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Chubykina, H. L., Shilo, R.A. (1981). A study of diurnal activity rhythms in snow leopards and lynx (Panthera uncia and Felix lynx) at Novosibirsk Zoo. International Zoo Yearbook, 21, 193–196.
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Ahmad, A. (1993). Environmental impact assessment in the Himalayas: An ecosystem approach (Vol. 22).
Abstract: The impact of human activities on the Himalayan bio-geophysical, socioeconomic and cultural environments has been analyzed. The main man-induced activities which threaten the equilibrium of Himalayan Mountain ecosystems are unplanned land use, cultivation on steep slopes, overgrazing, major engineering activities, overexploitation of village or community forests, shifting cultivation, unplanned tourism and urbanization. Cold desert conditions prevail in 41 692 square kilometers of the northwestern Himalayas. The geomorphological conditions and arrested succession, checking the climax formation, are major causes of landslides. Sedimentation, changes in surface and groundwater hydrology and clearfelling of broadleaved plant species have caused eutrophication, drying up of natural springs and receding of glaciers. Wild fauna like Musk deer (Moschus mischiferus) and Snow Leopard (Panthera uncial) are now under threat due to changes in their habitats. Population pressure, migration and settlements are major causes of poverty and agglomeration. And jeopardize the Himalayan environment. Based on detailed environmental impact assessment, an ecosystem approach has been proposed for resources conservation and environmentally sustainable development of the Himalayas.
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Namgail, T., Fox, J., & Bhatnagar, Y. (2007). Habitat shift and time budget of the Tibetan argali: the influence of livestock grazing (Vol. 22).
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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Schaller, G. B., Hong, L., Talipu, J., & Mingjiang, R. Q. (1988). The snow leopard in Xinjiang, China. Oryx, 22(4), 197–204.
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.
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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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Din, J. U., Ali, H., Ali, A., Younus, M., Mehmood,, T., Rashid, Y. N., Nawaz, M. A. (2017). Pastoralist-predator interaction at the roof of the world: Conflict dynamics and implications for conservation. Ecology and Society, 22(2).
Abstract: Pastoralism and predation are two major concomitantly known facts and matters of concern for conservation biologists worldwide. Pastoralist-predator conflict constitutes a major social-ecological concern in the Pamir mountain range encompassing Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Tajikistan, and affects community attitudes and tolerance toward carnivores. Very few studies have been conducted to understand the dynamics of livestock predation by large carnivores like snow leopards (Panthera uncia) and wolves (Canis
lupus), owing to the region�s remoteness and inaccessibility. This study attempts to assess the intensity of livestock predation (and resulting perceptions) by snow leopards and wolves across the Afghani, Pakistani, and Tajik Pamir range during the period January 2008�June 2012. The study found that livestock mortality due to disease is the most serious threat to livestock (an average 3.5 animal heads per household per year) and ultimately to the rural economy (an average of US$352 per household per year) as compared to
predation (1.78 animal heads per household per year, US$191) in the three study sites. Overall, 1419 (315 per year) heads of livestock were reportedly killed by snow leopards (47%) and wolves (53%) in the study sites. People with comparatively smaller landholdings and limited earning options, other than livestock rearing, expressed negative attitudes toward both wolves and snow leopards and vice versa. Education was found to be an effective solution to dilute people�s hatred for predators. Low public tolerance of the wolf and
snow leopard in general explained the magnitude of the threat facing predators in the Pamirs. This will likely continue unless tangible and informed conservation measures like disease control and predation compensation programs are taken among others.
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Tursun, H., Wenhu, Y., & Meng, X. H. (2000). Great Exploitation of the West and the Basic Thoughts of the Great Development Strategy of Xinjiang. Arid Land Geography, 23(3), 193–198.
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Xu, F., Ming, M., Yin, S. -jing, Chundawat R.S., Marden, & Nui, Y. (2006). Preliminary Study on the Habitat Selection of Uncia uncia (Vol. 23).
Abstract: Uncia uncia is one of the rare large species on the brink of extinction in Felidae in the world, and inhabit only the Central Asian mountains. It is said that there are currently only 4500-7300 Uncia uncia surviving. During the period from September 2004 to July 2005, the habitat selection of Uncia uncia was investigated in some mountains in Xinjiang, including the eastern Tianshan Mountains, Beita Mountains, Altay Mounts and Mount Tumor National Nature Reserve. In several months of fieldwork, we got 171 sign samples of Uncia uncia and 123 random samples in total. Five habitat features, i.e., the elevation, topographic features, vegetation type, grazing status and ruggedness, are selected to compare the difference of selectivity of the Uncia uncia habitat selection. The Chi-square goodness-of-fit test and the binomial test are used to check the significance of Uncia uncia habitat selection, and the principal component analysis is used to find the primary factors in in the selection. The result s are as follows : (1) Uncia uncia selected all kinds of the habitat types , especially the elevation , topography , vegetation types and ruggedness ; (2) Ruggedness and the vegetation types are the preliminary factors for the habitat selection. Topography is the secondary factor ; (3) Uncia uncia prefer to inhabit in the rugged habitat s with moderate shrubberies , and they also like to leave signs in valley bottoms rather than hillsides.
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Oryx. (1976). USSR trade in rare species. International Zoo News, 23(7), 30.
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Rosen, T. (2010). From Yellowstone to the Karakorums: A journey to understand conflicts with large carnivores. NRCC News, 23(1), 12–13.
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