Abstract: The snow leopard Uncia uncia is a globally endangered species, occurring in China and 11
neighboring countries, with a total population of 3500-7000 individuals. China is very important
for Snow Leopards, as it contains both the more than half of the distribution area and the largest
remaining population. However, like other big cats, the density is very low, perhaps less than 1
individual per 100 square kilometers in the western mountains of China. This book first reviewed
ten years of research by Xinjiang Snow Leopard Team (XSLT), and it contains over 300 figures
including maps, illustrations, pictures and photos, 46 tables as well as more than a thousand
references and 1100 key words in the index.
In the past ten years, XSLT has received much support and funding from the Snow Leopard
Trust (SLT) and the Xinjiang Conservation Fund (XCF). In this regard, the Chinese government
has not yet given one cent to support the Xinjiang Snow Leopard Project. Our situation is very
difficult indeed, and it is hoped that this book will inspire future government support.
There are many topics discussed in this work including a decade of successes or failures with
the Snow Leopard Survival Strategy (SLSS from 2002 to 2012). The authors also present findings
from every International Snow Leopard Conference (1978-2008), the stories of 14 experts, the big
events of conservation and research (1776-2012), and many questions for future research in the
appendix. This is the first work about snow leopards in China. It is a popular scientific book that
covers snow leopard monitoring, research, conservation and management, and it could also be
very helpful to nature reserve staff and scientists as well as students, teachers, outdoor explorers,
volunteers and cat lovers.
The book contains the following: preface, table of contents (in English), and chapters on the
ancient records of snow leopards; their place in the family of big cats; research methods and field
logs for snow leopards; their population size and distribution in China; biological knowledge,
conservation and management of snow leopards; their presence in zoos; Nature Reserves in
Xinjiang, the experiences of snow leopard conservation in other countries; appendix; index; and
afterword (ISBN 978-7-03-036723-5, the book was published in March 2013 with total of 616
pages and approximately 0.77 million Chinese words, price: RMB 145.00 Yuan).

Abstract: Modern felid species descend from relatively recent (<11 million years ago) divergence and
speciation events that produced successful predatory carnivores worldwide but that have
confounded taxonomic classifications. A highly resolved molecular phylogeny with divergence dates
for all living cat species, derived from autosomal, X-linked, Y-linked, and mitochondrial gene
segments (22,789 base pairs) and 16 fossil calibrations define eight principal lineages produced
through at least 10 intercontinental migrations facilitated by sea-level fluctuations. A ghost lineage
analysis indicates that available felid fossils underestimate (i.e., unrepresented basal branch
length) first occurrence by an average of 76%, revealing a low representation of felid lineages
in paleontological remains. The phylogenetic performance of distinct gene classes showed that
Y-chromosome segments are appreciably more informative than mitochondrial DNA, X-linked,
or autosomal genes in resolving the rapid Felidae species radiation.

Abstract: There are several felidae amongst the numerous endangered species. Means of aiding survival are the reintroduction to the wild of animals bred under the auspices of man and their relocation from densely populated to thinly populated areas. It is unlikely that the dangers of such reintroduction or relocation projects have been examined sufficiently in respect to the risks of virus infections confronting individuals kept in zoos or similar situations. This report presents infections may be expected to occur when relo- three examples to illustrate that accidental virus cating and reintroducing wild cats. The first example is the reintroduction of captive snow leopards. Zoo bred snow leopards may be infected with FIV, a virus infection that is highly unlikely to occur in the original hirnalayan highlands of Tibet and China. A second example is of several cases of FIP that occured in European wild cats bred in groups in captivity. The third example mentioned is the relocation of hons from East Africa where all the commonly known feline viruses are wide-spread to the Etosha National Park. In the latter, virus infections such as FIV, FCV and FPV do not occur. The indiscriminate relocation and reintroduction of the wild cats mentioned here harbours a potential of undesirable consequences.