Abstract: Describes adult care and breeding biology, and the care, growth, and mortality factors of young snow leopards in a successful breeding program in the Lincon Park Zoo, Chicago, Illinois.

Abstract: Pastoralists and their livestock share much of the habitat of the snow leopard (Uncia uncia) across south and central Asia. The levels of livestock predation by the snow leopard and other carnivores are high, and retaliatory killing by the herders is a direct threat to carnivore populations. Depletion of wild prey by poaching and competition from livestock also poses an indirect threat to the region's carnivores. Conservationists working in these underdeveloped areas that face serious economic damage from livestock losses have turned to incentive programs to motivate local communities to protect carnivores. We describe a pilot incentive program in India that aims to offset losses due to livestock predation and to enhance wild prey density by creating livestock-free areas on common land. We also describe how income generation from handicrafts in Mongolia is helping curtail poaching and retaliatory killing of snow leopards. However, initiatives to offset the costs of living with carnivores and to make conservation beneficial to affected people have thus far been small, isolated, and heavily subsidized. Making these initiatives more comprehensive, expanding their coverage, and internalizing their costs are future challenged for the conservation of large carnivores such as the snow leopard.

Abstract: The globally endangered snow leopard Panthera uncia is sparsely distributed throughout the rugged mountains in Asia.
Its habit of preying on livestock poses a main challenge to management. In the remote Phu valley in northern Nepal, we
obtained reliable information on livestock losses and estimated predator abundance and diet composition from DNA
analysis and prey remains in scats. The annual diet consisted of 42%livestock. Among the wild prey, bharal (blue sheep/
naur) Pseudois nayaur was by far the most common species (92%). Two independent abundance estimates suggested that
there were six snow leopards in the valley during the course of our study. On average, each snow leopard killed about one
livestock individual and two bharal permonth. Predation loss of livestock estimated fromprey remains in scats was 3.9%,
which was in concordance with village records (4.0%). From a total count of bharal, the only large natural prey in the area
and occurring at a density of 8.4 animals/km2 or about half the density of livestock, snow leopards were estimated to
harvest 15.1% of the population annually. This predation rate approaches the natural, inherent recruitment rate of this
species; in Phu the proportion of kids was estimated at 18.4%. High livestock losses have created a hostile attitude against
the snow leopard and mitigation measures are needed. Among innovative management schemes now being implemented
throughout the species’ range, compensation and insurance programmes coupled with other incentive measures are
encouraged, rather than measures to reduce the snow leopard’s access to livestock. In areas like the Phu valley, where the
natural prey base consists mainly of one ungulate species that is already heavily preyed upon, the latter approach, if
implemented, will lead to increased predation on this prey, which over time may suppress numbers of both prey and
predator.

Abstract: Two adult snow leopards (Panthera uncia), male and female, both with vaccinations current, became infected with feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) at the Blank Park Zoo, Des Moines, Iowa, in late 1988. Clinical signs included weakness, hemorrhagic feces, fever, seizures, and nasal discharge. Blood analysis revealed severe lymphopenia and mild anemia. A positive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test for FPV on fecal contents from the male leopard confirmed the diagnosis. In spite of intensive therapy, both animals died. Necropsy of the female, which survived for 1 wk after onset of signs, revealed intestinal crypt necrosis, pulmonary consolidation, necrotizing laryngitis, and diffuse lymphoid depletion. The male leopard, which lived 3 wk after onset of illness, had similar enteric and lymphoid lesions. In addition, there was a severe interstitial pneumonia, with syncytial cells containing eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies. Ultrastructural characteristics of these inclusions featured tubular structures consistent with a paramyxovirus. Although repeated virus isolation attempts from the affected lung were negative, polyclonal and monoclonal fluorescent antibody tests were strongly positive for canine distemper virus (CDV). Frozen paired sera from each leopard demonstrated very high acute and convalescing titers to FPV; both animals also seroconverted to CDV, with titers in the male leopard higher than those in the female. Additional tests for toxoplasmosis, feline infectious peritonitis, feline rhinotracheitis, feline calicivirus, feline leukemia, canine parainfluenza, and bovine respiratory syncytial virus were all negative. The neurologic signs present in these leopards remained unexplained, but may have been attributable to CDV infection. A feral cat trapped on zoo property had feces positive for FPV by ELISA. Although the specific contributions of FPV and CDV toward the development of this case are unknown, it is likely that initial FPV-induced immunosuppression allowed the subsequent development of CDV in these snow leopards. The likelihood that initial FPV infection came from feral cats underscores the importance of feral animal control on zoo premises.

Abstract: The landscape and biologic diversity of Central Asia's mountains are described. Different types of fauna complexes are segregated. Snow leopard, dhole, and ibex are referred to Central Asia's highland species.