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Author Ghoshal, A., Bhatnagar, Y. V., Pandav, B., Sharma, K., Mshra, C.
Title Assessing changes in distribution of the Endangered snow leopard Panthera uncia and its wild prey over 2 decades in the Indian Himalaya through interviewbased occupancy surveys Type Journal Article
Year 2017 Publication Oryx Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages 1-13
Keywords Asiatic ibex, blue sheep, carnivore, occupancy, snow leopard, survey, threat, ungulate
Abstract Understanding species distributions, patterns of

change and threats can form the basis for assessing the conservation

status of elusive species that are difficult to survey.

The snow leopard Panthera uncia is the top predator of the

Central and South Asian mountains. Knowledge of the distribution

and status of this elusive felid and its wild prey is

limited. Using recall-based key-informant interviews we estimated

site use by snow leopards and their primary wild

prey, blue sheep Pseudois nayaur and Asiatic ibex Capra

sibirica, across two time periods (past: �; recent:

�) in the state of Himachal Pradesh, India. We

also conducted a threat assessment for the recent period.

Probability of site use was similar across the two time periods

for snow leopards, blue sheep and ibex, whereas for wild

prey (blue sheep and ibex combined) overall there was an

% contraction. Although our surveys were conducted in

areas within the presumed distribution range of the snow

leopard, we found snow leopards were using only % of

the area (, km). Blue sheep and ibex had distinct distribution

ranges. Snow leopards and their wild prey were not

restricted to protected areas, which encompassed only %

of their distribution within the study area. Migratory livestock

grazing was pervasive across ibex distribution range

and was the most widespread and serious conservation

threat. Depredation by free-ranging dogs, and illegal hunting

and wildlife trade were the other severe threats. Our

results underscore the importance of community-based, landscape-

scale conservation approaches and caution against reliance

on geophysical and opinion-based distribution maps that have been used to estimate national and global snow leopard ranges.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
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Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1463
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Author Mallon, D. P., Jackson, R. M.
Title A downlist is not a demotion: Red List status and reality Type Journal Article
Year 2017 Publication Oryx Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages 1-5
Keywords Cryptic, IUCN Red List, Panthera uncia, population estimate, snow leopard, species assessment
Abstract Assessments of biodiversity status are needed to

track trends, and the IUCN Red List has become the accepted

global standard for documenting the extinction

risk of species. Obtaining robust data on population size is

an essential component of any assessment of a species� status,

including assessments for the IUCN Red List. Obtaining

such estimates is complicated by methodological and

logistical issues, which are more pronounced in the case of

cryptic species, such as the snow leopard Panthera uncia.

Estimates of the total population size of this species have,

to date, been based on little more than guesstimates, but a

comprehensive summary of recent field research indicates

that the conservation status of the snow leopard may be

less dire than previously thought. A revised categorization,

from Endangered to Vulnerable, on the IUCN Red List was

proposed but met some opposition, as did a recent, similar

recategorization of the giant panda Ailuropoda melanoleuca.

Possible factors motivating such attitudes are discussed.

Downlisting on the IUCN Red List indicates that the species

concerned is further from extinction, and is always to be

welcomed, whether resulting from successful conservation

intervention or improved knowledge of status and trends.

Celebrating success is important to reinforce the message

that conservation works, and to incentivize donors.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher (down) Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1460
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Author Khanal, G., Poudyal, L. P., Devkota, B. P., Ranabhat, R., Wegge, P.
Title Status and conservation of the snow leopard Panthera uncia in Api Nampa Conservation Area, Nepal Type Journal Article
Year 2018 Publication Fauna & Flora International Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages 1-8
Keywords Api Nampa Conservation Area, bharal, Nepal, Panthera uncia, Pseudois nayaur, snow leopard
Abstract The snow leopard Panthera uncia is globally

threatened and reliable information on its abundance,

distribution and prey species is a prerequisite for its conservation.

In October-November 2014 we assessed the distribution

of the snow leopard in the recently established Api

Nampa Conservation Area in the Nepal Himalayas.

