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Author Thapa, K., Schmitt, N., Pradhan, N. M. B., Acharya, H. R., Rayamajhi, S.
Title No silver bullet? Snow leopard prey selection in Mt. Kangchenjunga, Nepal Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2021 Publication Ecology and Evolution Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages 1-13
Keywords blue sheep, common leopard, fecal, genetic analysis, snow leopard, wolf, yak
Abstract In this study, we investigated the impact of domestic and wild prey availability on snow leopard prey preference in the Kangchenjunga Conservation Area of eastern Nepal-a region where small domestic livestock are absent and small wild ungulate prey are present. We took a comprehensive approach that combined fecal genetic sampling, macro- and microscopic analyses of snow leopard diets, and direct observation of blue sheep and livestock in the KCA. Out of the collected 88 putative snow leopard scat samples from 140 transects (290km) in 27 (4x4km2) sampling grid cells, 73 (83%) were confirmed to be from snow leopard. The genetic analysis accounted for 19 individual snow leopards (10 males and 9 females), with a mean population size estimate of 24 (95% CI: 19-29) and an average density of 3.9 snow leopards/100km2 within 609km2. The total available prey biomass of blue sheep and yak was estimated at 355,236 kg (505 kg yak/km2 and 78kg blue sheep/km2). From the available prey biomass, we estimated snow leopards consumed 7% annually, which comprised wild prey (49%), domestic livestock (45%). and 6% unidentified items. the estimated 47,736 kg blue sheep biomass gives a snow leopard-to-blue sheep ratio of 1:59 on a weight basis. The high preference of snow leopard to domestic livestock appears to be influenced by a much smaller available biomass of wild prey then in other regions of Nepal (e.g., 78kg/km2 in the KCA compared with a range of 200-300 kg/km2 in other regions of Nepal?. Along with livestock insurance scheme improvement, there needs to be a focus on improved livestock guarding, predator-proof corrals as well as engaging and educating local people to be citizen scientists on the importance of snow leopard conservation, involving them in long-term monitoring programs and promotion of ecotourism.
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Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1665
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Author Lovari, S., Boesi, R., Minder, I., Mucci, N., Randi, E., Dematteis, A., and Ale, S. B.
Title Restoring a keystone predator may endanger a prey species in a human-altered ecosystem: the return of the snow leopard to Sagarmatha National Park Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2009 Publication Animal Conservation Abbreviated Journal
Volume 12 Issue Pages 559-570
Keywords conservation, food habits, genetics, Hemitragus jemlahicus, Himalayan tahr, management, microsatellite, predation, presence, scat, scat analysis, snow leopard, Uncia uncia
Abstract Twenty-five years ago, the snow leopard Uncia uncia, an endangered large cat, was eliminated from what is now Sagarmatha National Park (SNP). Heavy hunting pressure depleted that area of most medium-large mammals, before it became a park. After three decades of protection, the cessation of hunting and the recovery of wild ungulate populations, snow leopards have recently returned (four individuals). We have documented the effects of the return of the snow leopard on the population of its main wild prey, the Himalayan tahr Hemitragus jemlahicus, a 'near-threatened' caprin. Signs of snow leopard presence were recorded and scats were collected along a fixed trail (130 km) to assess the presence and food habits of the snow leopard in the Park, from 2004 to 2006. Himalayan tahr, the staple of the diet, had a relative occurrence of 48% in summer and 37% in autumn, compared with the next most frequent prey, musk deer Moschus chrysogaster (summer: 20%; autumn: 15%) and cattle (summer: 15%; autumn: 27%). In early summer, the birth rate of tahr (young-to-female ratio: 0.8-0.9) was high. The decrease of this ratio to 0.1-0.2 in autumn implied that summer predation concentrated on young tahr, eventually altering the population by removing the kid cohort. Small populations of wild Caprinae, for example the Himalayan tahr population in SNP, are sensitive to stochastic predation events and may be led to almost local extinction. If predation on livestock keeps growing, together with the decrease of Himalayan tahr, retaliatory killing of snow leopards by local people may be expected, and the snow leopard could again be at risk of local extinction. Restoration of biodiversity through the return of a large predator has to be monitored carefully, especially in areas affected by humans, where the lack of important environmental components, for example key prey species, may make the return of a predator a challenging event.
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Call Number SLN @ rana @ Serial 1122
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Author Zhirjakov, V.A.
