Abstract: Kyrgyzstan is a land of towering mountains, glaciers, rushing streams, wildflowercovered meadows, forests, snow leopards, soaring eagles, and yurt-dwelling nomads. The entire nation lies astride the Tian Shan1, Chinese for “Heavenly Mountains”, one of the world's highest mountain ranges, which is 7439 m (24,400 ft) in elevation at its highest point. The nation is the second smallest of the former Soviet Central Asian republics. In
spite of Kyrgyzstan's diverse wildlife and stunning natural beauty, the nation remains little known, and, as yet, still on the frontier of international conservation efforts. The following report is the product of 12 months of research into the state of conservation and land-use in Kyrgyzstan. This effort was funded by the Fulbright Commission of the U.S. State Department, and represents the most recent findings of the author's personal environmental journey through Inner Asia, which began in 1999. When I first started my preliminary research for this project, I was extremely surprised to learn that, even though the Tian Shan Range has tremendous ecological significance for conservation efforts in middle Asia, there wasn't a single major international conservation organization with an office in the former Soviet Central Asian republics. Even more surprising was how little awareness there is of conservation issues in the Tian Shan region amongst conservation workers in neighboring areas who are attempting to preserve similar species assemblages and ecosystems to those found in the Tian Shan. Given this lack of awareness, and the great potential for the international community to make a positive contribution towards improving the current state of biodiversity conservation in Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia, I have summarized my findings on protected areas and conservation in Kyrgyzstan and the Tian Shan of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Xinjiang in the chapters below. The report begins with some brief background information on geography and society in the Kyrgyz Republic, followed by an overview of biodiversity and the state of conservation in the nation, which at the present time closely parallels the state of conservation in the other former Soviet Central Asian republics. Part IV of the report provides a catalog of all major protected areas in Kyrgyzstan and the other Tian Shan nations, followed by a list of sites in Kyrgyzstan that are as yet unprotected but merit protection. In the appendices the reader will find fairly comprehensive species lists of flora and fauna found in the Kyrgyz Republic, including lists of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, trees and shrubs, wildflowers, and endemic plants. In addition, a
draft paper on the history and current practice of pastoral nomadism in Kyrgyzstan has been included in Appendix A. While the research emphasis for this study was on eastern Kyrgyzstan, over the course of the study the author did have the opportunity to make brief journeys to southern Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Xinjiang. While falling short of being a definitive survey of protected areas of the Tian Shan, the informational review which
follows is the first attempt at bringing the details of conservation efforts throughout the entire Tian Shan Range together in one place. It is hoped that this summary of biodiversity and conservation in the Tian Shan will generate interest in the region amongst conservationists, and help increase efforts to protect this surprisingly unknown range that forms an island of meadows, rivers, lakes, and forests in the arid heart of Asia.

Abstract: Snow leopard ecology, distribution and abundance in Mongolia were studied between 1993 and 1999. I placed VHF and satellite radio-collars on 4 snow leopards, 2 males and 2 females, to determine home ranges, habitat use, movements, and activity. Home ranges of snow leopards in Mongolia were substantially larger than reported elsewhere. Males ranged over 61 – 142 km2 and female 58 to 1,590 km2. Cats had crepuscular activity patterns with daily movements averaging 5.1 km. Intraspecific distances averaged 1.3 km for males to 7.8 km for males. Leopards selected moderately to very-broken habitat with slopes > 20o, in areas containing ibex. Leopard distribution and abundance was determined using sign surveys. Leopard range in Mongolia is approximately 103,000 km2 but cats are not uniformly distributed within that range. High-density areas include the eastern and central Transaltai Gobi and the northern Altai ranges. Relative leopard densities compared well with relative ibex densities on a regional basis. A snow leopard conservation plan was drafted for Mongolia that identifies problems and threats, and provides an action plan. Wild Bactrian camels occur in the Great Gobi National Park (GGNP) and are thought to be declining due to low recruitment. I surveyed camels by jeep and at oases, observing 142 (4.2% young) and 183 (5.3% young) in 1997 and 1998. Current range was estimated at 33,300 km2. Some winter and calving ranges were recently abandoned. Track sizes and tooth ages from skulls were used to assess demographics. A deterministic model was produced that predicts camel extinction within 25 to 50 years under current recruitment rates and population estimates. Gobi brown bears are endemic to Mongolia and may number less than 35. Three population isolates may occur. I collected genetic material from bears at oases using hair traps. Microsatellite analyses of nuclear DNA determined sixteen unique genotypes, only two of which occurred at more than one oases. Genetic diversity was very low with expected heterozygosity = 0.32, and alleles per locus = 2.3. Mitochondrial DNA sequences were compared to other clades of brown bear and found to fall outside of all known lineages.

