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	Author	Alexander, J. S., Cusack, J. J., Pengju, C, Kun, S., Riordan, P.
	Title	Conservation of snow leopards: spill-over benefits for other carnivores?			Type	Journal Article
	Year	2015	Publication	Oryx	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue	Fauna & Flora International	Pages	1-5
	Keywords	China, conservation, Eurasian lynx, grey wolf, red fox, snow leopard
	Abstract	In high-altitude settings of Central Asia the Endangered snow leopard Panthera uncia has been recognized as a potential umbrella species. As a first step in assessing the potential benefits of snow leopard conservation for other carnivores, we sought a better understanding of the presence of other carnivores in areas occupied by snow leopards in China’s Qilianshan National Nature Reserve. We used camera-trap and sign surveys to examine whether other carnivores were using the same travel routes as snow leopards at two spatial scales. We also considered temporal interactions between species. Our results confirm that other carnivores, including the red fox Vulpes vulpes, grey wolf Canis lupus, Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx and dhole Cuon alpinus, occur along snow leopard travel routes, albeit with low detection rates. Even at the smaller scale of our camera trap survey all five carnivores (snow leopard, lynx, wolf, red fox and dhole) were observed. Kernel density estimates suggested a high degree of temporal overlap between the snow leopard and the fox, and the snow leopard and the lynx, as indicated by high overlap coefficient estimates. There is an opportunity to consider protective measures at the local scale that would benefit various species simultaneously. However, it should also be recognized that snow leopard conservation efforts could exacerbate human–wildlife conflicts through their protective effect on other carnivore species.
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	Call Number	SLN @ rakhee @			Serial	1434
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	Author	Alexander, J. S., Gopalswamy, A. M., Shi, K., Riordan, P.
	Title	Face Value: Towards Robust Estimates of Snow Leopard Densities			Type	Journal Article
	Year	2015	Publication	Plos One	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue		Pages
	Keywords	Densities, Snow Leopard, Camera traps, Spatial Capture Recapture models
	Abstract	When densities of large carnivores fall below certain thresholds, dramatic ecological effects can follow, leading to oversimplified ecosystems. Understanding the population status of such species remains a major challenge as they occur in low densities and their ranges are wide. This paper describes the use of non-invasive data collection techniques combined with recent spatial capture-recapture methods to estimate the density of snow leopards Panthera uncia. It also investigates the influence of environmental and human activity indicators on their spatial distribution. A total of 60 camera traps were systematically set up during a three-month period over a 480 km2 study area in Qilianshan National Nature Reserve, Gansu Province, China. We recorded 76 separate snow leopard captures over 2,906 trapdays, representing an average capture success of 2.62 captures/100 trap-days. We identified a total number of 20 unique individuals from photographs and estimated snow leopard density at 3.31 (SE = 1.01) individuals per 100 km2. Results of our simulation exercise indicate that our estimates from the Spatial Capture Recapture models were not optimal to respect to bias and precision (RMSEs for density parameters less or equal to 0.87). Our results underline the critical challenge in achieving sufficient sample sizes of snow leopard captures and recaptures. Possible performance improvements are discussed, principally by optimising effective camera capture and photographic data quality.
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	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	SLN @ rakhee @			Serial	1431
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	Author	Alexander, J. S., Shi, K., Tallents, L. A., Riordan, P.
	Title	On the high trail: examining determinants of site use by the Endangered snow leopard Panthera uncia in Qilianshan, China			Type	Journal Article
	Year	2015	Publication	Oryx	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue	Fauna & Flora International	Pages	1-8
	Keywords	Camera Trap, China, Detection Probability, Occupancy Modelling, Panthera Uncia, Site use, Snow Leopard
	Abstract	Abstract There is a need for simple and robust techniques for assessment and monitoring of populations of the Endangered snow leopard Panthera uncia to inform the de- velopment of action plans for snow leopard conservation. We explored the use of occupancy modelling to evaluate the influence of environmental and anthropogenic features on snow leopard site-use patterns. We conducted a camera trap survey across  km in Gansu Province, China, and used data from  camera traps to estimate probabilities of site use and detection using the single season occupancy model. We assessed the influence of three covariates on site use by snow leopards: elevation, the presence of blue sheep Pseudois nayaur and the presence of human disturb- ance (distance to roads). We recorded  captures of snow leopards over , trap-days, representing a mean capture success of . captures per  trap-days. Elevation had the strongest influence on site use, with the probability of site use increasing with altitude, whereas the influence of presence of prey and distance to roads was relatively weak. Our findings indicate the need for practical and robust tech- niques to appraise determinants of site use by snow leo- pards, especially in the context of the limited resources available for such work.