Title On the ecology of the snow leopard in the Zailisky-Alatau (Northern Tien Shan) Type (up) Journal Article
Year 1990 Publication Int Ped Book of Snow Leopards Abbreviated Journal
Volume 6 Issue Pages 25-30
Keywords Tien-Shan; ecology; China; browse; Kazakhstan; Russia; Soviet-Union; distribution; population; prey; behavior; food-habits; scat-analysis; 3240
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Call Number SLN @ rana @ 168 Serial 1078
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Author Lu, Q., Xiao, L., Cheng, C., Lu, Z., Zhao, J., Yao, M.
Title Snow Leopard Dietary Preferences and Livestock Predation Revealed by Fecal DNA Metabarcoding: No Evidence for Apparent Competition Between Wild and Domestic Prey Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2021 Publication Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution Abbreviated Journal
Volume 9 Issue 783546 Pages 1 - 14
Keywords apparent mutualism, blue sheep, feeding habits, molecular dietary analysis, human-carnivore conflict, prey selection, Sanjiangyuan
Abstract Accurate assessments of the patterns and drivers of livestock depredation by wild carnivores are vital for designing effective mitigation strategies to reduce human-wildlife conflict. Snow leopard’s (Panthera uncia) range extensively overlaps pastoralist land- use and livestock predation there is widely reported, but the ecological determinants of livestock consumption by snow leopards remain obscure. We investigated snow leopard dietary habits at seven sites across the Sanjiangyuan region of the Qinghai– Tibetan Plateau (QTP), an area central to the species’ global range. Snow leopard abundance, wild prey composition, and livestock density varied among those sites, thus allowing us to test the effects of various factors on snow leopard diet and livestock predation. Using DNA metabarcoding, we obtained highly resolved dietary data from 351 genetically verified snow leopard fecal samples. We then analyzed the prey preferences of snow leopards and examined ecological factors related to their livestock consumption. Across the sites, snow leopard prey was composed mainly of wild ungulates (mean = 81.5% of dietary sequences), particularly bharal (Pseudois nayaur), and supplemented with livestock (7.62%) and smaller mammals (marmots, pikas, mice; 10.7%). Snow leopards showed a strong preference for bharal, relative to livestock, based on their densities. Interestingly, both proportional and total livestock consumption by snow leopards increased linearly with local livestock biomass, but not with livestock density. That, together with a slight negative relationship with bharal density, supports apparent facilitation between wild and domestic prey. We also found a significant positive correlation between population densities of snow leopard and bharal, yet those densities showed slight negative relationships with livestock density. Our results highlight the importance of sufficient wild ungulate abundance to the conservation of viable snow leopard populations. Additionally, livestock protection is critically needed to reduce losses to snow leopard depredation, especially where local livestock abundances are high.
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Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1675
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Author Brown, J.L.; Wasser, S.K.; Wildt, D.E.; Graham, L.H.
Title Steroid Metabolism and the Effectiveness of Fecal Assays for Assessing Reproductive Status in Felids Type (up) Journal Article
Year 1994 Publication Biology of Reproduction Abbreviated Journal
Volume 50 Issue suppl 1 Pages 185
Keywords fecal-analysis; breeding; reproduction; medicine; medical; zoo; zoos; veterinary; snow-leopard; snow leopard; browse; fecal; analysis; 1420
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Notes Twenty-seventh Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, July 24-27, 1994 Call Number: QP251 .B56 Approved no
Call Number SLN @ rana @ 203 Serial 197
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Author Shrestha, R.; Wegge, P.
Title Determining the composition of herbivore diets in the Trans-Himalayan rangelands: A comparison of field methods Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2006 Publication Journal of Rangeland Ecology and Management Abbreviated Journal
Volume 59 Issue 5 Pages 512-518
Keywords bite count; Bos grunniens; Capra hircus; diet; fecal analysis; feeding site examination; food habits; free ranging; Nepal; Ovis aries; trans-himalayan
Abstract In late summer, in a semi-arid mountain range in Nepal, we compared 3 field methods for determining the botanical composition of herbivore diets. Data were collected from the same animals belonging to 1 herd of domestic yak (Bos grunniens) and 2 herds of mixed smallstock, consisting of domestic goats (Capra hircus) and sheep (Ovis aries). Bite count, feeding site examination, and microhistological analysis of feces gave different estimates of forage categories and plant species in both animal groups. Because yaks grazed in other vegetation communities when not observed for bite-counts and feeding signs, the results from the latter methods could not be compared directly with that from fecal analysis. In smallstock, feeding site examination gave higher estimates of graminoids and lower estimates of shrubs than the other 2 methods, probably because all feeding signs on shrubs were not detected. Bite-counts and fecal analysis gave comparable results, except that forbs were underestimated by fecal analysis, presumably due to their more complete digestion. Owing to the difficulty in collecting samples that are representative of the entire grazing period and the problem of recording feeding signs correctly, both feeding site examination and bite-counts are unsuitable methods for studying the food habits of free ranging domestic and wild herbivores. Microhistological analysis of feces appears to be the most appropriate method, but correction factors are needed to adjust for differential digestion. The systematic use of photomicrographs improves the speed and accuracy of the fecal analysis.
