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The Snow Leopard Conservancy. (2002). A Learning Tour of the CBN (Corbett, Nainital and Binsar) Eco-tourism Initiative Sites by Villagers from Hemis National Park and the Surrounding Area (18-28th November 2002) (R. Wangchuk, & J. Dadul, Eds.) (Vol. SLC Field Document Series No 5). Leh, Ladakh, India.
Abstract: Ladakh lies between the Great Himalayas and the formidable Karakoram mountains.
Its unique landscape and rich cultural heritage have been a great attraction to tourists all over
the world. Apart from its uniqueness it has a rich Trans-Himalayan bio-diversity and is home
to the rare and elusive snow leopard. It opened to tourism in 1974 with a handful of tourists
and has gone up to the present number of about 18,000 visitors annually. Ecotourism started in Ladakh in mid 80s in the form of conservation of traditional
architecture when local communities realized the importance of their rich culture and
traditions being valued by the visiting tourists. However, while tourism became a major
source of income to people in Leh, most of the benefits stayed with outside (Delhi) based
travel agents thus leaving out the rural masses. During the last three years Snow Leopard Conservancy and The Mountain Institute have been
initiating ecotourism activities with local communities in the Hemis National Park as an
alternate livelihood and an indirect way to compensate losses of livestock from predatory
animals. However, local people while venturing into such new initiatives have tended to be
like blind men that are being led by NGO's so that they do not stumble along their paths.
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Barpiev I.M. (2002). Peculiarities of biodiversity in the Besh-Aral nature reserve.
Abstract: 224 animal species, including two relict and 20 endemic, are registered in the Besh Aral nature reserve (Kyrgyzstan). This nature reserve is inhabited by rare and endangered animal and bird species (e.g. Menzbier's marmot, snow leopard, Tien Shan brown bear, manul, Turkistan lynx, saker falcon, bearded vulture, golden eagle, Himalayan griffon, and others) included in the Red Data Books of Kyrgyzstan, former USSR, and Led List of IUCN.
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Kolmstetter, C., Munson, L., & Ramsay, E. C. (2000). Degenerative spinal disease in large felids. J Zoo Wildl Med, 31(1), 15–19.
Abstract: Degenerative spinal disorders, including intervertebral disc disease and spondylosis, seldom occur in domestic cats. In contrast, a retrospective study of 13 lions (Panthera leo), 16 tigers (Panthera tigris), 4 leopards (Panthera pardis), 1 snow leopard (Panthera uncia), and 3 jaguars (Panthera onca) from the Knoxville Zoo that died or were euthanatized from 1976 to 1996 indicated that degenerative spinal disease is an important problem in large nondomestic felids. The medical record, radiographic data, and the necropsy report of each animal were examined for evidence of intervertebral disc disease or spondylosis. Eight (three lions, four tigers, and one leopard) animals were diagnosed with degenerative spinal disease. Clinical signs included progressively decreased activity, moderate to severe rear limb muscle atrophy, chronic intermittent rear limb paresis, and ataxia. The age at onset of clinical signs was 10-19 yr (median = 18 yr). Radiographic evaluation of the spinal column was useful in assessing the severity of spinal lesions, and results were correlated with necropsy findings. Lesions were frequently multifocal, included intervertebral disc mineralization or herniation with collapsed intervertebral disc spaces, and were most common in the lumbar area but also involved cervical and thoracic vertebrae. Marked spondylosis was present in the cats with intervertebral disc disease, presumably subsequent to vertebral instability. Six of the animals' spinal cords were examined histologically, and five had acute or chronic damage to the spinal cord secondary to disc protrusion. Spinal disease should be suspected in geriatric large felids with decreased appetite or activity. Radiographic evaluation of the spinal column is the most useful method to assess the type and severity of spinal lesions.
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Slifka, K., Stacewicz-Sapuntzakis, S. M., Bowen, P., & Crissey, S. (1999). A Survey of Serum and Dietary Carotenoids in Captive Wild Animals. The Journal of Nutrition, 129, 380–390.
Abstract: Accumulation of carotenoids varies greatly among animal species and is not fully characterized.
Circulating carotenoid concentration data in captive wild animals are limited and may be useful for their management.
Serum carotenoid concentrations and dietary intakes were surveyed and the extent of accumulation
categorized for 76 species of captive wild animals at Brookfield Zoo. Blood samples were obtained opportunistically
from 275 individual animals immobilized for a variety of reasons; serum was analyzed for a- and b-carotene,
lutein 1 zeaxanthin, lycopene, b-cryptoxanthin and canthaxanthin. Total carotenoid content of diets was calculated
from tables and chemical analyses of commonly consumed dietary components. Diets were categorized as
low, moderate or high in carotenoid content as were total serum carotenoid concentrations. Animals were
classified as unknown, high, moderate or low (non-) accumulators of dietary cartenoids. Nonaccumulators had total
serum carotenoid concentrations of 0-101 nmol/L, whereas accumulators had concentrations that ranged widely,
from 225 to 35,351 nmol/L. Primates were uniquely distinguished by the widest range of type and concentration
of carotenoids in their sera. Most were classified as high to moderate accumulators. Felids had high accumulation
of b-carotene regardless of dietary intake, whereas a wide range of exotic birds accumulated only the xanthophylls,
lutein 1 zeaxanthin, canthaxanthin or cryptoxanthin. The exotic ungulates, with the exception of the bovids, had
negligible or nondetectable carotenoid serum concentrations despite moderate intakes. Bovids accumulated only
b-carotene despite moderately high lutein 1 zeaxanthin intakes. Wild captive species demonstrated a wide variety
of carotenoid accumulation patterns, which could be exploited to answer remaining questions concerning carotenoid
metabolism and function.
