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Author Ale S.
Title Have snow leopards made a comeback to the Everest region of Nepal? Type Report
Year 2005 Publication Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages 1-21
Keywords snow; snow leopards; snow leopard; snow-leopards; snow-leopard; leopards; leopard; region; Nepal; Report; International; international snow leopard trust; International-Snow-Leopard-Trust; trust; program; 1960; endangered; Sagarmatha; High; Himalaya; tourism; impact; establishment; national; national park; National-park; park; 1980; area; Tibet; surveys; survey; status; Cats; cat; prey; research; project; sign; transects; transect; length; valley; Response; hunting; recovery; Himalayan; tahr; density; densities; range; pugmarks; sighting; 60; study; population; predators; predator; structure; prey species; prey-species; species; populations; mortality; effects; predation; population dynamics
Abstract In the 1960s, the endangered snow leopard was locally extirpated from the Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) region of Nepal. In this Sherpa-inhabited high Himalaya, the flourishing tourism since the ascent of Mt Everest in 1953, has caused both prosperity and adverse impacts, the concern that catalyzed the establishment of Mt. Everest National Park in the region in 1976. In the late 1980s, there were reports that some transient snow leopards may have visited the area from adjoining Tibet, but no biological surveys exist to confirm the status of the cats and their prey. Have snow leopards finally returned to the top of the world? Exploring this question was the main purpose of this research project. We systematically walked altogether 24 sign transects covering over 13 km in length in three valleys, i.e. Namche, Phortse and Gokyo, of the park, and counted several snow leopard signs. The results indicated that snow leopards have made a comeback in the park in response to decades of protective measures, the virtual cessation of hunting and the recovery of the Himalayan tahr which is snow leopard's prey. The average sign density (4.2 signs/km and 2.5 sign sites/km) was comparable to that reported from other parts of the cats' range in the Himalaya. On this basis, we estimated the cat density in the Everest region between 1 to 3 cats per 100 sq km, a figure that was supported by different sets of pugmarks and actual sightings of snow leopards in the 60 km2 sample survey area. In the study area, tahr population had a low reproductive rate (e.g. kids-to-females ratio, 0.1, in Namche). Since predators can influence the size and the structure of prey species populations through mortality and through non-lethal effects or predation risk, snow leopards could have been the cause of the population dynamics of tahr in Sagarmtha, but this study could not confirm this speculation for which further probing may be required.
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Notes Progress report for the International Snow Leopard Trust Small Grants Program. Approved no
Call Number SLN @ rana @ 1063 Serial 50
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Author Riddell, Mand L.G.
Title Snow Leopard Expedition Kazakhstan 2004 Type Miscellaneous
Year 2004 Publication Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages
Keywords Kazakhstan; snow leopard; expedition; Central Asia; ecotourism; map; 5730
Abstract This Newcastle University Expedition reviewed the conflict between man and snow leopard in the region east of Tekeli in the Dzhungarian Alatau range, Kazakhstan. After the soviet state breakup in 1991 snow leopards in Kazakhstan and in the other Asian republics were subjected to high levels of persecution. There are thought to be between 180-200 snow leopards in Kazakhstan, of which 37-40 individuals inhabit the Dzhungarian Mountains. No work has been done previously to review the present snow leopard-human conflicts in this region, and this project looked to update previous reports from Central Asia about predominant conflicts in these regions. The expedition team worked with the Institute of Zoology in Kazakhstan and two of the six person team were Kazakh students. Methods comparable to those used in previous studies were used to map and rank the threats in the western area of the range, over an eight week period. The expedition team lived in the mountains for periods of two-three weeks, carrying all their food and equipment and using local vehicles, horses and trekking to move from pasture to pasture. Semi-structured interviews, key informant interviews and prey counts were used to assess snow leopard-human conflicts including poaching of snow leopard, poaching of leopard wild prey, human disturbance and livestock overgrazing. The results from the report support much previous work from Kazakhstan and other areas in Central Asia, but serve as a useful update shedding light on an optimistic future for snow leopard conservation while highlighting what the expedition team perceives to be the major threats to snow leopards. The threats to snow leopards, in order of relevance from most to least, are loss of prey predominantly through hunting by local people (both legal and illegal), direct hunting of snowleopard for pelt/medicine, disturbance by herders on the pastures, snow leopard habitat fragmentation around the mountain bases, and least importantly overgrazing by domestic livestock. Retaliatory kills by herders are not a threat in the region and on livestock were killed by snow leopards. Levels of all hunting, legal and illegal, need to be reduced in the range until wildlife populations have recovered significantly from the mid-1990's over-hunting period. Levels of rural corruption among many stakeholders were high around the mountain region, and are thought to contribute negatively to wildlife conservation in the area. Ecotourism in the area, that incorporates local people around the mountain region, is proposed as a solution to offer local people's incentives to lower hunting levels. This report makes the following main recommendations:

