Significant focus has been placed on community-based conservation in recent decades. However, much purported community-based conservation research and practice continues to be top-down, where local people are seen as beneficiaries and stakeholders, but not right-holders. In this workshop, using case studies, we will explore efforts to make conservation research and practice more equitable, ethical and horizontal. We will discuss the philosophy, practice and challenges of conducting rights-based and truly collaborative conservation. Dr. Sahil Nijhawan is an interdisciplinary conservation anthropologist who has worked on human-wildlife relations across Latin America, Southern Africa and India. For the past decade, he has worked alongside the indigenous Idu Mishmi people of Arunachal Pradesh (India) – a journey that began with his doctoral research on socio-cultural, ecological and political relations between the Idu Mishmi and tigers. He is now part of local teams in Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland working on a range of locally-led initiatives towards rights-based bio-cultural conservation and research.
The recording of this session is available on request.
Engaging and partnering with such local communities is critical to the success of conservation efforts. The PARTNERS principles offer a framework to consciously and effectively engage communities. This approach of eight broad principles can offer support to not only conservationists but anyone who is engaging with communities. In this session, we will explore these principles briefly and understand their working through case-studies. Ajay Bijoor and Deepshikha Sharma will facilitate the Session. Ajay has been working with local communities and government agencies to plan and implement conservation action in the high-elevation landscapes of India for the past 7 years. He has also been exploring the intersection of conservation with local knowledge systems, resource management, and local and global economy. Deepshikha has been facilitating community led conservation in snow leopard habitat in Himachal Pradesh & Ladakh. She is working towards raising awareness and reducing losses faced by local communities due to wildlife. She is also working towards bringing local women to the forefront of conservation in the landscape.
Carnivores leave behind signs- such as tracks, droppings, sprays and carcasses. They also can be heard- making unique sounds. The team will discuss how researchers can distinguish between the unique signs of felids (snow leopards, lynx etc.) and canids (wolves, feral dogs, red foxes). They will share strategies and potential pitfalls to look out for. Dr. Orjan Johansson and Dr. Koustubh Sharma will lead the session. Orjan is a Senior Scientist for the Snow Leopard Trust and has supported the Long Term Ecological Program in Mongolia for over a decade. Kuban is the Director of the Snow Leopard Foundation Kyrgyzstan.
We are very pleased to announce that our scientific journal, Snow Leopard Reports, has been launched. The journal is hosted by the Swedish National Library. Articles will receive DOIs, be indexed in databases and appear in search engines, like any other scientific journal. In time we will also receive an impact factor.
You can find the journal and all associated information here –
Please look through the submission guidelines and consider us for your next publication, we are sure that all of you have lots of information that would be of great value to the conservation community, and the snow leopards.
This would not have been possible without Lingyun Xiao, Munib Khanyari and the Steering Committee of Snow Leopard Network.
Camera traps are an important tool for snow leopard research and conservation. In this session we will share tips on best practices for setting up camera traps in the mountains for specific purposes and optimal device settings. The team will discuss camera trap types, how to effectively choose locations, strategies to improve battery life, lighting and safety of the equipment. The team will also discuss how one can improve the quality of captures for the identification of snow leopard individuals. In this interactive workshop, participants will be welcome to share their ideas, experiences and ask specific questions. Dr. Koustubh Sharma & Purevjav Lkhagvajav (Pujii) will lead this session. Koustubh is the Assistant Director of Conservation Policy and Partnerships with the Snow Leopard Trust and the International Coordinator with the GSLEP Program. He is closely involved with the implementation of the Population Assessment of the World’s Snow Leopard (PAWS). Pujii is the Snow Leopard Conservation Foundation Mongolia’s Research and Monitoring Manager. She works closely with rangers across Mongolia, and has been supporting systematic camera trapping across thousands of square kilometers for more than a decade.
Do join us for the #EncounterUncia Twitter Conference taking place next Monday to Wednesday Dec 6-8th! Over 30 conservation practitioners from across the snow leopard range and world will be presenting over the 3 days on Twitter- sharing stories and strategies to promote coexistence with the big cat. Watch the conference proceedings HERE.
Join both sessions through Twitter Android or IOS to speak and interact or through the web to just listen in.
15:30 – 16:30 Bishkek time
Live Panel Discussion on Unusual Encounters on Twitter Spaces with WWF, Panthera, Snow Leopard Foundation Pakistan and Snow Leopard Trust Facilitated by Koustubh Sharma
Encounters with snow leopards can take many forms. They can range from rare sightings of one or more snow leopards, coming across injured snow leopards or coming across cubs that may appear abandoned. It can also involve snow leopards killing livestocks in pastures and corrals. Although snow leopards are mostly elusive, these encounters do occur across the snow leopard range and at times can be very stressful for both the people and snow leopards involved. Responses can result in the loss of life or freedom for the snow leopard. Appropriate responses that minimize harm to both people and the snow leopard, and promote long-term coexistence still need to be more widely known, shared and put into practice.