Abstract: Many years' data connected with the distribution and number of endangered species of animals as dhole (Cuon alpinus Pall), striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena L.), snow leopard (Uncia uncia Shreb.) and birds of Tajikistan are given. Area of snow leopard includes the most of mountain ridges in this country. The total number is evaluated about 160-200 individuals. The record quantity of legal harvested skins of snow leopard is 64 in 1946.

Abstract: Snow leopard is an endangered species. Its number is steadily decreasing. In the USSR, snow leopard is distributed in the mountains of Central Asia: Pamir, Tien Shan, Djungar Ala-Tau, Tarbagatai, Saur. It is also met at altitudes ranging from 1,800 3,500 m above sea level. A total number of snow leopard in the USSR does not exceed 1,000 animals; according to other data 2,000 animals. A decreasing number of snow leopard and its habitat shrinkage is directly related to human's pursuing snow leopards (in the USSR snow leopard was for a long time being considered as a species causing damage to livestock so authorities gave premiums for catching/shooting snow leopards) and reduction of ungulate population. Snow leopards are now protected in mountain nature reserves of the USSR: Chatkal, Aksu-Djabagly, Ramit, Besh-Aral, Sary-Chelek, and Alma-Ata.

Abstract: Noise caused by human activities can cause stress in animals. We examined whether noise from construction sites affects the behaviour of and exhibit use by three Snow leopards Uncia uncia at Basel zoo. The behaviour and location of the animals were recorded at 1 minute intervals, using the instantaneous scan sampling method over a period of 216 hours (104 hours on noisy days and 112 hours on quiet days). The animals differed individually in their responses to the construction noise. On noisy days, the Snow leopards generally spent less time in locomotion and more time resting, but even on quiet days, resting was the predominant behaviour performed. Under noisy conditions, they increased social resting and decreased resting alone. Walking and social walking were also reduced on noisy days. Furthermore, the Snow leopards spent considerably more time in the remote offexhibit enclosure under noisy conditions. Independent of background noise, they stayed more than half of the time in the caves and the forecourts of the outdoor enclosure. On quiet days, the Snow leopards used more sectors of their exhibit than on noisy days. The results indicate that the Snow leopards responded to construction noise by increasing the amount of time spent resting and by withdrawing to the remote parts of their exhibit.

Abstract: Decline of wild prey populations in the Himalayan region, largely due to competition with livestock, has been identified as one of the main threats to the snow leopard Uncia uncia. Studies show that bharal Pseudois nayaur diet is dominated by graminoids during summer, but the proportion of graminoids declines in winter. We explore the causes for the decline of graminoids from bharal winter diet and resulting implications for bharal conservation. We test the predictions generated by two alternative hypotheses, (H1) low graminoid availability caused by livestock grazing during winter causes bharal to include browse in their diet, and, (H2) bharal include browse, with relatively higher nutrition, to compensate for the poor quality of graminoids during winter. Graminoid availability was highest in areas without livestock grazing, followed by areas with moderate and intense livestock grazing. Graminoid quality in winter was relatively lower than that of browse, but the difference was not statistically significant. Bharal diet was dominated by graminoids in areas with highest graminoid availability. Graminoid contribution to bharal diet declined monotonically with a decline in graminoid availability. Bharal young to female ratio was three times higher in areas with high graminoid availability than areas with low graminoid availability. No starvation-related adult mortalities were observed in any of the areas. Composition of bharal winter diet was governed predominantly by the availability of graminoids in the rangelands. Since livestock grazing reduces graminoid availability, creation of livestock free areas is necessary for conservation of grazing species such as the bharal and its predators such as the endangered snow leopard in the Trans-Himalaya.

Abstract: A description of snow leopard, its taxonomy, distribution, habitat, number, behavior, food, reproduction, parasites, infections, and practical importance is given. In Kyrgyzstan, irbis was found in the Chatkal, Kyrgyz, Talas ridges, and Terskei Alatoo. An official annual snow leopard hunting rate ranged from 10 (1955) to 54 skins (in 1936) in 1930-s through 1950-s. 17 snow leopards were caught for the purpose of zoo-export only in 1965-1966. Its skin has no special value and is used by local people for decoration of dwellings and making collars.

