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Author Bhatnagar, Y.V.; Mathur, V.B.; McCarthy, T. url 
  Title (up) A Regional Perspective for Snow Leopard Conservation In the Indian Trans-Himalaya Type Conference Article
  Year 2002 Publication Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages  
  Keywords snow; leopard; India; indian; Himalaya; Himalayan; conservation; region; regional; climate; topography; flora; fauna; Tibet; tibetan; protected; area; planning; management; manage; biogeographic; gazelle; kiang; yak; predator; 4900  
  Abstract The Trans-Himalaya is a vast biogeographic region in the cold and arid rain-shadow of

the Greater Himalaya and is spread over three Indian states. From the conservation

standpoint this region has several unique characteristics. Unlike most other

biogeographic regions of the country, it has wildlife, including large mammals, spread

over the entire region. Another feature is that the harsh climate and topography

provides limited agricultural land and pastures, all of which are currently utilized by

people. The harsh environment has given rise to a specialized assemblage of flora and fauna in

the region that include the endangered snow leopard, a variety of wild sheep and goat,

Tibetan antelope, Tibetan gazelle, kiang and wild yak. The snow leopard is one of the

most charismatic species of the Trans-Himalaya. This apex predator, with a wide

distribution, has ecological importance and international appeal, and is eminently

suitable to be used as both a 'flagship' and an 'umbrella species' to anchor and guide

conservation efforts in the Trans-Himalayan region. Among the 10 Biogeographic Zones in the country, the Trans-Himalaya has a

comparatively large Protected Area (PA) coverage, with over 15,000 km2 (8.2 %) of

the geographical area under the network. In spite of this, the bulk of the large mammal

populations still exist outside the PAs, which include highly endangered species such

as snow leopard, chiru, wild yak, Ladakh urial, kiang and brown bear. Given the sparse resource availability in the Trans-Himalaya and the existing human

use patterns, there are few alternatives that can be provided to resource dependent

human communities in and around PAs. The existing PAs themselves pose formidable

conservation challenges and a further increase in their extent is impractical. The

problem is further compounded by the fact that some of the large PAs have unclear

boundaries and include vast stretches that do not have any direct wildlife values. These

issues call for an alternative strategy for conservation of the Trans-Himalayan tracts

based on a regional perspective, which includes reconciling conservation with

development. In this paper we stress that conservation issues of this region, such as competition for

forage between wild and domestic herbivores and human-wildlife conflicts need to be

addressed in a participatory manner. We suggest an alternative scheme to look at the

zonation of existing PAs and also the Trans-Himalayan region as a whole, to facilitate

better conservation in the region. Also, we emphasize that there is a vital need for

additional resources and a formal setup for regional planning and management under a

centrally sponsored scheme such as the 'Project Snow Leopard'.
 
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  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Title, Monographic: Proceedings of the Snow Leopard Survival SummitPlace of Meeting: Seattle,WA Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rana @ 476 Serial 137  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Bhatnagar, Y.V.; Stakrey, R.W.; Jackson, R. url 
  Title (up) A Survey of Depredation and Related Wildlife-Human Conflicts in Hemis National Park, Ladakh (India) Type Miscellaneous
  Year 2000 Publication Snow Line Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume xvi Issue Pages 3  
  Keywords Jammu; Kashmir; Ladakh; conflicts; herders; livestock; predator; prey; grazing; ungulates; economics; Hemis; browse; 4430  
  Abstract  
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  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Islt Place of Publication Seattle 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 Full Text at URLJournal Title: Snowline Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rana @ 431 Serial 136  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Ghoshal, A., Bhatnagar, Y. V., Pandav, B., Sharma, K., Mshra, C. url 
  Title (up) 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.
 
