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McCarthy, T., Khan, J., Ud-Din, J., & McCarthy, K. (2007). First study of snow leopards using GPS-satellite collars underway in Pakistan. Cat News, 46(Spring), 22–23.
Abstract: Snow leopards (Uncia uncia) are highly cryptic and occupy remote inaccessible habitat, making studying the cats difficult in the extreme. Yet sound knowledge of the cat's ecology, behavior and habitat needs is required to intelligently conserve them. This information is lacking for snow leopards, and until recently so was the means to fill that knowledge gap. Two long-term studies of snow leopards using VHF radio collars have been undertaken in Nepal (1980s) and Mongolia (1990s) but logistical and technological constraints made the findings of both studies equivocal. Technological advances in the interim, such as GPS collars which report data via satellite, make studies of snow leopards more promising, at least in theory.
Keywords: study; snow; snow leopards; snow leopard; snow-leopards; snow-leopard; leopards; leopard; using; collars; collar; Pakistan; uncia; Uncia uncia; Uncia-uncia; habitat; Cats; cat; sound; knowledge; ecology; behavior; conserve; information; radio; radio collars; radio collar; radio-collars; radio-collar; Nepal; 1980; Mongolia; 1990; Gps; Report; Data; Satellite
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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.
Keywords: habitat; habitat use; use; captive; felis; Felis-concolor; concolor; snow; snow leopards; snow leopard; snow-leopards; snow-leopard; leopards; leopard; uncia; park; zoo; 1990; observations; panthera; panthera uncia; Panthera-uncia; zoological; zoological gardens; zoological-gardens; gardens; behavior; species; Time budget; dens; Identity; Animals; Animal; non; Cats; cat; location; relief
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Mongolian Biosphere & Ecology Association. (2010). Mongolian Biosphere & Ecology Association Report March 2010.
Abstract: In accordance with order of the Ministry of Nature and Tourism,
zoologists of our association have made surveys in three ways such as reasons why snow leopards attack domestic animals, “Snow leopard” trial operation to count them and illegal hunting in territories of Khovd, Gobi-Altai, Bayankhongor, Uvurkhangai and Umnugobi provinces from September 2009 to January 2010. As result of these surveys it has made the following conclusions in the followings: Reason to hunt them illegally: the principal reason is that administrative units have been increased and territories of administrative units have been diminished. There have been four provinces in 1924 to 1926, 18 since 1965, 21 since 1990. Such situation limits movements of herdsmen completely and pastures digressed much than ever before. As result of such situation, 70% of pastures become desert. Such digression caused not only heads of animals and also number of species. Guarantee is that birds such as owls, cuckoo, willow grouse in banks of Uyert river, Burkhanbuudai mountain, located in Biger soum, Gobi-Altai province, which are not hunted by hunters, are disappearing in the recent two decades. For that reason we consider it is urgently necessary for the government to convert administrative unit structures into four provinces. This would influence herdsmen moving across hundreds km and pastures could depart from digression. Second reason: cooperative movement won. The issues related to management and strengthening of national cooperatives, considered by Central Committee of Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party in the meeting in March 1953 was the start of cooperatives' movement. Consideration by Yu. Tsedenbal, chairman of Ministers Council, chairman of the MPRP, on report "Result of to unify popular units and some important issues to maintain entity management of agricultural cooperatives" in the fourth meeting by the Central Committee of Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party /MPRP/ on December 16-17, 1959, proclaimed complete victory of cooperative. At the end of 1959, it could unify 767 small cooperative into 389 ones, unify 99.3 % of herdsmen and socialize 73.3 % of animals. The remaining of animals amount 6 million 163 thousands animals, and equals to 26.7% of total animals. This concerned number of animals related to the article mentioned that every family should have not more that 50 animals in Khangai zone and not more 75 animals in Gobi desert. It shows that such number could not satisfy needs of family if such number is divided into five main animals in separating with reproduction animals and adult animals. So herdsmen started hunt hoofed animals secretly and illegally in order to satisfy their meat needs. Those animals included main food of snow leopard such as ibex, wild sheep, and marmot. Third reason is that the state used to hunt ibex, which are main nutrition of snow leopards, every year. The administrative unit of the soum pursued policy to hunt ibex in order to provide meat needs of secondary schools and hospitals. That's why this affected decrease of ibex population. Preciously from 1986 to 1990 the permissions to hunt one thousands of wild sheep and two thousands of ibexes were hunt for domestic alimentary use every year. Not less than 10 local hunters of every soum used to take part in big game of ibexes. Also they hunted many ibexes, chose 3-10 best ibexes and hid them in the mountains for their consummation during hunting. Fourth reason: hunting of wolves. Until 1990 the state used to give prizes to hunter, who killed a wolf in any seasons of the year. Firstly it offered a sheep for the wolf hunter and later it gave 25 tugrugs /15 USD/. Every year, wolf hunting was organized several times especially picking wolf-cubs influenced spread and population of wolves. So snow leopard came to the places where wolves survived before and attack domestic animals. Such situation continued until 1990. Now population of ibexes has decreased than before 1990 since the state stopped hunting wolves, population of wolves increased in mountainous zones. We didn't consider it had been right since it was natural event. However population of ibexes decreased. Fifth reason: Global warming. In recent five years it has had a drought and natural disaster from excessive snow in the places where it has never had such natural disasters before. But Mongolia has 40 million heads of domestic animals it has never increased like such quantity in its history before. We consider it is not incorrect that decrease of domestic animals could give opportunities to raise population of wild animals. Our next survey is to make attempt to fix heads of snow leopards correctly with low costs. Keywords: nature; tourism; surveys; survey; snow; snow leopards; snow leopard; snow-leopards; snow-leopard; leopards; leopard; attack; domestic; Animals; Animal; illegal; illegal hunting; hunting; territory; province; 2010; hunt; 1990; movements; movement; pasture; desert; number; species; birds; river; mountain; hunters; hunter; recent; government; structure; management; national; central; people; Report; gobi; Gobi Desert; reproduction; Adult; meat; food; ibex; wild; wild sheep; sheep; marmot; nutrition; schools; population; use; local; big; big game; big-game; game; 310; mountains; wolves; wolf; Seasons; times; zones; global; Mongolia; 40; history; ecology
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Oli, M. K. (1991). Ecology and conservation of snow leopard project (Vol. 6628). |
Schaller, G. B. (1998). Wildlife of the Tibetan Steppe. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. |