Abstract: The preface of this journal mainly introduces the distribution areas and present living situation of the Snow Leopards. For saving the endangered and solitary mountain species, The Snow Leopard Trust is a leader in effort to secure the future of the felines, besides the authors emphasize that China plays great important role in the protection, because among the snow leopards range countries, China has the most habit and is believed to harbor the largest number of snow leopard.

Abstract: Predators have significant ecological impacts on the region's prey-predator dynamic and community structure through their numbers and prey selection. During April-December 2007, I conducted a research in Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) National Park (SNP) to: i) explore population status and density of wild prey species; Himalayan tahr, musk deer and game birds, ii) investigate diet of the snow leopard and to estimate prey selection by snow leopard, iii) identify the pattern of livestock depredation by snow leopard, its mitigation, and raise awareness through outreach program, and identify the challenge and opportunities on conservation snow leopard and its co-existence with wild ungulates and the human using the areas of the SNP. Methodology of my research included vantage points and regular monitoring from trails for Himalayan tahr, fixed line transect with belt drive method for musk deer and game birds, and microscopic hair identification in snow leopard's scat to investigate diet of snow leopard and to estimate prey selection. Based on available evidence and witness accounts of snow leopard attack on livestock, the patterns of livestock depredation were assessed. I obtained 201 sighting of Himalayan tahr (1760 individuals) and estimated 293 populations in post-parturient period (April-June), 394 in birth period (July -October) and 195 November- December) in rutting period. In average, ratio of male to females was ranged from 0.34 to 0.79 and ratio of kid to female was 0.21-0.35, and yearling to kid was 0.21- 0.47. The encounter rate for musk deer was 1.06 and density was 17.28/km2. For Himalayan monal, the encounter rate was 2.14 and density was 35.66/km2. I obtained 12 sighting of snow cock comprising 69 individual in Gokyo. The ratio of male to female was 1.18 and young to female was 2.18. Twelve species (8 species of wild and 4 species of domestic livestock) were identified in the 120 snow leopard scats examined. In average, snow leopard predated most frequently on Himalayan tahr and it was detected in 26.5% relative frequency of occurrence while occurred in 36.66% of all scats, then it was followed by musk deer (19.87%), yak (12.65%), cow (12.04%), dog (10.24%), unidentified mammal (3.61%), woolly hare (3.01%), rat sp. (2.4%), unidentified bird sp. (1.8%), pika (1.2%), and shrew (0.6%) (Table 5.8 ). Wild species were present in 58.99% of scats whereas domestic livestock with dog were present in 40.95% of scats. Snow leopard predated most frequently on wildlife species in three seasons; spring (61.62%), autumn (61.11%) and winter (65.51%), and most frequently on domestic species including dog in summer season (54.54%). In term of relative biomass consumed, in average, Himalayan tahr was the most important prey species contributed 26.27% of the biomass consumed. This was followed by yak (22.13%), cow (21.06%), musk deer (11.32%), horse (10.53%), wooly hare (1.09%), rat (0.29%), pika (0.14%) and shrew (0.07%). In average, domestic livestock including dog were contributed more biomass in the diet of snow leopard comprising 60.8% of the biomass consumed whilst the wild life species comprising 39.19%. The annual prey consumption by a snow leopard (based on 2 kg/day) was estimated to be three Himalayan tahr, seven musk deer, five wooly hare, four rat sp., two pika, one shrew and four livestock. In the present study, the highest frequency of attack was found during April to June and lowest to July to November. The day of rainy and cloudy was the more vulnerable to livestock depredation. Snow leopard attacks occurred were the highest at near escape cover such as shrub land and cliff. Both predation pressure on tahr and that on livestock suggest that the development of effective conservation strategies for two threatened species (predator and prey) depends on resolving conflicts between people and predators. Recently, direct control of free – ranging livestock, good husbandry and compensation to shepherds may reduce snow leopard – human conflict. In long term solution, the reintroduction of blue sheep at the higher altitudes could also “buffer” predation on livestock.