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1463  
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Author Namgail, T.; Fox, J.; Bhatnagar, Y. url 
  Title (up) Carnivore-Caused Livestock Mortality in Trans-Himalaya Type Miscellaneous
  Year 2007 Publication Environmental Management Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 39 Issue Pages 490-496  
  Keywords Gya-Miru; livestock depredation; Lynx; snow leopard; trans-himalaya; wolf  
  Abstract The loss of livestock to wild predators is an important livelihood concern among Trans-Himalayan pastoralists. Because of the remoteness and inaccessibility of the region, few studies have been carried out to quantify livestock depredation by wild predators. In the present study, we assessed the intensity of livestock depredation by snow leopard Uncia uncia, Tibetan wolf Canis lupus chanku, and Eurasian lynx Lynx l. isabellina in three villages, namely Gya, Rumtse, and Sasoma, within the proposed Gya-Miru Wildlife Sanctuary in Ladakh, India. The three villages reported losses of 295 animals to these carnivores during a period of 2.5 years ending in early 2003, which represents an annual loss rate of 2.9% of their livestock holdings. The Tibetan wolf was the most important predator, accounting for 60% of the total livestock loss because of predation, followed by snow leopard (38%) and lynx (2%). Domestic goat was the major victim (32%), followed by sheep (30%), yak (15%), and horse (13%). Wolves killed horses significantly more and goats less than would be expected from their relative abundance. Snow leopards also killed horses significantly more than expected, whereas they killed other livestock types in proportion to their abundance. The three villages combined incurred an estimated annual monetary loss of approximately $USD 12,120 amounting to approximately $USD 190/household/y. This relatively high total annual loss occurred primarily because of depredation of the most valuable livestock types such as yak and horse. Conservation actions should initially attempt to target decrease of predation on these large and valuable livestock species.  
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  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
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  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rana @ 924 Serial 712  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Bagchi, S., Sharma, R. K., Bhatnagar, Y.V. url 
  Title (up) Change in snow leopard predation on livestock after revival of wild prey in the Trans-Himalaya Type Journal Article
  Year 2020 Publication Wildlife Biology Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue Pages 1-11  
  Keywords arid ecosystems, diet analysis, human-wildlife conflict, Panthera, predator, rangeland  
  Abstract Human–wildlife conflict arising from livestock-losses to large carnivores is an important challenge faced by conservation. Theory of prey–predator interactions suggests that revival of wild prey populations can reduce predator’s dependence on livestock in multiple-use landscapes. We explore whether 10-years of conservation efforts to revive wild prey could reduce snow leopard’s Panthera uncia consumption of livestock in the coupled human-and-natural Trans-Himalayan ecosystem of northern India. Starting in 2001, concerted conservation efforts at one site (intervention) attempted recovery of wild- prey populations by creating livestock-free reserves, accompanied with other incentives (e.g. insurance, vigilant herding). Another site, 50km away, was monitored as status quo without any interventions. Prey remains in snow leopard scats were examined periodically at five-year intervals between 2002 and 2012 to determine any temporal shift in diet at both sites to evaluate the effectiveness of conservation interventions. Consumption of livestock increased at the status quo site, while it decreased at the intervention-site. At the intervention-site, livestock-consumption reduced during 2002–2007 (by 17%, p = 0.06); this effect was sustained during the next five-year interval, and it was accompanied by a persistent increase in wild prey populations. Here we also noted increased predator populations, likely due to immigration into the study area. Despite the increase in the predator population, there was no increase in livestock-consumption. In contrast, under status quo, dependence on livestock increased during both five-year intervals (by 7%, p=0.08, and by 16%, p=0.01, respectively). These contrasts between the trajectories of the two sites suggest that livestock-loss can potentially be reduced through the revival of wild prey. Further, accommodating counter-factual scenarios may be an important step to infer whether conservation efforts achieve their targets, or not.  
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  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Serial 1623  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Bagchi, S.; Mishra, C.; Bhatnagar, Y. url 
  Title (up) Conflicts between traditional pastoralism and conservation of Himalayan ibex (Capra sibirica) in the Trans-Himalayan mountains Type Journal Article