The aim of the #EncounterUncia Twitter Conference is to collate and share experiences on snow leopard unusual encounters. We also aim to discuss recommendations for handling such encounters, and strategies to mitigate negative interactions between snow leopard and people.
Unusual encounters with wildlife occur across other habitats and continents. There is a rich body of experiences and knowledge from other species (such as common leopards, elephants, jaguars, crocodiles etc.) which we can learn from and apply to the snow leopard landscape. The Twitter Conference is open to participation from research and conservation practitioners working on both snow leopards and other species and ecosystems to facilitate cross-exchange of knowledge and practices.
Please note that the conference is centered around conservation coexistence strategies for snow leopards and is not limited to accounts of physical encounters with the big cat! We are looking forward to your abstract submissions and stories.
Photo by Snow Leopard Trust
Call for Submissions
The deadline for abstract submissions is extended until November 22nd!
The #EncounterUncia Twitter Conference can only happen with your participation and contributions! We encourage individuals and teams from across the world to share experiences and insights on Unusual Encounters of snow leopards and other species. We have 3 categories:
Publications outlining encounters: This section includes any published material related to information on unusual encounters (in english or other languages). It can include policy documents on recommendations for handling unusual encounters and mitigation strategies, and peer-reviewed publications on effectiveness of mitigation strategies, and success/failures of handling of unusual encounters (such as relocation). Please provide the publication reference and an abstract of the key message/recommendation.
Mitigation strategies: This section includes strategies aimed at preventing unusual encounters (eg. predator proof corrals, specific herding practices, traditional practices, deterrents, grazing free zones) or minimizing/reducing risk when the encounters occur (eg. releasing individuals immediately, leaving cubs alone, not tampering with livestock carcasses). These include on-ground interventions and need not be published. This section is open to both snow leopards and other wildlife species.
Anecdotes on experiences: This section focuses on snow leopards and includes unpublished material and anecdotal experiences on unusual encounters since 2011. It can include but not limited to incidences of livestock depredation, abandoned cubs, encountering species in unusual habitats. This section does not focus on mitigation strategies but aims to collate stories to develop an understanding of the frequency, types and location of unusual snow leopard encounters.
Key Dates
Abstract Submissions October 15- November 22nd : APPLY HERE
Conference Dates December 6th, 7th, 8th, 2021
At 15:30 Bishkek time Wednesday 8th December, join us for the #EncounterUncia closing ceremony (90 minutes). It will include a live panel discussion (with speakers from the conference partners Panthera, WWF & the Snow Leopard Trust). We will also recognise “outstanding #EncounterUncia Tweet Presentations” during the awards ceremony.
FAQ
What is a Twitter Conference?
A Twitter Conference is a free online event (through twitter!) that brings snow leopard researchers and practitioners together from across the world from the comfort of their office/home/fieldstation. The aim is to encourage communication and collaboration amongst #conservation stakeholders around usual encounter and conflict situations.
What is the hashtag?
The conference hashtag is #EncounterUncia . Please use this hashtag for any Twitter communication related to the 2021 conference.
How do you participate on the day itself?
You or your organization will need a twitter account. You can sign up at https://www.twitter.com if you do not already have an account. After you have setup your account you can search for the hashtag #EncounterUncia (Snow Leopard Encounter Twitter Conference 2021) to see all tweets that relate to the conference. You can then comment, reply, retweet or tweet using the #EncounterUncia. You can also just spectate and follow the interactions by using the hashtag.
The call for presenters will be open from Oct 15 to Nov 15 2021. We encourage individuals or organizations to submit abstracts to 3 themes: Relevant publications, Encounter Anecdotes or Mitigation Strategies. Please see the link here. Once you have submitted your abstract you will be contacted by the Conference Committee. A subset of submission will be invited to present their work using your individual or organization twitter handle on December 6-8th 2021. Presentations will include 3-5 tweets related to the submission. The Conference Committee will communicate more information closer to the Conference date.
Why participate?
Be part of the movement to bring awareness about unusual encounters and encourage stakeholders to handle encounters in a way that minimizes harm to snow leopards and people
Learn about the work being done across the snow leopard range to conserve this elusive species
10 submissions will be selected and awarded “Outstanding” contributions. Your team has the opportunity to submit and be selected.
This session is led by Dr. Rachelle Gould, an Assistant Professor at the University of Vermont. Rachelle will start us off by exploring how conservation education is more than creating awareness, and more than information delivery. The session will discuss how the core goal of conservation education is to develop informed, active citizens who feel empowered to create change. Throughout the session the group will discuss considerations, ideas, and sample learning activities that can help to develop informed, active members of society.
Session 1.1: Introduction to Education Conservation
For this Session we have the pleasure to invite the Land of Snow Leopard (LOSL) Network. LOSL is part of a groundbreaking collaboration between western and indigenous science and has two overriding goals: reviving ancient conservation practices and creating pathways for Indigenous Cultural Practitioners to be coequal partners in research and planning for the conservation of snow leopards.