Abstract: Over a time of four years the bazars of Afghanistan were surveyed for furs of spotted wild cats, in particular leopards and snow leopards. In 2004 in Kabul a total of 28 furs of leopards were purchased by shopkeepers and 21 sold at an average price of 825 $. In the same year 25 furs of snow leopards were purchased and 19 sold to clients at an average price of 583 $. In 2006 at a single inspection double as many furs of leopards were found to be offered for sale in comparison to the whole year of 2004. Also prices had increased over the two years by 20 % to an average of 1037 $. Similarly the number of furs of snow leopards at 21 pieces was higher than in 2004, and the prices had increased to an average of 652 $. In 2007 investigations rendered more difficult, because the authorities had started to control the fur trade, and the results are not unequivocal. Clients were without any exception foreigners.
Surveys in 2004 in Mazar-e-Sharif, Kunduz, Takhar and Faiz Abad, in 2006 additionally in Baharak and Iskashem in the province of Badakhshan, revealed a regular trade in furs of spotted cats, however not as extensive as in Kabul. The most interesting finding was a fur of a cheetah in Mazar-e-Sharif, the first record of this species after 35 years.
From the surveys can be concluded that leopards still exist in the whole range of its distribution area in Afghanistan. However they don't allow any conclusion on the population size and its threat by hunting. In contrast to the leopard there exists a recent estimation of the population size of the snow leopard, saying that there are still 100 to 200 snow leopards living in Afghanistan. On the basis of these figures as well as the numbers of furs traded annually a Population and Habitat Viability Analysis was conducted. The result of this analysis is alarming. It has to be assumed that the snow leopard will be extinct in Afghanistan within the next ten years. To improve the protection of spotted cats in Afghanistan it needs both, a better implementation of the existing legislation as well as an awareness campaign among potential clients, i. e. foreigners living in Afghanistan.
The second part of this thesis deals with the question of subspecies of leopards in Afghanistan. Out of the 27 subspecies described four are believed to exist in Afghanistan. However, according to a molecularbiological revision of the species there occurs only one subspecies in Afghanistan, Panthera pardus saxicolor. To clarify the subspecies question various measures of furs had been taken in the bazars. The results revealed that the leopards in Afghanistan are the biggest of its species. However a further differentiation according to the area of origin within the country was not possible. Also the traditional differentiation on the basis of colours and patterns on the furs was not possible.
In contrast to the molecularbiological investigations published not only samples of zoo animals were available in this study but also samples from the wild. The own results confim that almost all leopards from Afghanistan and Iran belong to one and the same subspecies, P. p. saxicolor. Only in the most eastern part of Afghanistan, the Indian leopard, Panthera pardus fusca, can be found. The International Studbook for the Persian Leopard was analysed. The whole population derives from a few founder animals, which were imported in the midth fifties from Iran and in the late sixties from Afghanistan. To avoid inbreeding later on the Iranian and the Afghan lines were mixed. A female imported in 1968 from Kabul to Cologne is represented in each of the more than 100 today living animals.Mixing the two lines subsequently is justified by the genetic results of this study. Recently acquired animals from the Caucasus, however, should be tested genetically before integrating them into the zoo population.

Abstract: The snow leopard (Uncia uncia) is a rare carnivore living above the snow line in central Asia. Using universal primers for the mitochondrial genome control region hypervariable
region 1 (HVR1), we isolated a 411-bp fragment of HVR1 and then designed specific primers
near each end of this sequence in the conserved regions. These primers were shown to yield
good polymerase chain reaction products and to be species specific. Of the 12 snow leopards
studied, there were 11 segregating sites and six haplotypes. An identification case of snow
leopard carcass (confiscated by the police) proved the primers to be a useful tool for forensic
diagnosis in field and population genetics studies.

Abstract: Modern felid species descend from relatively recent (<11 million years ago) divergence and
speciation events that produced successful predatory carnivores worldwide but that have
confounded taxonomic classifications. A highly resolved molecular phylogeny with divergence dates
for all living cat species, derived from autosomal, X-linked, Y-linked, and mitochondrial gene
segments (22,789 base pairs) and 16 fossil calibrations define eight principal lineages produced
through at least 10 intercontinental migrations facilitated by sea-level fluctuations. A ghost lineage
analysis indicates that available felid fossils underestimate (i.e., unrepresented basal branch
length) first occurrence by an average of 76%, revealing a low representation of felid lineages
in paleontological remains. The phylogenetic performance of distinct gene classes showed that
Y-chromosome segments are appreciably more informative than mitochondrial DNA, X-linked,
or autosomal genes in resolving the rapid Felidae species radiation.