  Year 2004 Publication Animal Conservation Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 7 Issue Pages 121-128  
  Keywords conflicts; traditional pastoralism; himalayan ibex; ibex; capra sibirica; trans-himalayan mountains; pin valley national park; spiti region; non-metric multidimensional scaling; snow leopard; wolf; wild dog; Lynx; wild ass; Tibetan argali; Tibetan antelope; Tibetan gazelle; urial; bharal; Pin River; pin valley; Parahio; goat; sheep; Cattle; horses; yaks; donkeys; diet; free-ranging horses; herded horses; grazing; 5290  
  Abstract There is recent evidence to suggest that domestic livestock deplete the density and diversity of wild herbivores in the cold deserts of the Trans-Himalaya by imposing resource limitations. To ascertain the degree and nature of threats faced by Himalayan ibex (Capra sibirica) from seven livestock species, we studied their resource use patterns over space, habitat and food dimensions in the pastures of Pin Valley National Park in the Spiti region of the Indian Himalaya. Species diet profiles were obtained by direct observations. We assessed the similarity in habitat use and diets of ibex and livestock using Non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling. We estimated the influence of the spatial distribution of livestock on habitat and diet choice of ibex by examining their co-occurrence patterns in cells overlaid on the pastures. The observed co-occurrence of ibex and livestock in cells was compared with null-models generated through Monte Carlo simulations. The results suggest that goats and sheep impose resource limitations on ibex and exclude them from certain pastures. In the remaining suitable habitat, ibex share forage with horses. Ibex remained relatively unaffected by other livestock such as yaks, donkeys and cattle. However, most livestock removed large amounts of forage from the pastures (nearly 250 kg of dry matter/day by certain species), thereby reducing forage availability for ibex. Pertinent conservation issues are discussed in the light of multiple-use of parks and current socio-economic transitions in the region, which call for integrating social and ecological feedback into management planning.  
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  Notes Document Type: English Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rana @ 514 Serial 106  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Sharma, R. K., Bhatnagar, Y. V., Mishra, C. url 
  Title (up) Does livestock benefit or harm snow leopards? Type Journal Article
  Year 201 Publication Biological Conservatio Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume Issue 190 Pages 8-13  
  Keywords Panthera uncia, Trans-Himalaya, Pastoralism, Large carnivores, Livestock grazing, Co-existence  
  Abstract Large carnivores commonly prey on livestock when their ranges overlap. Pastoralism is the dominant land use type across the distributional range of the endangered snow leopard Panthera uncia. Snow leop- ards are often killed in retaliation against livestock depredation. Whether livestock, by forming an alter- native prey, could potentially benefit snow leopards, or, whether livestock use of an area is detrimental to snow leopards is poorly understood. We examined snow leopard habitat use in a multiple use landscape that was comprised of sites varying in livestock abundance, wild prey abundance and human population size. We photographically sampled ten sites (average size 70 sq. km) using ten camera traps in each site, deployed for a period of 60 days. Snow leopard habitat use was computed as a Relative Use Index based on the total independent photographic captures and the number of snow leopard individuals captured at each site. We quantified livestock abundance, wild prey abundance, human population size and terrain ruggedness in each of the sites. Key variables influencing snow leopard habitat use were identified using Information Theory based model selection approach. Snow leopard habitat use was best explained by wild prey density, and showed a positive linear relationship with the abundance of wild ungulates. We found a hump-shaped relationship between snow leopard habitat use and livestock stocking density, with an initial increase in habitat use followed by a decline beyond a threshold of livestock density. Our results suggest that in the absence of direct persecution of snow leopards, livestock grazing and snow leopard habitat use are potentially compatible up to a certain threshold of livestock density, beyond which habitat use declines, presumably due to depressed wild ungulate abundance and associated anthropogenic disturbance.  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1426  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Murali,R., Ikhagvajav, P., Amankul, V., Jumabay, K., Sharma, K., Bhatnagar, Y. V., Suryawanshi, K., Mishra, C. url 
  Title (up) Ecosystem service dependence in livestock and crop-based Type Journal Article
  Year 2020 Publication Journal of Arid Environments Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 180 Issue Pages 1-10  
  Keywords Provisioning services Arid ecosystems Local communities Land-use  
  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.
 
