Chalise, M. K. (2011). Snow Leopard (Uncia uncia), Prey Species and Outreach in Langtang National, Park, Nepal. Our Nature, (9), 138–145.
Abstract: Presence of snow leopard (Uncia uncia) in Langtang National Park was obscure till 2003. It was confirmed by a
research team trained for the wildlife biology in the field. Along with the study of ecology and behavior of snow leopard sufficient effort were made to generate data on pre species. The study also dealt with threat perceived for the leopard survival while basic unit of conservation- local outreach programs were also initiated.
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Li, J. S., G, B. McCarthy, T. M. Wang, D. Jiagong, Z. Cai, P. Basang, L. Lu, Z. (2012). A Communal Sign Post of Snow Leopards (Panthera uncial) and Other Species on the Tibetan Plateau China. International Journal of Biodiversity, 2013, 1:8.
Abstract: The snow leopard is a keystone species in mountain ecosystems of Central Asia and the Tibetan Plateau, However, little is known about the interactions between snow leopards and sympatric carnivores. Using infrared cameras, we found a rocky junction of two valleys in Sanjiangyuan area on the Tibetan Plateau where many mammals in this area passed and frequently marked and sniffed the site at the junction. We suggest that this site serves as a sign post to many species in this area, especially snow leopards and other carnivores. The marked signs may also alert the animals passing by to temporally segregate their activities to avoid potential conflicts. We used the Schoener index to measure the degree of temporal segregation among the species captured by infrared camera traps at this site. Our research reveals the probable ways of both intra- and interspecies competition. This is an important message to help understand the structure of animal communities. Discovery of the sign post clarifies the importance of identifying key habitas ad sites of both snow leopards and other species for more effective conservation.
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Maming, R. (2012). Market prices for the tissues and organs of snow leopards in China. Selevinia, (20), 119–122.
Abstract: The population of snow leopard (Uncia uncia) is plummeting as waterfall in
the last ten years. The illegal trade of snow leopard products is one of the fatal
factors. The biggest range and the biggest population of snow leopard both are in
China, and the largest trade is also in the country. Through questionnaires and
investigation with informants from 2002 to 2012, a lot of data were collected
through variety ways in different regions. In this paper 387 cases of snow leopard
poaching including smuggling routes, product list, price system and product usages
from Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region were collected for analysis and discussion. In
the face of rapid development in the west of China, the results showed that our
government did not try to protect the snow leopards, and the text of law was
practically useless. International organizations such as WWF, WCS, IUCN, PANTHERA,
SLT & SLN with SLSS were also powerless and helpless to stop snow leopard poaching
and trading. As a result, the fate of the snow leopard is very bad, and this is
worrying.
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Maheshwari, A., Sharma, D., Sathyakumar, S. (2013). Snow Leopard (Panthera Uncia) surveys in the Western Himalayas, India. Journal of Ecology and Natural Environmnet, 5(10), 303–309.
Abstract: We conducted surveys above 3000 m elevation in eight protected areas of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. These surveys provide new information on snow leopard in Uttarakhand on the basis of indirect evidence such as pugmark and scat. Snow leopard evidence (n = 13) were found between 3190 and 4115 m elevation. On an average, scats (n = 09) of snow leopard were found for every 56 km walked and pugmarks (n = 04) for every 126 km walked. Altogether, about 39% of the evidence were found on the hill-slope followed by valley floor (30%), cliff (15%) and 8% from both stream bed and scree slope. Genetic analysis of the scats identified three different individuals by using snow leopard specific primers. Snow leopard-human conflicts were assessed through questionnaire based interviews of shepherds from Govind Pashu Vihar Wildlife Sanctuary, Askot Wildlife Sanctuary and Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve areas of Uttarakhand. Surveys revealed that livestock depredation (mule, goat and sheep) is the only cause of snow leopard-human conflicts and contributed 36% of the diet of snow leopard. Blue sheep and rodents together comprised 36.4% of the total diet. We found that 68.1% of the surveyed area was used for pastoral activities in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh and 12.3% area was under tourism, defence and developmental activities.
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Lyngdoh, S., Shrotriya, S., Goyal, S. P., Clements, H., Hayward, M. W., Habib, B. (2014). Prey Preferences of the Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia): Regional Diet Specificity Holds Global Significance for Conservation. Plos One, 9(2), 1–11.
Abstract: The endangered snow leopard is a large felid that is distributed over 1.83 million km2 globally. Throughout its range it relies on a limited number of prey species in some of the most inhospitable landscapes on the planet where high rates of human persecution exist for both predator and prey. We reviewed 14 published and 11 unpublished studies pertaining to snow leopard diet throughout its range. We calculated prey consumption in terms of frequency of occurrence and biomass consumed based on 1696 analysed scats from throughout the snow leopard’s range. Prey biomass consumed was calculated based on the Ackerman’s linear correction factor. We identified four distinct physiographic and snow leopard prey type zones, using cluster analysis that had unique prey assemblages and had key prey characteristics which supported snow leopard occurrence there. Levin’s index showed the snow leopard had a specialized dietary niche breadth. The main prey of the snow leopard were Siberian ibex (Capra sibrica), blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur), Himalayan tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus), argali (Ovis ammon) and marmots (Marmota spp). The significantly preferred prey species of snow leopard weighed 5565 kg, while the preferred prey weight range of snow leopard was 36–76 kg with a significant preference for Siberian ibex and blue sheep. Our meta-analysis identified critical dietary resources for snow leopards throughout their distribution and illustrates the importance of understanding regional variation in species ecology; particularly prey species
that have global implications for conservation.