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Call Number SLN @ rana @ 935 Serial 889
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Author Ming, M.; Baowen, H.; Yu, M.; McCarthy, T.
Title Survey on Bird Species and Analysis on Bird Diversity in the Central Kunlun Mountains in the Early Winter Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2010 Publication Arid Zone Research Abbreviated Journal
Volume 27 Issue 2 Pages 227-232
Keywords survey; species; analysis; diversity; central; Kunlun; mountains; mountain; winter
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Call Number SLN @ rana @ 1098 Serial 687
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Author Koshkarev, E.
Title Snow leopard along the border of Russia and Mongolia Type (up) Journal Article
Year 1998 Publication Cat News Abbreviated Journal
Volume 28 Issue Pages 12-14
Keywords behavior; census; survey methods; desert-habitat; distribution; ecosystems; endangered; threatened species; home-range; territory; mammals; montane; Russia; Mongolia; scat-analysis; tracks; tracking; status; Hovsogul; Sayan; siberia; Hovsogol; browse; survey; methods; desert; habitat; threatened; species; home; range; scat; analysis; 550
Abstract The author discusses the distribution of snow leopards along the border of Russia and Mongolia. The range extension of the leopard indicates their ability to cross desert areas that separate mountain habitats.habitat; range extension; scat analysis; techniques; tracks/tracking | snow leopard
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Notes Full Text at URL: Inst. Biol., Irkutsk Univ., Russia , data base: Wildlife Review AbstractsDocument Type: English Approved no
Call Number SLN @ rana @ 339 Serial 565
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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 (up) 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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Call Number SLN @ rana @ 375 Serial 464
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Author Pal, R., Panwar, A., Goyal, S. P., Sathyakumar, S.
Title Changes in ecological conditions may influence intraguild competition: inferring interaction patterns of snow leopard with co-predators Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2022 Publication PeerJ Abbreviated Journal
Volume 10 Issue e14277 Pages 1-26
Keywords Common leopard, Woolly wolf, Occupancy, Interspecific interactions, Temporal overlap, Scat analysis
Abstract Background: Large-scale changes in habitat conditions due to human modifications and climate change require management practices to consider how species communities can alter amidst these changes. Understanding species interactions across the gradient of space, anthropogenic pressure, and season provide the opportunity to anticipate possible dynamics in the changing scenarios. We studied the interspecific interactions of carnivore species in a high-altitude ecosystem over seasonal (summer and winter) and resource gradients (livestock grazing) to assess the impact of changing abiotic and biotic settings on coexistence.

Methods: The study was conducted in the Upper Bhagirathi basin, Western Himalaya, India. We analyzed around 4 years of camera trap monitoring data to understand seasonal spatial and temporal interactions of the snow leopard with common leopard and woolly wolf were assessed in the greater and trans-Himalayan habitats, respectively. We used two species occupancy models to assess spatial interactions, and circadian activity patterns were used to assess seasonal temporal overlap amongst carnivores. In addition, we examined scats to understand the commonalities in prey selection.

Results: The result showed that although snow leopard and wolves depend on the same limited prey species and show high temporal overlap, habitat heterogeneity and differential habitat use facilitate co-occurrence between these two predators. Snow leopard and common leopard were spatially independent in the summer. Conversely, the common leopard negatively influences the space use of snow leopard in the winter. Limited prey resources (lack of livestock), restricted space (due to snow cover), and similar activity patterns in winter might result in strong competition, causing these species to avoid each other on a spatial scale. The study showed that in addition to species traits and size, ecological settings also play a significant role in deciding the intensity of competition between large carnivores. Climate change and habitat shifts are predicted to increase the spatial overlap between snow leopard and co-predators in the future. In such scenarios, wolves and snow leopards may coexist in a topographically diverse environment, provided sufficient prey are available. However, shifts in tree line might lead to severe competition between common leopards and snow leopards, which could be detrimental to the latter. Further monitoring of resource use across abiotic and biotic environments may improve our understanding of how changing ecological conditions can affect resource partitioning between snow leopards and predators.
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Call Number SLN @ rakhee @ Serial 1701
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