow Leopard Information Management System (SLIMS) at WII Phase 1 – Trans Himalaya Type Report
Year 1999 Publication Wildlife Institute of India Abbreviated Journal
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Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1495
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Author Johansson, O., Samelius, G., Wikberg, E, Chapron, G., Mishra, C., Low, M
Title Identification errors in camera- trap studies result in systematic population overestimation Type Journal Article
Year 2020 Publication Scientific Reports Abbreviated Journal
Volume 10 Issue 6393 Pages 1-10
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Abstract Reliable assessments of animal abundance are key for successful conservation of endangered species. For elusive animals with individually-unique markings, camera-trap surveys are a benchmark standard for estimating local and global population abundance. Central to the reliability of resulting abundance estimates is the assumption that individuals are accurately identified from photographic captures. To quantify the risk of individual misidentification and its impact on population abundance estimates we performed an experiment under controlled conditions in which 16 captive snow leopards (Panthera uncia) were camera-trapped on 40 occasions and eight observers independently identified individuals and recaptures. Observers misclassified 12.5% of all capture occasions, resulting in systematically inflated population abundance estimates on average by one third (mean ± SD = 35 ± 21%). Our results show that identifying individually-unique individuals from camera-trap photos may not be as reliable as previously believed, implying that elusive and endangered species could be less abundant than current estimates indicate.
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Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1496
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Author Nawaz, M. A., Khan, B. U., Mahmood, A., Younas, M., Din, J. U, Sutherland, C.
Title An empirical demonstration of the effect of study design on density estimations Type Journal Article
Year 2021 Publication Nature Abbreviated Journal
Volume 11 Issue 13104 Pages 1-9
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Abstract The simultaneous development of technology (e.g. camera traps) and statistical methods, particularly spatially capture–recapture (SCR), has improved monitoring of large mammals in recent years. SCR estimates are known to be sensitive to sampling design, yet existing recommendations about trap spacing and coverage are often not achieved, particularly for sampling wide-ranging and rare species in landscapes that allow for limited accessibility. Consequently, most camera trap studies on large wide-ranging carnivores relies on convenience or judgmental sampling, and often yields compromised results. This study attempts to highlight the importance of carefully considered sampling design for large carnivores that, because of low densities and elusive behavior, are challenging to monitor. As a motivating example, we use two years of snow leopard camera trapping data from the same areas in the high mountains of Pakistan but with vastly different camera configurations, to demonstrate that estimates of density and space use are indeed sensitive to the trapping array. A compact design, one in which cameras were placed much closer together than generally recommended and therefore have lower spatial coverage, resulted in fewer individuals observed, but more recaptures, and estimates of density and space use were inconsistent with expectations for the region. In contrast, a diffuse design, one with larger spacing and spatial coverage and more consistent with general recommendations, detected more individuals, had fewer recaptures, but generated estimates of density and space use that were in line with expectations. Researchers often opt for compact camera configurations while monitoring wide-ranging and rare species, in an attempt to maximize the encounter probabilities. We empirically demonstrate the potential for biases when sampling a small area approximately the size of a single home range—this arises from exposing fewer individuals than deemed sufficient for estimation. The smaller trapping array may also underestimate density by significantly inflating ?. On the other hand, larger trapping array with fewer detectors and poor design induces uncertainties in the estimates. We conclude that existing design recommendations have limited utility on practical grounds for devising feasible sampling designs for large ranging species, and more research on SCR designs is required that allows for integrating biological and habitat traits of large carnivores in sampling framework. We also suggest that caution should be exercised when there is a reliance on convenience sampling.
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Call Number Serial 1642
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Author Nawaz, M. A., Khan, B. U., Mahmood, A., Younas, M., Din, J. U, Sutherland, C.
Title An empirical demonstration of the effect of study design on density estimations Type Journal Article
Year 2021 Publication Nature Abbreviated Journal
Volume 11 Issue 13104 Pages 1-9
Keywords (down)
Abstract The simultaneous development of technology (e.g. camera traps) and statistical methods, particularly spatially capture–recapture (SCR), has improved monitoring of large mammals in recent years. SCR estimates are known to be sensitive to sampling design, yet existing recommendations about trap spacing and coverage are often not achieved, particularly for sampling wide-ranging and rare species in landscapes that allow for limited accessibility. Consequently, most camera trap studies on large wide-ranging carnivores relies on convenience or judgmental sampling, and often yields compromised results. This study attempts to highlight the importance of carefully considered sampling design for large carnivores that, because of low densities and elusive behavior, are challenging to monitor. As a motivating example, we use two years of snow leopard camera trapping data from the same areas in the high mountains of Pakistan but with vastly different camera configurations, to demonstrate that estimates of density and space use are indeed sensitive to the trapping array. A compact design, one in which cameras were placed much closer together than generally recommended and therefore have lower spatial coverage, resulted in fewer individuals observed, but more recaptures, and estimates of density and space use were inconsistent with expectations for the region. In contrast, a diffuse design, one with larger spacing and spatial coverage and more consistent with general recommendations, detected more individuals, had fewer recaptures, but generated estimates of density and space use that were in line with expectations. Researchers often opt for compact camera configurations while monitoring wide-ranging and rare species, in an attempt to maximize the encounter probabilities. We empirically demonstrate the potential for biases when sampling a small area approximately the size of a single home range—this arises from exposing fewer individuals than deemed sufficient for estimation. The smaller trapping array may also underestimate density by significantly inflating
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Call Number SLT @ jeffb @ Serial 1652
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Author Atzeni, L., Cushman, S. A., Wang, J., Riordan, P., Shi, K., Bauman, D.
Title Evidence of spatial genetic structure in a snow leopard population from Gansu, China Type Journal Article
Year 2021 Publication Heredity Abbreviated Journal
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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 Pal, R., Sutherland, C., Qureshi, Q., Sathyakumar, S.
Title Landscape connectivity and population density of snow leopards across a multi-use landscape in Western Himalaya Type Journal Article
Year 2021 Publication Animal Conservation Abbreviated Journal
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Abstract Human modification and habitat fragmentation significantly impact large carnivores requiring large, connected habitats to persist in a landscape. Understanding species responses to such change and the protection of critical areas and connectivity they provide is essential when planning effective conservation strategies. Our study examines the spatial distribution of the snow leopard (Panthera uncia) across a gradient of protection status, anthropogenic pressures and habitat types in the Gangotri landscape (~4600 km2), Western Himalaya. Using spatial capture-recapture modeling, we analyzed a 4-year camera trapping dataset (2015–2019) to assess the relationship between snow leopard movement and topography and identified the conducible areas for facilitating movement across the landscape. Snow leopard density was positively associated with elevation and slope, and was higher in protected areas (summer: 1.42 SE 0.02/100km2; winter 2.15 SE 0.03 vs. summer: 0.4 SE 0.01; winter: 0.6 SE 0.01 for unprotected areas). Precipitous terrain and several prominent mountain peaks were found to be resistant to snow leopard movement. Even with a range of human activities inside protected areas, the higher density suggests a positive impact of protection. Density-weighted connectivity showed that conducible areas are available between the Gangotri landscape and the adjacent protected areas. However, compared to protected area, these areas are relatively less used and require attention for management. We recommend regulating human activities and co-managing pastures with local communities to revive prey base outside protected areas, especially in corridors, to ensure such areas are functionally conducive. Our study provides a framework to collectively quantitate the spatial pattern of abundance, distribution and connectivity. Our approach has broad applicability for policymakers to develop strategic plans for balancing the conservation of species, and other land uses in a multi-use landscape.
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Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1663
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