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	Corporate Author				Thesis
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	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	SLN @ rakhee @			Serial	1433
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	Author	Alexander, J. S., Zhang, C., Shi, K., Riordan, P.
	Title	A spotlight on snow leopard conservation in China			Type	Journal Article
	Year	2016	Publication	Integrative Zoology	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue	11	Pages
	Keywords	China, conservation, Panthera uncia, research prioritization
	Abstract	China holds the greatest proportion of the snow leopard’s (Panthera uncia) global range and is central to their conservation. The country is also undergoing unprecedented economic growth, which increases both the threats to the snow leopard and the opportunities for its conservation. In this paper we aim to review published literature (from 1950 to 2014) in English and Mandarin on snow leopard ecology and conservation in China in order to identify thematic and geographic research gaps and propose research priorities. We first retrieved all publish items that considered snow leopards in China (n = 106). We extracted from these papers 274 reports of snow leopard presence in China. We then reviewed a subset of papers (n = 33) of this literature, which specifically focused on snow leopard ecology and conservation within China. We introduced a thematic framework that allows a structured and comprehensive assessment of findings. This framework recognizes 4 critical and interrelated topics underpinning snow leopard ecology and conservation: habitat (distribution and protected area coverage); prey (distribution and abundance, predator–prey relationships); human interactions (hunting and trade, livestock interactions and conflicts); and the underlying policy context. Significant gains in knowledge as well as research gaps and priorities are discussed with reference to our framework. The modest quantity and limited scope of published research on the snow leopard in China calls for a continued and intensified effort to inform and support national conservation policies.
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	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	SLN @ rakhee @			Serial	1442
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	Author	Alexander, J., Chen, P., Damerell, P., Youkui, W., Hughes, J., Shi, K., Riordan, P.
	Title	Human wildlife conflict involving large carnivores in Qilianshan, China and the minimal paw-print of snow leopards			Type	Journal Article
	Year	2015	Publication	Biological Conservation	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	187	Issue		Pages	1-9
	Keywords	Snow leopard Carnivores Livestock depredation Social attitudes China
	Abstract	In this paper, we assess local perceptions towards snow leopards in North West China using a framework depicting key conflict domains. We describe the perceived threats posed to humans by the snow leopard and set them within beliefs and attitudes towards other species within the large carnivore assemblage in this region. Surveys were conducted in seven villages within Qilianshan National Nature Reserve, Gansu Province, China, to document reports of snow leopard (Panthera uncia), grey wolf (Canis lupus), Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) and brown bear (Ursus arctos) depredation of livestock, and local attitudes towards each species. Questionnaire-based interviews were held with 60 households and 49 livestock herders. Herding of yak, sheep and goats was found to be a common livelihood activity among households in all villages. Herders reported losing livestock to all four carnivore species. Herders reported that depredation was the most common event affecting livestock, compared with natural disasters or disease, and represented a total loss of 3.6% of the livestock population during the previous year. Most (53%) depredation losses were attributed to lynx, while snow leopards were held responsible for only 7.8% of depredation losses. The reported impact of snow leopards on herding activities was relatively small and the majority of both householders and herders expressed positive attitudes towards them and supported measures for their protection. Households and herders held negative attitudes towards lynx, wolves and bears, however, most likely due to their perceived threat to livestock and humans. Understanding community perceptions of threats posed by wildlife is vital for gaining community support for, and engagement in, conflict mitigation.
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	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	SLN @ rakhee @			Serial	1422
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	Author	Alexander, J., S., Gopalaswamy, A., M., Shi, K., Hughes, J., Riordan, P.