Abstract: Conflicts between humans and snow leopards are documented across much of their overlapping distribution
in Central Asia. These conflicts manifest themselves primarily in the form of livestock depredation
and the killing of snow leopards by local herders. This source of mortality to snow leopards is a key conservation concern. To investigate human-snow leopard conflicts in the Sanjiangyuan Region of the Tibetan Plateau, we conducted household interviews about local herders’ traditional use of snow leopard
parts, livestock depredation, and overall attitudes towards snow leopards. We found most respondents
(58%) knew that snow leopard parts had been used for traditional customs in the past, but they claimed
not in the past two or three decades. It may be partly due to the issuing of the Protection of Wildlife Law
in 1998 by the People’s Republic of China. Total livestock losses were damaging (US$ 6193 per household
in the past 1 year), however snow leopards were blamed by herders for only a small proportion of those
losses (10%), as compared to wolves (45%) and disease (42%). Correspondingly, the cultural images of
snow leopards were neutral (78%) and positive (9%) on the whole. It seems that human-snow leopard
conflict is not intense in this area. However, snow leopards could be implicated by the retaliatory killing
of wolves. We recommend a multi-pronged conservation program that includes compensation, insurance
programs, and training local veterinarians to reduce livestock losses.

Abstract: Heptner’s markhor Capra falconeri heptneri is an Endangered wild goat occurring in disjunct populations in southern Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Surveys to determine the total population in Tajikistan were conducted during February–April 2012. A total of 1,018 animals were observed. In most areas, which include state protected areas and family- and communitybased
conservancies, markhor populations are stable or increasing. Threats include illegal hunting, habitat degradation, competition with livestock and disease transmission. To motivate conservancies economically to protect markhor populations, trophy hunting should be permitted to accommodate the sustainable use of markhor, with revenues distributed in a transparent and equitably shared manner.

Abstract: Globally, in semi-arid and arid landscapes, there is an
ongoing transition from livestock-production systems to crop-production
systems, and in many parts of Asia's arid mountains, mining for minerals
is also increasing. These changes are accompanied by a change in the
generation and quality of ecosystem services (ES), which can impact
human well-being. In this study, to better understand the impacts of
such transitions, we quantified ES in two crop-based and three
livestock-based production systems in the arid and semi-arid landscapes
of the High Himalaya and Central Asia, specifically in the Indian
Himalaya, Kyrgyz Tien Shan, and Mongolian Altai. Our results showed 1)
high economic dependence (3.6–38 times the respective annual household
income) of local farmers on provisioning ES, with the economic value of
ES being greater in livestock-production systems (7.4–38 times the
annual household income) compared to crop-production systems (3.6–3.7
times the annual household income); 2) ES input into cashmere
production, the main commodity from the livestock-production systems,
was 13–18 times greater than the price of cashmere received by the
farmer; and 3) in the livestock production systems affected by mining,
impacts on ES and quality of life were reported to be negative by
majority of the respondents. We conclude that livestock-based systems
may be relatively more vulnerable to degrading impacts of mining and
other ongoing developments due to their dependence on larger ES resource
catchments that tend to have weaker land tenure and are prone to
fragmentation. In contrast to the general assumption of low value of ES
in arid and semi-arid landscapes due to relatively low primary
productivity, our study underscores the remarkably high importance of ES
in supporting local livelihoods.

Abstract: The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is a cryptic and rare big cat inhabiting Asia’s remote and harsh elevated areas. Its population has decreased across the globe for various reasons, includ

Abstract: There is an increasing emphasis in conservation strategies for large carnivores on facilitating their coexistence with humans. Justification for coexistence strategies should be based on a quantitative assessment of currently remaining large carnivores in human-dominated landscapes. An essential part of a carnivore’s coexistence strategy has to rely on its prey. In this research, we studied snow leopards Panthera uncia whose habitat mainly comprises human-dominated, unprotected areas, to understand how a large carnivore and its primary prey, the bharal Pseudois nayaur, could coexist with human land use activities in a large proportion of its range. Using a combination of livestock census, camera trapping and wildlife surveys, across a broad gradient of livestock grazing intensity in a 363 000 km2 landscape on the Tibetan Plateau, we found no evidence of livestock grazing impacts on snow leopard habitat use, bharal density and spatial distribution, even though livestock density was 13 times higher than bharal density. Bharal were found to prefer utilizing more rugged habitats at higher elevations with lower grass forage conditions, whereas livestock dominated in flat valleys at lower elevations with higher productivity, especially during the resource-scarce season. These findings suggest that the spatial niche separation between bharal and livestock, together with snow leopards’ specialized bharal diet, minimized conflicts and allowed snow leopards and bharal to coexist in landscapes dominated by livestock grazing. In recent years, reduced hunting and nomadic herder’s lifestyle changes towards permanent residence may have further reinforced this spatial separation. Our results indicated that, for developing conservation strategies for large carnivores, the niche of their prey in relation to human land-use is a key variable that needs to be evaluated.