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Darehshuri, B. F. (1978). Threatened cats of Asia. Wildlife, 20(9), 396–400.
Abstract: Man's hand is turned against the wild cats wherever they occur, often due to the value of their fur, but also because of the danger they sometimes pose to domestic stock and even human beings. All the larger Asian cats are threatened, and on this and the following pages we look at three of them – the Asiatic cheetah, the Siberian tiger, and the snow leopard.
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Mishra, C., Madhusudan, M. D., & Datta, A. (2006). Mammals of the high altitudes of western Arunachal Pradesh, eastern Himalaya: an assessment of threats and conservation needs (Vol. 40).
Abstract: The high altitudes of Arunachal Pradesh,India, located in the Eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspot, remain zoologically unexplored and unprotected. We report results of recent mammal surveys in the high altitude habitats of western Arunachal Pradesh. A total of 35 mammal species (including 12 carnivores, 10 ungulates and 5 primates) were recorded, of which 13 are categorized as Endangered or Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. One species of primate, the Arunachal macaque Macaca munzala, is new to science and the Chinese goral Nemorhaedus caudatus is a new addition to the ungulate fauna of the Indian subcontinent. We documented peoples' dependence on natural resources for grazing and extraction of timber and medicinal plants. The region's mammals are threatened by widespread hunting. The snow leopard Uncia uncia and dhole Cuon alpinus are also persecuted in retaliation for livestock depredation. The tiger Panthera tigris, earlier reported from the lower valleys, is now apparently extinct there, and range reductions over the last two decades are reported for bharal Pseudois nayaur and musk deer Moschus sp.. Based on mammal species richness, extent of high altitude habitat, and levels of anthropogenic disturbance, we identified a potential site for the creation of Arunachal's first high altitude wildlife reserve (815 km2). Community-based efforts that provide incentives for conservation-friendly practices could work in this area, and conservation awareness programmes are required, not just amongst the local communities and schools but for politicians, bureaucrats and the army.
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Ali, S. M. (1990). The Cats of India. Myforest, 26(3), 275–291.
Abstract: Describes the range, behaviour and ecology of lion Panthera leo, tiger P. tigris, leopard P. pardus, snow leopard P. uncia, clouded leopard Neofelis nebylosa and cheetah Acinonyx jubatus. -P.J.Jarvis
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Rothschild, B. M., Rothschild, C., & Woods, R. J. (1998). Inflammatory arthritis in large cats: An expanded spectrum of spondyloarthropathy. Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, 29(3), 279–284.
Abstract: Spondyloarthropathy was documented for the first time in 14 (3.7%) of 386 large cats, affecting eight species belonging to three genera. The limited distribution of joint erosions, associated with spine and sacroiliac joint pathology, was indistinguishable from that occurring in humans with spondyloarthropathy of the reactive type. This form of inflammatory arthritis is almost twice as common as osteoarthritis (for felids as a whole), and animal well-being may be enhanced by its recognition and by initiation of specific treatment.
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Natalia, E., Sergey, N., Vyacheslav, R., Fedor, V., Antonio, H. B. J., Andrey, P., Alexander, K., Ekaterina, P. (2017). HELMINTHS OF RARE FELINE SPECIES (FELIDAE) IN SIBERIA AND THE RUSSIAN FAR EAST. International Journal of Research In, , 70–74.
Abstract: Parasites diversity in close-related species of hosts may be different depending on habitat use and climatic conditions. The aim of this study was to
analyze parasites fauna in four felid species inhabiting Russian Far East and South Siberia (including taiga forest and mountain treeless areas). We
have collected 272 feces samples of four felid species: Amur tiger, Amur leopard, snow leopard and Pallas� cat. Helminths (eggs and larvae) in
excrements were studied by flotation using a saturated solution of ammonium nitrate. We have described 10 helminths species in Amur tiger feces, 6
� in Amur leopard, 2 � in snow leopard and 3 � in Pallas� cat. Obviously, snow leopard and Palls� cat had lower helminths diversity than two other
species. These differences can be explained, to some extent, by climatic parameters. The climate in the snow leopard and Pallas' cat habitats is
described by sharp and significant temperature fluctuations – the annual temperature difference can exceed 90°C, which may lead to lower survival of
the number of infectious agents in Pallas' cat excrements. In addition, the snow cover that can protect helminth eggs and larvae from the cold
temperatures especially in Amur tiger and Amur leopard habitats. Possibly, another important factor is the spatial and social organization of Pallas'
cats, with a low frequency of contacts with other individuals. Such way, species-specific differences in helminths were related, probably, with the
species evolution in different habitats
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Arias, M., Coals, P., Ardiantiono, Elves-Powell, J., Rizzolo, J. B., Ghoddousi, A., Boron, V., da Silva, M., Naude, V., Williams, V., Poudel, S., Loveridge, A., Payan, E., Suryawanshi, K., Dickman, A. (2024). Reflecting on the role of human-felid conflict and local use in big cat trade. Conservation Science and Practice, 6(e13030), 1–7.