Within selected blocks we conducted sign surveys and

counted the number of bharal Pseudois nayaur, its principal

wild prey, along transects totalling 106 km.We recorded 203

putative snow leopard signs at an encounter rate of 1.91

signs/km. Generalized linear models of the number of

signs detected per transect showed that elevation had a positive

influence and human activities a negative influence on

sign encounter rate; prey abundance had only a weak positive

influence on sign encounter rate. Within the effectively

surveyed area of c. 2002 km2, we counted 527 bharal at an estimated

density of 2.28 animals/km2. Recruitment of bharal

was low, estimated at 48 kids/100 adult females, most likely a

result of poor or overgrazed rangeland. We estimate

the total number of bharal in this conservation area to be

.>1,000, a prey base that could sustain 6-9 snow leopards.

Based on our field observations, we identified human disturbance

and habitat degradation associated with extraction

of non-timber forest products, livestock grazing, and poaching

as the main threats to the snow leopard. Standardized

sign surveys, preferably supplemented by sampling with

remote cameras or with genetic analysis of scats would

provide robust baseline information on the abundance of

snow leopards in this conservation area.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher (down) Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1473
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Author Khatoon, R., Hussain, I., Anwar, M., Nawaz, M. A.
Title Diet selection of snow leopard (Panthera uncia) in Chitral, Pakistan Type Journal Article
Year 2017 Publication Turkish Journal of Zoology Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue 14 Pages 914-923
Keywords Snow leopard, conservation, seasonal variation, diet composition, Chitral, Pakistan
Abstract Snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is an elusive endangered carnivore found in remote mountain regions of Central Asia, with

sparse distribution in northern Pakistan, including Chitral and Baltistan. The present study determined the food habits of snow leopard,

including preferred prey species and seasonal variation in diet. Fifty-six scat samples were collected and analyzed to determine the

diet composition in two different seasons, i.e. summer and winter. Hair characteristics such as cuticular scale patterns and medullary

structure were used to identify the prey. This evidence was further substantiated from the remains of bones, claws, feathers, and other

undigested remains found in the scats. A total of 17 prey species were identified; 5 of them were large mammals, 6 were mesomammals,

and the remaining 6 were small mammals. The occurrence of wild ungulates (10.4%) in the diet was low, while livestock constituted a

substantial part (26.4%) of the diet, which was higher in summer and lower in winter. Mesomammals altogether comprised 33.4% of

the diet, with palm civet (Paguma larvata) as a dominant (16.8%) species, followed by golden marmot (Marmota caudate) (8.8%), which

was higher in winter. There was a significant difference in seasonal variation in domestic livestock and small mammals. The livestock

contribution of 26.4% observed in the present study indicates a significant dependence of the population on livestock and suggests

that the study area is expected to be a high-conflict area for snow leopards. The results of the current study would help improve the

conservation efforts for snow leopards, contributing to conflict resolution and effective management of this endangered cat.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher (down) Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1459
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Author Johansson, O., Ullman, K., Lkhagvajav, P., Wiseman, M., Malmsten, J., Leijon, M.
Title Detection and Genetic Characterization of Viruses Present in Free-Ranging Snow Leopards Using Next-Generation Sequencing Type Journal Article
Year 2020 Publication Frontiers in Veterinary Science Abbreviated Journal
Volume 7 Issue 645 Pages 1-9
Keywords snow leopard, free-ranging, virome, Mongolia, rectal swabs, next-generating sequencing, Panthera unica
Abstract Snow leopards inhabit the cold, arid environments of the high

mountains of South and Central Asia. These living conditions likely

affect the abundance and composition of microbes with the capacity to

infect these animals. It is important to investigate the microbes that

snow leopards are exposed to detect infectious disease threats and

define a baseline for future changes that may impact the health of this

endangered felid. In this work, next-generation sequencing is used to

investigate the fecal (and in a few cases serum) virome of seven snow

leopards from the Tost Mountains of Mongolia. The viral species to which

the greatest number of sequences reads showed high similarity was

rotavirus. Excluding one animal with overall very few sequence reads,

four of six animals (67%) displayed evidence of rotavirus infection. A

serum sample of a male and a rectal swab of a female snow leopard

produced sequence reads identical or closely similar to felid

herpesvirus 1, providing the first evidence that this virus infects snow

leopards. In addition, the rectal swab from the same female also

displayed sequence reads most similar to feline papillomavirus 2, which

is the first evidence for this virus infecting snow leopards. The rectal

swabs from all animals also showed evidence for the presence of small

circular DNA viruses, predominantly Circular Rep-Encoding

Single-Stranded (CRESS) DNA viruses and in one case feline anellovirus.