	Title	Patterns of Snow Leopard Site Use in an Increasingly Human-Dominated Landscape			Type	Journal Article
	Year	2016	Publication	PLoS ONE	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue		Pages	1-15
	Keywords
	Abstract	Human population growth and concomitant increases in demand for natural resources pose threats to many wildlife populations. The landscapes used by the endangered snow leopard (Panthera uncia) and their prey is increasingly subject to major changes in land use. We aimed to assess the influence of 1) key human activities, as indicated by the presence of mining and livestock herding, and 2) the presence of a key prey species, the blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur), on probability of snow leopard site use across the landscape. In Gansu Province, China, we conducted sign surveys in 49 grid cells, each of 16 km2 in size, within a larger area of 3392 km2. We analysed the data using likelihood-based habitat occupancy models that explicitly account for imperfect detection and spatial auto-correlation between survey transect segments. The model-averaged estimate of snow leopard occupancy was high [0.75 (SE 0.10)], but only marginally higher than the naïve estimate (0.67). Snow leop- ard segment-level probability of detection, given occupancy on a 500 m spatial replicate, was also high [0.68 (SE 0.08)]. Prey presence was the main determinant of snow leopard site use, while human disturbances, in the form of mining and herding, had low predictive power. These findings suggest that snow leopards continue to use areas very close to such disturbances, as long as there is sufficient prey. Improved knowledge about the effect of human activity on large carnivores, which require large areas and intact prey populations, is urgently needed for conservation planning at the local and global levels. We highlight a number of methodological considerations that should guide the design of such research.
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	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	SLN @ rakhee @			Serial	1440
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	Author	Alexander, S., A., Zhang, C., Shi, K., Riordan, P.
	Title	A granular view of a snow leopard population using camera traps in Central China			Type	Journal Article
	Year	2016	Publication	Biological Conservation	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue	197	Pages	27-31
	Keywords	Snow leopard Camera trap China Density Monitoring
	Abstract	Successful conservation of the endangered snow leopard (Panthera uncia) relies on the effectiveness of monitoring programmes. We present the results of a 19-month camera trap survey effort, conducted as part of a longterm study of the snow leopard population in Qilianshan National Nature Reserve of Gansu Province, China. Weassessed the minimumnumber of individual snowleopards and population density across different sampling periods using spatial capture–recapture methods. Between 2013–2014, we deployed 34 camera traps across an area of 375 km2, investing a total of 7133 trap-days effort. Weidentified a total number of 17–19 unique individuals from photographs (10–12 adults, five sub-adults and two cubs). The total number of individuals identified and estimated density varied across sampling periods, between 10–15 individuals and 1.46–3.29 snow leopards per 100 km2 respectively. We demonstrate that snow leopard surveys of limited scale and conducted over short sampling periods only present partial views of a dynamic and transient system.We also underline the challenges in achieving a sufficient sample size of captures and recaptures to assess trends in snow leopard population size and/or density for policy and conservation decision-making
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	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	SLN @ rakhee @			Serial	1436
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	Author	Atzeni, L., Cushman, S. A., Bai, D., Wang, J., Chen, P., Shi, K., Riordan, P.
	Title	Meta-replication, sampling bias, and multi-scale model selection: A case study on snow leopard (Panthera uncia) in western China.			Type	Journal Article
	Year	2020	Publication	Ecology and Evolution	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue		Pages	1-27
	Keywords	MaxEnt, meta-replication, multi-scale, Panthera uncia, sampling bias, scale selection, snow leopard, species distribution model
	Abstract	Replicated multiple scale species distribution models (SDMs) have become increasingly important to identify the correct variables determining species distribution and their influences on ecological responses. This study explores multi-scale habitat relationships of the snow leopard (Panthera uncia) in two study areas on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau of western China. Our primary objectives were to evaluate the degree to which snow leopard habitat relationships, expressed by predictors, scales of response, and magnitude of effects, were consistent across study areas or locally landcape-specific. We coupled univariate scale optimization and the maximum entropy algorithm to produce multivariate SDMs, inferring the relative suitability for the species by ensembling top performing models. We optimized the SDMs based on average omission rate across the top models and ensembles’ overlap with a simulated reference model. Comparison of SDMs in the two study areas highlighted landscape-specific responses to limiting factors. These were dependent on the effects of the hydrological network, anthropogenic features, topographic complexity, and the heterogeneity of the landcover patch mosaic. Overall, even accounting for specific local differences, we found general landscape attributes associated with snow leopard ecological requirements, consisting of a positive association with uplands and ridges, aggregated low-contrast landscapes, and large extents of grassy and herbaceous vegetation. As a means to evaluate the performance of two bias correction methods, we explored their effects on three datasets showing a range of bias intensities. The performance of corrections depends on the bias intensity; however, density kernels offered a reliable correction strategy under all circumstances. This study reveals the multi-scale response of snow leopards to environmental attributes and confirms the role of meta-replicated study designs for the identification of spatially varying limiting factors. Furthermore, this study makes important contributions to the ongoing discussion about the best approaches for sampling bias correction.