ÿStrengthening law enforcement capacity

ÿIncreasing the number of ecological rangers

ÿIncreasing incentives of ecological rangers to prevent poaching

ÿEquipping the ecological rangers more sufficiently

ÿMore effective communication between ranger and National Park administrative regions

ÿThe involvement of all stakeholders in wildlife conservation including military officials and local herders

ÿWhistle blower policies to prevent illegal trade in all animals in the region

ÿMore geographic consistency between present and proposed protected areas in the region

 Accurate snow leopard monitoring to build on valuable information previously collected in Kazakhstan

 Provision of local incentives (ecotourism and community based hunting reserves) to reduce local hunting and local unemployment around the mountains

 Increased interest and technical assistance in Kazakhstan from conservation International Non-Governmental Organizations

 More government fund for the Institute of Zoology

 Stronger cross border (Kazakhstan-China) legislation implementation Further research could involve establishing an annual, standardized, snow leopard

survey in the range, or could compare these findings of threats to snow leopards to other regions in Kazakhstan (eg. The Altai) or Central Asia.

This report has been replicated for all the expedition sponsors, put on the internet, and

distributed among contacts in the snow leopard conservation community.

The expedition team also spent some time exploring and photographing some of the remoter valleys around the study pastures, and made a short video of the teams exploits. Links were made between KIMEP University in Almaty, and Newcastle University, registered a research centre with the Royal Geographical Society, and lectured about the Dzhungarian range and snow leopard conservation at; the Royal Geographical Society, Newcastle University, Royal Zoological Society for Scotland(Edinburgh Zoo), and Wilderness Lecturers (Bristol).
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Notes Approved no
Call Number SLN @ rana @ 283 Serial 816
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Author Sherpa, L.N.; Lama, W.B.
Title Hands around Mt. Everest Type Miscellaneous
Year 1997 Publication Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages
Keywords Tibet; China; protected-areas; parks; reserves; refuge; conservation; Transboundry; economics; tourism; Qomolangma; browse; protected area; protected areas; protected; area; areas; 3170
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Notes Full Text at URL:Report on Transboundary Exchange Between Qomolangma Nature Preserve and Nepal's Mountain Protected Areas held in Shigatse, Tibet Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, September 21 to October 13, 1996 by Lhakpa Norbu Sherpa*, Transboundary Exchange Advisor, with assistance from Wendy Brewer Lama**, Ecotourism Specialist, The Mountain Institute Himalaya ProgramMarch 1997 Approved no
Call Number SLN @ rana @ 327 Serial 883
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Author Hanson, J. H., Schutgens, M., Baral, N.
Title What explains tourists support for snow leopard conservation in the Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal? Type Journal Article
Year Publication Human Dimensions of Wildlife Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages 1-15
Keywords Flagship species; Himalayas; knowledge-attitude-practice model; Panthera uncia; protected area management; tourism
Abstract Wildlife tourism is increasingly important for the conservation of

threatened species such as snow leopards. However, what tourists

know or value about snow leopards, and to what extent they support

the conservation of this species, has received limited empirical attention.

This paper investigates tourist knowledge about snow leopards,

beliefs and values toward the species, and support for its conservation

in the Annapurna Conservation Area of Nepal. Survey data were

collected from 406 foreign tourists between March and May 2014.

Although knowledge about snow leopards varied among respondents,

there was widespread support for their conservation.

Knowledge about snow leopards was best explained by education

level and environmental organization membership. Improved knowledge

about the species, and a variety of intrinsic conservation values,

were found to increase tourist support for snow leopard conservation.

These results provide important insights to help tailor tourism

initiatives to support the conservation of snow leopards.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1474
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Author Maheshwari, A. , Sathyakumar, S.
Title Snow leopard stewardship in mitigating human-wildlife conflict in Hemis National Park, Ladakh, India Type Journal Article
Year 2019 Publication Human Dimensions of Wildlife Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages 1-5
Keywords Snow leopard; human-wildlife conflict; ecotourism; livelihood; India
Abstract Among large predators, snow leopards (Panthera uncia) and co-predators (e.g., wolves

Canis lupus, lynx Lynx lynx) often cause economic losses, engendering animosity from

local communities in the mountain ecosystem across south and central Asia (Din et al.,

2017; Jackson & Lama, 2016; Maheshwari, Takpa, Kujur, & Shawl, 2010; Schaller, 2012).