Several of the viruses implicated in the present study could affect the

health of snow leopards. In animals which are under environmental

stress, for example, young dispersing individuals and lactating females,

health issues may be exacerbated by latent virus infections.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher (down) Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1612
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Author Young, J. C., Alexander, J. S., Bijoor, A., Sharma, D., Dutta, A., Agvaantseren, B., Mijiddorj, T. N., Jumabay, K., Amankul, V., Kabaeva, B., Nawaz, A., Khan, S., Ali, H., Rullman, J. S., Sharma, K., Murali, R., Mishra, C.
Title Community-Based Conservation for the Sustainable Management of Conservation Conflicts: Learning from Practitioners Type Journal
Year 2021 Publication Sustainability Abbreviated Journal
Volume 13 Issue Pages 1-20
Keywords community-based conservation; snow leopards; participation; conflict; narratives; story- telling; conflict management
Abstract We explore the role of community-based conservation (CBC) in the sustainable management of conservation conflicts by examining the experiences of conservation practitioners trying to address conflicts between snow leopard conservation and pastoralism in Asian mountains. Practitioner experiences are examined through the lens of the PARTNERS principles for CBC (Presence, Aptness, Respect, Transparency, Negotiation, Empathy, Responsiveness, and Strategic Support) that represent an inclusive conservation framework for effective and ethical engagement with local communities. Case studies from India, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, and Pakistan show that resilient relationships arising from respectful engagement and negotiation with local communities can provide a strong platform for robust conflict management. We highlight the heuristic value of documenting practitioner experiences in on-the-ground conflict management and community-based conservation efforts.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher (down) Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1641
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Author Karki, A., Panthi, S.
Title Factors affecting livestock depredation by snow leopards (Panthera uncia) in the Himalayan region of Nepal Type Journal Article
Year 2021 Publication PeerJ Abbreviated Journal
Volume 9 Issue e11575 Pages 1-14
Keywords Conflict,Habitat,Himalaya,Livestockdepredation,Modeling,Snowleopard,Wildlife management
Abstract The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) found in central Asia is classified as vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Every year, large number of livestock are killed by snow leopards in Nepal, leading to economic loss to local communities and making human-snow leopard conflict a major threat to snow leopard conservation. We conducted formal and informal stakeholder’s interviews to gather information related to livestock depredation with the aim to map the attack sites by the snow leopard. These sites were further validated by district forest office staffs to assess sources of bias. Attack sites older than 3 years were removed from the survey. We found 109 attack sites and visited all the sites for geo location purpose (GPS points of all unique sites were taken). We maintained at least a 100 m distance between attack locations to ensure that each attack location was unique, which resulted in 86 unique locations. A total of 235 km2 was used to define livestock depredation risk zone during this study. Using Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) modeling, we found that distance to livestock sheds, distance to paths, aspect, and distance to roads were major contributing factors to the snow leopard’s attacks. We identified 13.64 km2 as risk zone for livestock depredation from snow leopards in the study area. Furthermore, snow leopards preferred to attack livestock near livestock shelters, far from human paths and at moderate distance from motor roads. These identified attack zones should be managed both for snow leopard conservation and livestock protection in order to balance human livelihoods while protecting snow leopards and their habitats.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher (down) Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1640
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Author Atzeni, L., Cushman, S. A., Bai, D., Wang, J., Chen, P., Shi, K., Riordan, P.
Title Meta-replication, sampling bias, and multi-scale model selection: A case study on snow leopard (Panthera uncia) in western China. Type Journal Article
Year 2020 Publication Ecology and Evolution Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages 1-27
Keywords MaxEnt, meta-replication, multi-scale, Panthera uncia, sampling bias, scale selection, snow leopard, species distribution model
Abstract Replicated multiple scale species distribution models (SDMs)

have become increasingly important to identify the correct variables

determining species distribution and their influences on ecological

responses. This study explores multi-scale habitat relationships of the

snow leopard (Panthera uncia) in two study areas on the Qinghai–Tibetan

Plateau of western China. Our primary objectives were to evaluate the

degree to which snow leopard habitat relationships, expressed by

predictors, scales of response, and magnitude of effects, were

consistent across study areas or locally landcape-specific. We coupled

univariate scale optimization and the maximum entropy algorithm to

produce multivariate SDMs, inferring the relative suitability for the

species by ensembling top performing models. We optimized the SDMs based

on average omission rate across the top models and ensembles’ overlap

with a simulated reference model. Comparison of SDMs in the two study

areas highlighted landscape-specific responses to limiting factors.