Abstract: Illegal trade in big cat (Panthera spp.) body parts is a prominent topic in scientific and public discourses concerning wildlife conservation. While illegal trade is generally acknowledged as a threat to big cat species, we suggest that two enabling factors have, to date, been under-considered. To that end, we discuss the roles of human-felid conflict, and “local” use in illegal trade in big cat body parts. Drawing examples from across species and regions, we look at generalities, contextual subtleties, ambiguities, and definitional complexities. We caution against underestimating the extent of “local” use of big cats and highlight the potential of conflict killings to supply body parts.
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Jackson, R., Roe, J., Wangchuk, R., & Hunter, D. (2005). Camera-Trapping of Snow Leopards. Cat News, 42(Spring), 19–21.
Abstract: Solitary felids like tigers and snow leopards are notoriously difficult to enumerate, and indirect techniques like pugmark surveys often produce ambiguous information that is difficult to interpret because many factors influence marking behavior and frequency (Ahlborn & Jackson 1988). Considering the snow leopard's rugged habitat, it is not surprising then that information on its current status and occupied range is very limited. We adapted the camera-trapping techniques pioneered by Ullas Karanth and his associates for counting Bengal tigers to the census taking of snow leopards in the Rumbak watershed of the India's Hemis High Altitude National Park (HNP), located in Ladakh near Leh (76ø 50' to 77ø 45' East; 33ø 15' to 34ø 20'North).
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Sangay, T., & Vernes, K. (2008). Human-wildlife conflict in the Kingdom of Bhutan: Patterns of livestock predation by large mammalian carnivores (Vol. 141).
Abstract: We examined predation activity throughout Bhutan by tiger (Panthera tigris), common leopard (Panthera pardus), snow leopard (Uncia uncia) and Himalayan black bear (Ursus thibetanus) on a variety of livestock types using data gathered over the first two years (2003-2005) of a compensation scheme for livestock losses. One thousand three hundred and seventy five kills were documented, with leopards killing significantly more livestock (70% of all kills),
than tigers (19%), bears (8%) and snow leopards (2%). About 50% of livestock killing were of cattle, and about 33% were of horses, with tigers, leopards and snow leopards killing a significantly greater proportion of horses than predicted from availability. Examination of cattle kills showed that leopards killed a significantly greater proportion of smaller prey (e.g., calves), whereas tigers killed a significantly greater proportion of larger prey (e.g., bulls). Overall, livestock predation was greatest in summer and autumn which corresponded with a peak in cropping agriculture; livestock are turned out to pasture and forest during the cropping season, and subsequently, are less well guarded than at other times. Across Bhutan, high horse density and low cattle and yak density were associated with high rates of livestock attack, but no relationship was found with forest cover or human population density. Several northern districts were identified as 'predation hotspots', where proportions of livestock lost to predation were considerable, and the ratio of reported kills to relative abundance of livestock was high. Implications of our findings for mitigating livestock losses and for conserving large carnivores in Bhutan are discussed.
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Riordan, P. (1998). Unsupervised recognition of individual tigers and snow leopards from their footprints (Vol. 1).
Abstract: This study presents the testing of two unsupervised classification methods for their ability to accurately identify unknown individual tigers, Panthera tigris, and snow leopards, Panthera uncia, from their footprints. A neural-network based method, the Kohonen self-organizing map (SOM), and a Bayesian method, AutoClass, were assessed using hind footprints taken from captive animals under standardized conditions. AutoClass successfully discriminated individuals of both species from their footprints. Classification accuracy was greatest for tigers, with more misclassification of individuals occurring for snow leopards. Examination of variable influence on class formations failed to identify consistently influential measurements for either species. The self-organizing map did not provide accurate classification of individuals for either species. Results were not substantially improved by altering map dimensions nor by using principal components derived from the original data. The interpretation of resulting classifications and the importance of using such techniques in the study of wild animal populations are discussed. The need for further testing in the field is highlighted.
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Karanth, K. U., Nichols, J.D., Seidensticker, J., Dinerstein, E., David Smith, J.L., McDougal, C., Johnsingh, A.J.T., Chundawat, R.S., Thapar, V. (2003). Science deficiency in conservation practice: the monitoring of tiger populations in India. Animal Conservation, 6, 141–146.
Abstract: Conservation practices are supposed to get refined by advancing scientific knowledge. We study this phenomenon in the context of monitoring tiger populations in India, by evaluating the ‘pugmark census method’ employed by wildlife managers for three decades. We use an analytical framework of modern animal population sampling to test the efficacy of the pugmark censuses using scientific data on tigers and our field observations. We identify three critical goals for monitoring tiger populations, in order of increasing sophistication: (1) distribution mapping, (2) tracking relative abundance, (3) estimation of absolute abundance. We demonstrate that the present census-based paradigm does not work because it ignores the first two simpler goals, and targets, but fails to achieve, the most difficult third goal. We point out the utility and ready availability of alternative monitoring paradigms that deal with the central problems of spatial sampling and observability. We propose an alternative sampling-based approach that can be tailored to meet practical needs of tiger monitoring at different levels of refinement.
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