These economic losses range from around US $50 to nearly $300 per household,

a significant sum given per capita annual incomes of $250 – $400 (Jackson & Wangchuk,

2004; Mishra, 1997). Recent efforts such as improved livestock husbandry practices

(predator-proof livestock corrals – closed night shelters with covered roof with wiremesh

and a closely fitting iron or wooden door that can be securely locked at night) and

community-based ecotourism (e.g., home stays, guides, porters, pack animals, campsites)

are providing alternative livelihood opportunities and mitigating large carnivores – human

conflict in the snow leopard habitats (Hanson, Schutgens, & Baral, 2018; Jackson, 2015;

Jackson & Lama, 2016; Vannelli, Hampton, Namgail, & Black, 2019). Snow leopard-based

ecotourism provides an opportunity to secure livelihoods and reduce poverty of the

communities living in ecotourism sites across Ladakh (Chandola, 2012; Jackson, 2015).

To understand the role of snow leopard-based ecotourism in uplifting the financial profile

of local communities, mitigating large carnivore – human conflict and eventually changing

attitudes towards large carnivores in Hemis National Park, Ladakh, India, we compared

the estimated financial gains of a snow leopard-based ecotourism to stated livestock

predation losses by snow leopards and wolves.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1484
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Author Sultan, H., Rashid, W., Shi, J., Rahim, I. U., Nafees, M., Bohnett, E., Rashid, S., Khan, M. T., Shah, I. A., Han, H., Ariza-Montes, A.
Title Horizon Scan of Transboundary Concerns Impacting Snow Leopard Landscapes in Asia Type Journal Article
Year 2022 Publication MDPI Abbreviated Journal Land
Volume 11 Issue 248 Pages 1-22
Keywords collaboration; habitat; innovative solutions; integrated landscape approach; socio- ecological system; trade corridor; tourism
Abstract The high-altitude region of Asia is prone to natural resource degradation caused by a variety of natural and anthropogenic factors that also threaten the habitat of critical top predator species, the snow leopard (Panthera uncia). The snow leopard’s landscape encompasses parts of the twelve Asian countries and is dominated by pastoral societies within arid mountainous terrain. However, no investigation has assessed the vulnerability and pathways towards long-term sustainability on the global snow leopard landscape scale. Thus, the current study reviewed 123 peer-reviewed scientific publications on the existing knowledge, identified gaps, and proposed sustainable mitigation options for the longer term and on larger landscape levels in the range countries. The natural resource degradation in this region is caused by various social, economic, and ecological threats that negatively affect its biodiversity. The factors that make the snow leopard landscapes vulnerable include habitat fragmentation through border fencing, trade corridor infrastructure, non-uniform conservation policies, human–snow leopard conflict, the increasing human population, climatic change, land use and cover changes, and unsustainable tourism. Thus, conservation of the integrated Socio-Ecological System (SES) prevailing in this region requires a multi-pronged approach. This paper proposes solutions and identifies the pathways through which to implement these solutions. The prerequisite to implementing such solutions is the adoption of cross-border collaboration (regional cooperation), the creation of peace parks, readiness to integrate transnational and cross-sectoral conservation policies, a focus on improving livestock management practices, a preparedness to control human population growth, a readiness to mitigate climate change, initiating transboundary landscape-level habitat conservation, adopting environment-friendly trade corridors, and promoting sustainable tourism. Sustainable development in this region encompasses the political, social, economic, and ecological landscapes across the borders.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1671
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Author Hanson, J. H., Schutgens, M., Baral, N., Leader-Williams, N.
Title Assessing the potential of snow leopard tourism-related products and services in the Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal Type Journal Article
Year 2022 Publication Tourism Planning & Development Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages 1-20
Keywords Eco-certified products; ecotourism; conservation enterprise; large carnivores; tourism impacts; South Asia