These were dependent on the effects of the hydrological network,

anthropogenic features, topographic complexity, and the heterogeneity of

the landcover patch mosaic. Overall, even accounting for specific local

differences, we found general landscape attributes associated with snow

leopard ecological requirements, consisting of a positive association

with uplands and ridges, aggregated low-contrast landscapes, and large

extents of grassy and herbaceous vegetation. As a means to evaluate the

performance of two bias correction methods, we explored their effects on

three datasets showing a range of bias intensities. The performance of

corrections depends on the bias intensity; however, density kernels

offered a reliable correction strategy under all circumstances. This

study reveals the multi-scale response of snow leopards to environmental

attributes and confirms the role of meta-replicated study designs for

the identification of spatially varying limiting factors. Furthermore,

this study makes important contributions to the ongoing discussion about

the best approaches for sampling bias correction.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher (down) Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1616
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Author Rode, J., Pelletier, A., Fumey, J., Rode, S., Cabanat, A. L., Ouvrard, A., Chaix, B., White, B., Harnden, M., Xuan, N. T., Vereshagin, A., Casane, D.
Title Diachronic monitoring of snow leopards at Sarychat-Ertash State Reserve (Kyrgyzstan) through scat genotyping: a pilot study Type Journal Article
Year 2020 Publication bioRxiv Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages 1-21
Keywords snow leopard, noninvasive genotyping, population dynamics, microsatellite, relatedness, diachronic monitoring, citizen science, Central Asia
Abstract Snow leopards (Panthera uncia) are a keystone species of Central Asia’s high mountain ecosystem. The species is listed as vulnerable and is elusive, preventing accurate population assessments that could inform conservation actions. Non-invasive genetic monitoring conducted by citizen scientists offers avenues to provide key data on this species that would otherwise be inaccessible. From 2011 to 2015, OSI-Panthera citizen science expeditions tracked signs of presence of snow leopards along transects in the main valleys and crests of the Sarychat-Ertash State Reserve (Kyrgyzstan). Scat samples were genotyped at seven autosomal microsatellite loci and at a X/Y locus for sex identification, which allowed estimating a minimum of 11 individuals present in the reserve from 2011 to 2015. The genetic recapture of 7 of these individuals enabled diachronic monitoring, providing indications of individuals’ movements throughout the reserve. We found putative family relationships between several individuals. Our results demonstrate the potential of this citizen science program to get a precise description of a snow leopard population through time.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher (down) Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1602
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Author Vannelli, K., Hampton, M. P., Namgail, T., Black, S. A.
Title Community participation in ecotourism and its effect on local perceptions of snow leopard (Panthera uncia) conservation Type Journal Article
Year 2019 Publication Human Dimensions of Wildlife Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages 1-14
Keywords Instrumental value; snow leopard; perceptions; ecotourism; human–wildlife conflict
Abstract Local support and involvement is often essential for effective

wildlife conservation. This study assessed the impact of local

involvement in ecotourism schemes on perceptions of wildlife, promotion

of conservation action, types of values that communities placed on

wildlife, and contexts in which wildlife are considered to be most

valuable. The study used qualitative semi-structured interviews

conducted in seven villages in Ladakh, India, which is an important

region of snow leopard (Panthera uncia) habitat. Results indicated that

in these communities, ecotourism-based interventions encourage more

positive perceptions of wildlife species, in particular the snow

leopard. Achieving change in community perceptions of wildlife is key

when implementing ecotourism schemes to enable more effective

conservation, as well as generating local awareness and value for

wildlife toward problematic keystone species such as the snow leopard,

which are frequently the focus of human-wildlife conflict.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher (down) Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1607
Permanent link to this record