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	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number				Serial	1616
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	Author	Atzeni, L., Cushman, S. A., Wang, J., Riordan, P., Shi, K., Bauman, D.
	Title	Evidence of spatial genetic structure in a snow leopard population from Gansu, China			Type	Journal Article
	Year	2021	Publication	Heredity	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue		Pages
	Keywords
	Abstract	Understanding the spatial structure of genetic diversity provides insights into a populations’ genetic status and enables assessment of its capacity to counteract the effects of genetic drift. Such knowledge is particularly scarce for the snow leopard, a conservation flagship species of Central Asia mountains. Focusing on a snow leopard population in the Qilian mountains of Gansu Province, China, we characterised the spatial genetic patterns by incorporating spatially explicit indices of diversity and multivariate analyses, based on different inertia levels of Principal Component Analysis (PCA). We compared two datasets differing in the number of loci and individuals. We found that genetic patterns were significantly spatially structured and were characterised by a broad geographical division coupled with a fine-scale cline of differentiation. Genetic admixture was detected in two adjoining core areas characterised by higher effective population size and allelic diversity, compared to peripheral localities. The power to detect significant spatial relationships depended primarily on the number of loci, and secondarily on the number of PCA axes. Spatial patterns and indices of diversity highlighted the cryptic structure of snow leopard genetic diversity, likely driven by its ability to disperse over large distances. In combination, the species’ low allelic richness and large dispersal ability result in weak genetic differentiation related to major geographical features and isolation by distance. This study illustrates how cryptic genetic patterns can be investigated and analysed at a fine spatial scale, providing insights into the spatially variable isolation effects of both geographic distance and landscape resistance.
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	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	SLN @ rakhee @			Serial	1661
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	Author	Atzeni, L., Wang, J., Riordan, P., Shi, K., Cushman, S. A.
	Title	Landscape resistance to gene flow in a snow leopard population from Qilianshan National Park, Gansu, China			Type	Journal Article
	Year	2023	Publication	Landscape Ecology	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue		Pages
	Keywords	Landscape genetics · MLPE · Gene flow · Genetic distance · Isolation by distance · Isolation by resistance · Landscape resistance · Snow leopard · Principal component analysis
	Abstract	Context: The accurate estimation of landscape resistance to movement is important for ecological understanding and conservation applications. Rigorous estimation of resistance requires validation and optimization. One approach uses genetic data for the optimization or validation of resistance models. Objectives We used a genetic dataset of snow leopards from China to evaluate how landscape genetics resistance models varied across genetic distances and spatial scales of analysis. We evaluated whether landscape genetics models were superior to models of resistance derived from habitat suitability or isolation-by-distance. Methods: We regressed genetically optimized, habitat-based, and isolation-by-distance hypotheses against genetic distances using mixed effect models. We explored all subset combinations of genetically optimized variables to find the most supported resistance scenario for each genetic distance. Results: Genetically optimized models always out-performed habitat-based and isolation-by-distance hypotheses. The choice of genetic distances influenced the apparent influence of variables, their spatial scales and their functional response shapes, producing divergent resistance scenarios. Gene flow in snow leopards was largely facilitated by areas of intermediate ruggedness at intermediate elevations corresponding to small-to-large valleys within and between the mountain ranges. Conclusions: This study highlights that landscape genetics models provide superior estimation of functional dispersal than habitat surrogates and suggests that optimization of genetic distance should be included as an optimization routine in landscape genetics, along with variables, scales, effect size and functional response shape. Furthermore, our study provides new insights on the ecological conditions that promote gene flow in snow leopards, which expands ecological knowledge, and we hope will improve conservation planning.