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Ale, S., Shrestha, B., and Jackson, R. (2014). On the status of Snow Leopard Panthera Uncia (Schreber 1775) in Annapurna, Nepal. Journal of Threatened Taxa, (6(3)), 5534–5543.
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Ferretti, F., Lovari, S., Minder, I., Pellizzi, B. (2014). Recovery of the snow leopard in Sagarmatha (Mt.Everest) National Park: effects on main prey. European Journal of Wildlife Research, (60), 559–562.
Abstract: Consequences of predation may be particularly
heavy on small populations of herbivores, especially if they
are threatened with extinction. Over the 2006–2010 period, we
documented the effects of the spontaneous return of the endangered
snow leopard on the population of the vulnerable
Himalayan tahr. The study area was an area of central
Himalaya where this cat disappeared c. 40 years before, because
of persecution by man. Snow leopards occurred mainly
in areas close to the core area of tahr distribution. Tahr was the
staple (56.3 %) of snow leopards. After the arrival of this cat,
tahr decreased by more than 2/3 from 2003 to 2010 (mainly
through predation on kids). Subsequently, the density of snow
leopards decreased by 60%from2007 to 2010. The main prey
of snow leopards in Asia (bharal, marmots) were absent in our
study area, forcing snow leopards to specialize on tahr. The
restoration of a complete prey spectrum should be favoured
through reintroductions, to conserve large carnivores and to
reduce exploitation of small populations of herbivores, especially
if threatened.
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Alexander, J., Chen, P., Damerell, P., Youkui, W., Hughes, J., Shi, K., Riordan, P. (2015). Human wildlife conflict involving large carnivores in Qilianshan, China and the minimal paw-print of snow leopards. Biological Conservation, 187, 1–9.
Abstract: In this paper, we assess local perceptions towards snow leopards in North West China using a framework
depicting key conflict domains. We describe the perceived threats posed to humans by the snow leopard
and set them within beliefs and attitudes towards other species within the large carnivore assemblage in
this region. Surveys were conducted in seven villages within Qilianshan National Nature Reserve, Gansu
Province, China, to document reports of snow leopard (Panthera uncia), grey wolf (Canis lupus), Eurasian
lynx (Lynx lynx) and brown bear (Ursus arctos) depredation of livestock, and local attitudes towards each
species. Questionnaire-based interviews were held with 60 households and 49 livestock herders. Herding
of yak, sheep and goats was found to be a common livelihood activity among households in all villages.
Herders reported losing livestock to all four carnivore species. Herders reported that depredation was the
most common event affecting livestock, compared with natural disasters or disease, and represented a
total loss of 3.6% of the livestock population during the previous year. Most (53%) depredation losses were
attributed to lynx, while snow leopards were held responsible for only 7.8% of depredation losses. The
reported impact of snow leopards on herding activities was relatively small and the majority of both
householders and herders expressed positive attitudes towards them and supported measures for their
protection. Households and herders held negative attitudes towards lynx, wolves and bears, however,
most likely due to their perceived threat to livestock and humans. Understanding community perceptions
of threats posed by wildlife is vital for gaining community support for, and engagement in, conflict
mitigation.
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Xu, G., MaMing, R., Buzzard, P., Blank, D. (2014). Nature reserve in Xingjiang: a snow leopard paradise or refuge for how long? Selevinia, 22, 144–149.
Abstract: The snow leopard Uncia uncia is an endangered species, which is widely but thinly
distributed throughout its range in the mountains of Central Asia. China contains as
much as 60% of the snow leopard’s potential habitat and has the largest population
of this species. Xinjiang is the largest province in China, covering an area of 1.66
million km² or about one-sixth of the land area of China. Xinjiang is one of the
most important areas for snow leopards with much potential habitat in mountain
ranges such as the north and south Tienshan and Kunlun containing almost 30% of the
world’s snow leopard population. By the end of 2013, total 35 natural reserves have
been established in Xinjiang, and 20 of these areas have snow leopards (Ma et al,
2013). In this paper, we report on the status of snow leopards in these protected
areas and show that they play an important role in protecting snow leopards and
their habitats. Then, we discuss the many problems and challenges faced by these
protected areas.
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Tumursukh, L., Suryawanshi, K. R., Mishra, C., McCarthy, T. M., Boldgiv, B. (2015). Status of the mountain ungulate prey of the Endangered snow leopard Panthera uncia in the Tost Local Protected Area, South Gobi, Mongolia. Oryx, , 1–6.
Abstract: The availability of wild prey is a critical predictor of carnivore density. However, few conservation pro- grammes have focused on the estimation and monitoring of wild ungulate populations and their trends, especially in the remote mountains of Central Asia. We conducted double-observer surveys to estimate the populations of ibex Capra sibirica and argali Ovis ammon in the mountain- ous regions of Tost Local Protected Area, South Gobi prov- ince, Mongolia, which is being considered for designation as a Nature Reserve. We also conducted demographic surveys of the more abundant ibex to examine their sex-ratio and the survival of young during –. The estimated ibex population remained stable in  and  and the es- timated argali population increased from  in  to  in . The biomass of wild ungulates was c. % that of live- stock. Mortality in young ibex appeared to increase after weaning, at the age of  months. We estimated the popula- tion of wild ungulates was sufficient to support – adult snow leopards Panthera uncia. The adult snow leopard population in our study area during –, estimated independently using camera-trap-based mark–recapture methods, was –. Based on our results we identify the Tost Local Protected Area as an important habitat for the conservation of these ungulates and their predator, the Endangered snow leopard, and recommend elevation of its status to a Nature Reserve.
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