Abstract Conservation Enterprise is increasingly promoted to support the conservation of species and landscapes through incentives, such as ecotourism, including in the Annapurna Conservation Area (ACA), Nepal. Yet the elusive behaviour of snow leopards here limits opportunities for conservation enterprise, particularly those linked to conventional ecotourism forms. Furthermore, the potential to explicitly link local snow leopard-friendly livestock production systems with the tourist market in the area, via eco-certified livestock products, has not been investigated. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the interest, from supply and demand perspectives, in introducing snow leopard ecotourism services and eco-certified products into the ACA tourist market. Questionnaire data were gathered from 406 tourists and 403 local residents. Our results, of interest to managers and researchers alike, show that there is potential to generate funds and support for both snow leopard conservation and community development, and add to the literature on utilising enterprise initiatives as conservation tools.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1696
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Author Jackson, R.
Title Linking Snow Leopard Conservation and People-Wildlife Conflict Resolution, Summary of a multi-country project aimed at developing grass-roots measures to protect the endangered snow leopard from herder retribution Type Journal Article
Year 2000 Publication Cat News Abbreviated Journal
Volume 33 Issue Pages 12-15
Keywords livestock-depredation; livestock; pastoralists; herders; Pakistan; Nepal; Tibet; Mongolia; India; protected-areas; parks; reserves; refuge; snow-leopard-incentive-program; economics; tourism; pens; corrals; enclosures; trapping; poisoning; killing; cubs; dens; retribution; behavior; predator; prey; Qomolangma; habitat; feces; fecal-analysis; compensation; Dogs; guard-dogs; religion; conservation; browse; depredation; snow; leopard; incentive; program; fecal; analysis; guard; Dog; 4000
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Notes Full Text at URL Approved no
Call Number SLN @ rana @ 375 Serial 464
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Author Ale, S.B.; Yonzon, P.; Thapa, K.
Title Recovery of snow leopard Uncia uncia in Sagarmatha (Mount Everest) National Park, Nepal Type Miscellaneous
Year 2007 Publication Oryx Abbreviated Journal
Volume 41 Issue Pages 89-92
Keywords Nepal; recovery; Sagarmatha Mount Everest National Park; snow leopard; Uncia uncia; surveys; survey; snow; snow-leopard; leopard; uncia; Uncia-uncia; valley; Sagarmatha; national; national park; National-park; park; using; information; management; system; research; transects; transect; sign; areas; area; snow leopards; snow-leopards; leopards; 40; Himalayan; tahr; musk; musk-deer; deer; location; recent; species; grazing; land; Forest; habitat; domestic; wild; ungulates; ungulate; livestock; tourism; development; traditional; land use; land-use; use; wildlife
Abstract From September to November 2004 we conducted surveys of snow leopard Uncia uncia signs in three major valleys in Sagarmatha (Mount Everest) National Park in Nepal using the Snow Leopard Information Management System, a standardized survey technique for snow leopard research. We walked 24 transects covering c. 14 km and located 33 sites with 56 snow leopard signs, and 17 signs incidentally in other areas. Snow leopards appear to have re-inhabited the Park, following their disappearance c. 40 years ago, apparently following the recovery of Himalayan tahr Hemitragus jemlahicus and musk deer Moschus chrysogaster populations. Taken together the locations of all 73 recent snow leopard signs indicate that the species is using predominantly grazing land and shrubland/ open forest at elevations of 3,000-5,000 m, habitat types that are also used by domestic and wild ungulates. Sagarmatha is the homeland of c. 3,500 Buddhist Sherpas with .3,000 livestock. Along with tourism and associated developments in Sagarmatha, traditional land use practices could be used to ensure coexistence of livestock and wildlife, including the recovering snow leopards, and ensure the wellbeing of the Sherpas.
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Notes http://www.snowleopardnetwork.org/bibliography/Ale_2007.pdf Approved no
Call Number SLN @ rana @ 884 Serial 58
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Author Anonymous
Title Livestock Predation Control Workshop Type Miscellaneous
Year 1999 Publication Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages
Keywords Lahul-Spiti; Ladakh; Hemis; parks; reserves; refuge; protected-area; argali; abix; blue-sheep; wolves; distribution; status; population; poaching; hunting; trade; skins; livestock; pelts; coat; fur; bones; medicine; prey-depletion; herders; habitat; habitat-degradation; tourism; Tmi; Islt; predator; prey; conflict; compensation; trekking; blue; sheep; browse; protected; area; depletion; degradation; international snow leopard trust; 3940
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Notes Full Text at URLDate of Meeting: Ladakh (1999 Oct 6- Oct 10 ) Approved no
Call Number SLN @ rana @ 359 Serial 86
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