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	Corporate Author				Thesis
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	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	SLN @ rakhee @			Serial	1720
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	Author	Changxi, X., Bai, D., Lambert, J. P., Li, Y., Cering, L., Gong, Z., Riordan, P., Shi, K.
	Title	How Snow Leopards Share the Same Landscape with Tibetan Agro-pastoral Communities in the Chinese Himalayas			Type	Journal Article
	Year	2022	Publication	Journal of Resources and Ecology	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	13	Issue	3	Pages	483-500
	Keywords	habitat use; landscape ecology; occupancy model; Qomolangma; Panthera uncia
	Abstract	The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) inhabits a human-altered alpine landscape and is often tolerated by residents in regions where the dominant religion is Tibetan Buddhism, including in Qomolangma NNR on the northern side of the Chinese Himalayas. Despite these positive attitudes, many decades of rapid economic development and population growth can cause increasing disturbance to the snow leopards, altering their habitat use patterns and ultimately impacting their conservation. We adopted a dynamic landscape ecology perspective and used multi-scale technique and occupancy model to better understand snow leopard habitat use and coexistence with humans in an 825 km2 communal landscape. We ranked eight hypothetical models containing potential natural and anthropogenic drivers of habitat use and compared them between summer and winter seasons within a year. HABITAT was the optimal model in winter, whereas ANTHROPOGENIC INFLUENCE was the top ranking in summer (AICcw≤2). Overall, model performance was better in the winter than in the summer, suggesting that perhaps some latent summer covariates were not measured. Among the individual variables, terrain ruggedness strongly affected snow leopard habitat use in the winter, but not in the summer. Univariate modeling suggested snow leopards prefer to use rugged land in winter with a broad scale (4000 m focal radius) but with a lesser scale in summer (30 m); Snow leopards preferred habitat with a slope of 22° at a scale of 1000 m throughout both seasons, which is possibly correlated with prey occurrence. Furthermore, all covariates mentioned above showed inextricable ties with human activities (presence of settlements and grazing intensity). Our findings show that multiple sources of anthropogenic activity have complex connections with snow leopard habitat use, even under low human density when anthropogenic activities are sparsely distributed across a vast landscape. This study is also valuable for habitat use research in the future, especially regarding covariate selection for finite sample sizes in inaccessible terrain.
	Address
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	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	SLN @ rakhee @			Serial	1698
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	Author	Guoliang, P., Alexander, J. S., Riordan, P., Shi, K., Kederhan, Yang, H
	Title	Detection of a snow leopard population in northern Bortala, Xinjiang, China			Type	Journal Article
	Year	2016	Publication	Cat News	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume		Issue	63	Pages
	Keywords
	Abstract	We substantiate the presence of snow leopards Panthera uncia using camera traps within the Dzungarian Alatau range in Bortala Mongolia Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Province, China. A total of 13 camera trap stations were set up in 2012 and a total of 14 camera trap stations in 2013 within an area of 192 km2. A total of 11-15 individual adult snow leopards and two sub adults were identified from photo captures of sufficient quality. A range of human activities were noted within and surrounding the survey area, including livestock herding and mining. We recommend more large scale and intensive camera trap surveys to further assess the population status of the snow leopard within this area
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	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	SLN @ rakhee @			Serial	1443
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	Author	Riordan, P.
	Title	Unsupervised recognition of individual tigers and snow leopards from their footprints			Type	Miscellaneous
	Year	1998	Publication	Animal Conservation	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	1	Issue		Pages	253-262
	Keywords	captive; panthera tigris; panthera uncia; snow leopard; techniques; tiger
	Abstract	This study presents the testing of two unsupervised classification methods for their ability to accurately identify unknown individual tigers, Panthera tigris, and snow leopards, Panthera uncia, from their footprints. A neural-network based method, the Kohonen self-organizing map (SOM), and a Bayesian method, AutoClass, were assessed using hind footprints taken from captive animals under standardized conditions. AutoClass successfully discriminated individuals of both species from their footprints. Classification accuracy was greatest for tigers, with more misclassification of individuals occurring for snow leopards. Examination of variable influence on class formations failed to identify consistently influential measurements for either species. The self-organizing map did not provide accurate classification of individuals for either species. Results were not substantially improved by altering map dimensions nor by using principal components derived from the original data. The interpretation of resulting classifications and the importance of using such techniques in the study of wild animal populations are discussed. The need for further testing in the field is highlighted.