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Thorel, M. F., Karoui, C., Varnerot, A., Fleury, C., & Vincent, V. (1998). Isolation of Mycobacterium bovis from baboons, leopards and a sea-lion. Vet Res, 29(2), 207–212.
Abstract: This study reports on two series of cases of Mycobacterium bovis infection in zoo animals. The first was in a captive population of baboons (Papio hamadryas) and the second in a mixed group of wild mammals, including four leopards (Panthera uncia and Panthera pardus) and a sea-lion (Otaria byrona). The isolation and identification of strains of M. bovis confirmed the presence of M. bovis infections in both zoos. The epidemiological study using genetic markers such as the IS6110-based DNA fingerprinting system made it possible to differentiate between M. bovis strains. The M. bovis strains isolated from baboons were shown to contain a single IS6110 copy, as usually do cattle isolates, whereas the M. bovis strains isolated from the other exotic animals presented multiple copies. This finding suggests that the origin of the contamination for the baboons in zoo A could be related to cattle. The origin of the contamination for the leopards and sea-lion in zoo B is more difficult to determine. In conclusion, the authors suggest some recommendations for avoiding outbreaks of tuberculosis infections in zoos.
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Schmidt, A. M., Hess, D. L., Schmidt, M. J., & Lewis, C. R. (1993). Serum concentrations of oestradiol and progesterone and frequency of sexual behaviour during the normal oestrous cycle in the snow leopard (Panthera uncia). J Reprod Fertil, 98(1), 91–95.
Abstract: Serum oestradiol and progesterone concentrations were measured at weekly intervals for six months, and correlated with daily behavioural observations in two adult female snow leopards (Panthera uncia). Three oestradiol peaks (> 21 pg ml-1; interval 3.6 weeks) were identified in a snow leopardess housed alone (two more were probably missed because of the weekly sampling schedule), and three oestradiol peaks were identified in a snow leopardess housed with a male as a breeding pair (interval 6 weeks). Daily frequencies of feline reproductive behaviour averaged 1.77 observations per observation period during weeks of high oestradiol and 0.62 during weeks of low oestradiol. Progesterone concentrations did not rise above baseline values (< 2 ng ml-1) in the isolated animal, but 6 weeks of high progesterone concentrations (4.9- 38.8 ng ml-1) was recorded in the paired snow leopardess following mating. No offspring were produced. Snow leopards were observed daily for an additional 4.5 years. Sexual behaviour peaks could be clearly identified from December through April, and average daily sexual behaviour scores were higher during these months than during the rest of the year. Intervals between sexual behaviour peaks for the isolated snow leopardess averaged 3.03 weeks. The sexual behaviour of the paired snow leopards decreased for 8-9 weeks following mating when no offspring were produced, and decreased for 13 weeks in one year when a single cub was born.
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Meiers, S. T. (1992). Habitat use by captive puma (Felis concolor) and snow leopards (Pathera uncia) at the Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, Illinois. Ph.D. thesis, DePaul University, .
Abstract: Between May 1990 and January 1991, behavioral observations were made of two captive pumas (Felis concolor Linnaeus), and two captive snow leopards (Panthera uncia Schreber) in their outdoor exhibits at the Lincoln Park Zoological Gardens, Chicago, Illinois. Behaviors compared within and between species included: 1) time spend in the different habitat types; 2) time budgets for the different behaviors: laying, moving, sitting, standing, crouching, in the tree, drinking, urinating, defecating, within their inside dens, and “behavior not determined” when the identity or behavior of the individuals could not be determined; and 3) mobility of the animals within their exhibits. Also examined were: 4) preferences for different habitat types; 5) recommendations for future exhibit designs. Both species located themselves within their exhibits in a non-random manner. The majority of cats' time was spent in elevated locations (i.e., gunite ledges approximately 1-5.5 m above ground-level). Snow leopards exhibited this tendency to a greater extent than did the pumas. Both species also spent the majority of their time in the lying-down behavior; again snow leopards displayed this tendency significantly more than the pumas. Pumas were highly mobile and changed locations and behaviors in their exhibit significantly more than the snow leopards. No significant differences were noted between conspecifics in regard to habitat type preference, or mobility within the exhibit. Suggestions for future exhibit design include elevated locations for the cats to lay and look around within and outside their exhibits, caves for access to shade or relief from inclement weather, and ground surfaces to move about on. Features for exhibit design should take into consideration the natural habitat of the cat to occupy the exhibit.
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Afanasiev Y.G. (1988). The Karatau nature reserve.
Abstract: The Karatau ridge is an extreme north-west spur of the Tien Shan mountain system. Flora of Karatau is represented by no less than 1,500 higher vessel plant species. Karatau and the adjacent areas host 16 reptile species, 114 bird and 42 mammal species. Snow leopard disappeared from fauna of Karatau in 20th century. In 1940-s, the animal species was met at the highest point of the ridge in the Manjilki area, particularly in tract Kor-Djailau. Now there are no snow leopards in the area under study a fact evidenced by local hunters and shepherds.
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Esipov V.M. (1986). The status and perspective protection and rehabilitation of natural ecosystems in the Chatkal state biosphere nature reserve under the State Committee for Agriculture and Industry of the USSR.
Abstract: The area of the Chatkal nature reserve reduced as part of its territory (a land plot in the Shavasay river basin) was assigned to a military game preserve. As regime of protection worsened, number of animals such as Menzbier's marmot, snow leopard, ibex, snow cock, and black stork began to reduce.
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Potapov R. (1986). On the top of ridges. Tiger gully. Unknown world..
Abstract: In a popular form, it says about wildlife of Pamir, unique animal kingdom of highlands. The author describes his personal encounter with snow leopard following a herd of ibex and thinks of peculiarities of this large predator and reasons for hunting it.
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