The network is striving to help the GSLEP governments understand and embrace the snow leopard’s spiritual nature and fundamental place in indigenous practices as well as to share knowledge of the spiritual and cultural importance of these cats and the imperative to embrace this knowledge in securing landscapes for their preservation. LOSL received the Disney Conservation Hero Award in 2020, recognizing local citizens for their commitment to save wildlife, protect habitats, and inspire their communities to take part in conservation efforts. The Snow Leopard Conservancy facilitates Land of Snow Leopard and provides technical and fiscal support. This Session will focus on introducing the indigenous ways of learning and teaching in snow leopard landscapes, with a special focus on two of LOSL’s programs: 1. learning from elders and 2. teaching in nomadic communities.
Session 2.1: Introduction to Land of Snow Leopard (LOSL)
Session 2.2: Aksakals and youth for the snow leopard and its habitat
Session 2.3: Snow Leopard Day in the Altai, Russia
Session 2.4: Nomadic Nature Trunk Program for Mountain Eco-System Conservation
The challenges presented by the current environmental crisis require a diversity of perspectives and capacities to achieve human well-being and biodiversity outcomes that are equitable and just. However, the scientific community is still missing essential perspectives from women scientists.
There is evidence of a large and persistent gender gap across a number of levels. For example, as an indicator of representation, a 2021 study showed that women represented only 11% of the top-publishing authors in over a 1000 leading journals in ecology, evolution, and conservation between 1945 to 2019. In the most recent period (2005-2019) there is progress but slow (18% vs 13% in the 1990-2004 period). Within those figures there remains further underrepresentation of women and scientists from the Global South. The research publication gap in the snow leopard conservation community has not yet been assessed in detail. It may however be facing a similar trend. Women’s contribution to snow leopard science is broader and individuals and organizations are making efforts to empower women scientists across the snow leopard range and world.
In this webinar we will be hearing from women scientists who have been working on snow leopard science – Dr. Bermet Tursunkulova, Imogene Cancellare & Dr. Manvi Sharma – and involved in work that supports women in participation and decision making. They will highlight gaps and challenges they see for women in science and discuss strategies for building scientific capacity and creating a supportive community for snow leopard researchers. Dr. Justine Shanti Alexander, the Executive Director of the Snow Leopard Network, will facilitate the panel discussion. She has been actively involved in snow leopard research and conservation for a number of years and brings further perspectives from the SLN network.
Opening the webinar we first hear from the panelists, each with a five-minute presentation, where they set the context of their work and highlight key issues. This will be followed by the panel discussion facilitated by Dr. Justine Alexander for twenty minutes. This will be followed by an open interaction with the audience. Please bring your ideas and questions with you to the
About our Guests
Dr. Bermet A. Tursunkulova
Dr. Bermet A. Tursunkulova is the Director of Development at the American University of Central Asia and Fundraising and PR Consultant for the Snow Leopard Trust. She is also Associate Professor at the International and Comparative Politics, holding PhD in Political Science from Kyrgyz-Slavonic Russian University and MA degree in International Relations and European studies from Central European University. Dr. Tursunkulova has published in East European Politics, Central Asian Survey, International Higher Education Journal and other. Her research interest focuses on transition politics, electoral politics, color revolutions and politics of globalization.
Apart from her academic career, she has an extensive project coordination and management experience in international educational programs and successful fundraising experience for the II World Nomad Games and the Snow Leopard Trust. She is a former Deputy Minister of Education and Science, she has also served as an Advisor to the Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic. While advising the office of the Prime Minister she was a member of the Taza Koom Working Group to introduce digital reforms and cybersecurity in the country, including advocating for digital skills.
Imogene Cancellare
Imogene Cancellare is a PhD Candidate at the University of Delaware, USA, working with the NGO Panthera on snow leopard genetics. Her research focuses on understanding the ecological and evolutionary patterns that impact snow leopard population connectivity range-wide. She has been involved in many US-based efforts focused on increasing capacity for women in STEM, including science communication on social media, university programs for young women in science, and published research on addressing public stereotypes of scientists.
Dr. Manvi Sharma
Dr. Manvi Sharma is a Research Associate with the Nature Conservation Foundation, India. Her research interests include behavioural ecology and population biology of predator-prey systems. She uses a diverse set of tools to understand the ecological consequences of predator-prey behaviour and movement on population dynamics and disease spread. She is currently based in Bangalore, where she also plays ultimate frisbee for her team.
Date/Time
Tuesday, September 28th, at 17:00-18:15 Bishkek time
If you have never used Zoom before, we recommend that you try the link 10 minutes before the start of the lecture.
Please feel free to write questions in the comment area and there will be time for questions/discussion at the end of the talk.
Please note that the session will be recorded and later featured on the SLN website. If you have concerns about this please let us know before the session.
