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Author (down) Jack, R.
Title DNA Testing and GPS positioning of snow leopard (Panthera uncia) genetic material in the Khunjerab National Park Northern Areas, Pakistan Type Report
Year 2008 Publication Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages 1-15
Keywords project; snow; snow leopard; snow-leopard; leopard; network; conservation; program; Dna; Gps; panthera; panthera uncia; Panthera-uncia; uncia; Khunjerab; Khunjerab-National-Park; national; national park; National-park; park; areas; area; Pakistan; protection; snow leopards; snow-leopards; leopards; local; local people; people; information; number; range; Animals; Animal; study; distribution; management; professional; techniques; capture; use; field; country; China; border; work; art; Gis; Forest; manage; Wwf; maps; map; location; training; research; mountain
Abstract The protection of Snow Leopards in the remote and economically disadvantaged Northern Areas of Pakistan needs local people equipped with the skills to gather and present information on the number and range of individual animals in their area. It is important for the success of a conservation campaign that the people living in the area are engaged in the conservation process. Snow Leopards are elusive and range through inhospitable terrain so direct study is difficult. Consequently the major goals for this project were twofold, to gather information on snow leopard distribution in this area and to train local university students and conservation management professionals in the techniques used for locating snow leopards without the need to capture or even see the animals. This project pioneered the use of DNA testing of field samples collected in Pakistan to determine the distribution of snow leopards and to attempt to identify individuals. These were collected in and around that country's most northerly national park, the Kunjurab National Park, which sits on the Pakistan China border. Though the Northern Areas is not a well developed part of Pakistan, it does possess a number of institutions that can work together to strengthen snow leopard conservation. The first of these is a newly established University with students ready to be trained in the skills needed. Secondly WWF-Pakistan has an office in the main town and a state of the art GIS laboratory in Lahore and already works closely with the Forest Department who manage the national park. All three institutions worked together in this project with WWF providing GIS expertise, the FD rangers, and the university students carrying out the laboratory work. In addition in the course of the project the University of the Punjab in Lahore also joined the effort, providing laboratory facilities for the students. As a result of this project maps have been produced showing the location of snow leopards in

two areas. Preliminary DNA evidence indicates that there is more than one animal in this

relatively small area, but the greatest achievement of this project is the training and

experience gained by the local students. For one student this has been life changing. Due to

the opportunities provided by this study the student, Nelofar gained significant scientific

training and as a consequence she is now working as a lecturer and research officer for the

Center for Integrated Mountain Research, New Campus University of the Punjab, Lahore

Pakistan
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Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Project funded by Snow Leopard Network's Snow Leopard Conservation Grant Program. Approved no
Call Number SLN @ rana @ 1067 Serial 427
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