Abstract: Snow leopards live in the mountains of Central Asia, their range stretching from Afganastan to Lake Baikal in Eastern Tibet. They are endangered throughout their range, being hunted as predators of mains livestock and for their skin. Much of the snow leopards range lies in China, but not enough is known about its staus there for effective conservation. As part of a project to assess China's high altitude wildlife resources the authors conducted a survey in Xinjiang- a vast arid region of deserts and mountains. Although the snow leopard and other wildlife have declined steeply in Xinjiang in recent decades, the cta still persists and one area has the potential to become one of the best refuges for the species in its entire range. Its future in XInjiang, howevere, depends on well protected reserves, enforcement of regulations against killing the animal, and proper managemnt of the prey species.

Abstract: The wildlife of temperate forest ecosystems in the Western Himalayas is threatened by destruction of habitat and hunting. Two species of pheasants occuring in the survey area (western tragopan Tragopan melanocephalus and cheer pheasant Catreus wallichi) are listed in the IUCN Red Data Book (1979). Small populations of both species were located and information on their habitat requirements was obtained. The status of most large mammal species appears to be precarious, with the populations encountered being small and fragmented. Species formerly common but now rare include Himalayan brown bear Ursus arctos, Himalayan tahr Hemitragus jemlahicus and musk deer Moschus moschiferus. The snow leopard Panthera uncia has disappeared completely from the area.-from Authors