Abstract: The current study in Mongolia is truly groundbreaking, in that it shows that the problem of commercial wildlife trade is also vast, unsustainable, and a major threat to wildlife populations in other areas. This paper's Executive Summary briefs the topics of wildlife trade in Mongolia, fur trade, medicinal trade, game meat trade, trophy and sport hunting, trade chains and markets, trade sustainability, impacts of wildlife trade on biodiversity conservation, impacts of trade on rural livelihoods, enabling wildlife management, and management recommendations. The main content of the paper includes: wildlife trade survey methods, a history of wildlife trade in Mongolia, wildlife take and trade today, enabling wildlife management, and recommendations and priority actions. The recommendations have been divided into six separate sections, including (1) cross-cutting recommendations, (2) international trade enforcement, (3) domestic trade enforcement, (4) hunting management, (5) trophy and sport hunting management, and (6) community-based approaches. Each section identifies short-term, long-term, and regulatory goals in order of priority within each subsection.

Abstract: The protection of Snow Leopards in the remote and economically disadvantaged Northern Areas of Pakistan needs local people equipped with the skills to gather and present information on the number and range of individual animals in their area. It is important for the success of a conservation campaign that the people living in the area are engaged in the conservation process. Snow Leopards are elusive and range through inhospitable terrain so direct study is difficult. Consequently the major goals for this project were twofold, to gather information on snow leopard distribution in this area and to train local university students and conservation management professionals in the techniques used for locating snow leopards without the need to capture or even see the animals. This project pioneered the use of DNA testing of field samples collected in Pakistan to determine the distribution of snow leopards and to attempt to identify individuals. These were collected in and around that country's most northerly national park, the Kunjurab National Park, which sits on the Pakistan China border. Though the Northern Areas is not a well developed part of Pakistan, it does possess a number of institutions that can work together to strengthen snow leopard conservation. The first of these is a newly established University with students ready to be trained in the skills needed. Secondly WWF-Pakistan has an office in the main town and a state of the art GIS laboratory in Lahore and already works closely with the Forest Department who manage the national park. All three institutions worked together in this project with WWF providing GIS expertise, the FD rangers, and the university students carrying out the laboratory work. In addition in the course of the project the University of the Punjab in Lahore also joined the effort, providing laboratory facilities for the students. As a result of this project maps have been produced showing the location of snow leopards in
two areas. Preliminary DNA evidence indicates that there is more than one animal in this
relatively small area, but the greatest achievement of this project is the training and
experience gained by the local students. For one student this has been life changing. Due to
the opportunities provided by this study the student, Nelofar gained significant scientific
training and as a consequence she is now working as a lecturer and research officer for the
Center for Integrated Mountain Research, New Campus University of the Punjab, Lahore
Pakistan

Abstract: The snow leopard faces multiple threats in the Himalayan region, from habitat degradation, loss of prey, the trade in pelts, parts and live animals, and conflict with humans, primarily pastoralists. Consequently, the populations are considered to be in decline and the species is listed as Endangered in the IUCN's Red List. As a 'flagship' and 'umbrella' species the snow leopard can be a unifying biological feature to raise awareness of its plight and the need for conservation, which will benefit other facets of Himalayan biodiversity as well. Some studies of snow leopards have been conducted in the Himalayan region. But, because of its elusive nature and preference for remote and inaccessible habitat, knowledge of the ecology and behaviour of this mystical montane predator is scant. The available information, however, suggests that snow leopards occur at low densities and large areas of habitat are required to conserve a viable population. Thus, many researchers and conservationists have advocated landscape-scale approaches to conservation within a regional context, rather than focusing on individual protected areas.This regional strategy for WWF's snow leopard conservation program is built on such an approach. The following were identified as important regional issues: 1) international trade in snow leopards and parts; 2) the human-snow leopard conflict; 3) the need for a landscape approach to conservation to provide large spatial areas that can support demographically and ecologically viable snow leopard metapopulations; 4) research on snow leopard ecology to develop long-term, science-based conservation management plans; and 5) regional coordination and dialog. While the issues are regional, the WWF's in the region have developed 5-year strategic actions and activities, using the regional strategies as a touchstone, which will be implemented at national levels. The WWF's will develop proposals based on these strategic actions, with estimated budgets, for use by the network for funding and fund-raising. WWF also recognizes the need to collaborate and coordinate within the network and with other organizations in the region to achieve conservation goals in an efficient manner, and will form a working group to coordinate activities and monitor progress.

Abstract: China may hold a greater proportion of the global snow leopard Panthera uncia population than any other country, with the area of good quality suitable habitat, estimated at nearly 300,000 km2, comprising .50% of that available across the species' entire range. We can now reconfirm the presence of snow leopard in the Taxkurgan area of Xinjiang Province in north-west China after a period of 20 years.

Abstract: The wild populations of snow leopards are threatened in Nepal. For their effective conservation, this paper seeks to build a strategy based not only on protected enclaves but also on landscapes, using an integrated grass-roots approach that essentially reduces poverty and addresses the needs of human beings and that of wildlife. Also equally relevant in places with a strong hold by religious and cultural authorities in the decision-making processes is the recognition and possible integration of cultural and traditional belief systems in overall snow leopard conservation schemes.