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	Notes				Approved	no
	Call Number	SLN @ rana @ 896			Serial	823
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	Author	Shi, K.; Jun, Z.F.S.; Zhigang, D.; Riordan, P.; MacDonald, D.
	Title	Reconfirmation of snow leopards in Taxkurgan Nature Reserve, Xinjiang, China			Type	Journal Article
	Year	2009	Publication	Oryx	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	43	Issue	2	Pages	169-170
	Keywords	administration; Beijing; China; conservation; global; habitat; management; nature; presence; province; range; research; reserve; snow-leopard; snow-leopards; snow leopard; snow leopards; species; uncia; wildlife; Xinjiang
	Abstract	China may hold a greater proportion of the global snow leopard Panthera uncia population than any other country, with the area of good quality suitable habitat, estimated at nearly 300,000 km2, comprising .50% of that available across the species' entire range. We can now reconfirm the presence of snow leopard in the Taxkurgan area of Xinjiang Province in north-west China after a period of 20 years.
	Address
	Corporate Author				Thesis
	Publisher	Fauna & Flora International	Place of Publication	United Kingdom	Editor
	Language		Summary Language		Original Title
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	Notes	SHI KUN Institute of Wildlife Conservation and Management, Beijing Forestry University, China ZHU FUDE SHI JUN and DAI ZHIGANG Xinjiang Forestry Administration, China PHILIP RIORDAN and DAVID MACDONALD Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Tubney House, Abingdon Road, Tubney, Abingdon, OX13 5QL, UK. E-mail philip.riordan@zoo.ox.ac.uk			Approved	no
	Call Number	SLN @ rana @ 1056			Serial	884
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	Author	Xiao, C., Bai, D., Lambert, J. P., Li, Y., Cering, L., Gong, Z., Riordan, P., Shi, K.
	Title	How Snow Leopards Share the Same Landscape with Tibetan Agro-pastoral Communities in the Chinese Himalayas			Type	Journal Article
	Year	2022	Publication	Journal of Resources and Ecology	Abbreviated Journal
	Volume	13	Issue	3	Pages	483-500
	Keywords	habitat use; landscape ecology; occupancy model; Qomolangma; Panthera uncia
	Abstract	The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) inhabits a human-altered alpine landscape and is often tolerated by residents in regions where the dominant religion is Tibetan Buddhism, including in Qomolangma NNR on the northern side of the Chinese Himalayas. Despite these positive attitudes, many decades of rapid economic development and population growth can cause increasing disturbance to the snow leopards, altering their habitat use patterns and ultimately impacting their conservation. We adopted a dynamic landscape ecology perspective and used multi-scale technique and occupancy model to better understand snow leopard habitat use and coexistence with humans in an 825 km2 communal landscape. We ranked eight hypothetical models containing potential natural and anthropogenic drivers of habitat use and compared them between summer and winter seasons within a year. HABITAT was the optimal model in winter, whereas ANTHROPOGENIC INFLUENCE was the top ranking in summer (AICcw≤2). Overall, model performance was better in the winter than in the summer, suggesting that perhaps some latent summer covariates were not measured. Among the individual variables, terrain ruggedness strongly affected snow leopard habitat use in the winter, but not in the summer. Univariate modeling suggested snow leopards prefer to use rugged land in winter with a broad scale (4000 m focal radius) but with a lesser scale in summer (30 m); Snow leopards preferred habitat with a slope of 22° at a scale of 1000 m throughout both seasons, which is possibly correlated with prey occurrence. Furthermore, all covariates mentioned above showed inextricable ties with human activities (presence of settlements and grazing intensity). Our findings show that multiple sources of anthropogenic activity have complex connections with snow leopard habitat use, even under low human density when anthropogenic activities are sparsely distributed across a vast landscape. This study is also valuable for habitat use research in the future, especially regarding covariate selection for finite sample sizes in inaccessible terrain.
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	Call Number	SLN @ rakhee @			Serial	1688
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