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Serial 1603  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Namgail, T.; Fox, J.; Bhatnagar, Y.V. url 
  Title (up) Habitat segregation between sympatric Tibetan argali Ovis ammon hodgsoni and blue sheep Pseudois nayaur in the Indian Trans-Himalaya Type Journal Article
  Year 2004 Publication Journal of Zoology Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 262 Issue Pages 57-63  
  Keywords argali; Ovis ammon hodgsoni; blue sheep; pseudois nayaur; Habitat selection; resource partitioning; niche relationship; 5200  
  Abstract Tibetan argali Ovis ammon hodgsoni and blue sheep Pseudois nayaur have almost completely overlapping distributions encompassing most of the Tibetan plateau and its margins. Such a sympatric distribution of related species with similar ecological requirements implies that there is some degree of resource partitioning. This may be accomplished on the basis of habitat and/or diet separation. This study evaluated such ecological separation on the basis of physical habitat partitioning by these two sympatric ungulates in Hemis High Altitude National Park, Ladakh, India, in an area where the argali established a small new population in 1978. Such separation was tested for

on the basis of expected difference between the species in their proximity to cliffs, associated with species-specific anti-predator behaviour. Tibetan argali selected habitats away from cliffs while blue sheep selected habitats close to cliffs. Blue sheep also selected steep slopes whereas argali selected gentle slopes. The two species did not differ

in their use of habitats in terms of elevation. They did, however, differ in their use of plant communities; blue sheep selected sub-shrub and grass-dominated communities whilst argali selected forb-dominated communities. We suggest that the two species coexist in this site as a result of the differential use of habitat associated with their

species-specific anti-predator strategies.
 
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  Notes Full text available at URL Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rana @ 505 Serial 710  
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Namgail, T.; Fox, J.; Bhatnagar, Y. url 
  Title (up) Habitat shift and time budget of the Tibetan argali: the influence of livestock grazing Type Miscellaneous
  Year 2007 Publication Ecological Resources Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 22 Issue Pages 25-31  
  Keywords habitat shift; livestock; Tibetan argali; Time budget; trans-himalaya  
  Abstract Livestock production is the primary source of livelihood and income in most of the high steppe and alpine regions of the Indian Trans-Himalaya. In some areas, especially those established or proposed for biodiversity conservation, recent increases in populations of domestic livestock, primarily sheep and goats, have raised concern about domestic animals competitively excluding wild herbivores from the rangelands. We

evaluated the influence of domestic sheep and goat grazing on the habitat use and time budget of the endangered Tibetan argali Ovis ammon hodgsoni in the proposed Gya-Miru Wildlife Sanctuary, Ladakh, India. We asked if the domestic sheep and goat grazing and collateral human activities relegate the argali to suboptimal habitats, and alter their foraging time budgets. Data were collected on habitat use and time budget of a population of c. 50 argalis before and after c. 2,000 sheep and goats moved onto their winter pasture in the Tsabra catchment of the aforementioned reserve. Following the introduction of domestic sheep and goats, argalis continued to use the same catchment but shifted to steeper habitats, closer to cliffs, with lower vegetation cover, thus abandoning previously used plant communities with denser cover. Argalis' active time spent foraging also decreased by 10% in response to the presence of livestock. These results suggest a clear disturbance effect of livestock on argalis, and indicate a potential for competition, conceivably a significant disadvantage for argalis in winter when forage availability is minimal.
 
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number SLN @ rana @ 926 Serial 713  
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