Category: Webinar

Over 100 Years of Snow Leopard Research

 

The presenters – Rishi Sharma and Rashmi Singh – have undertaken a review of all published research on snow leopards between 1904 and 2020. The goal was to examine the current state of knowledge across the snow leopard range while identifying spatial and temporal gaps. The findings are striking – bringing together the latest published information. Importantly the presenters will highlight the key gaps in our knowledge which may hamper effective conservation planning and action on the ground. The presenters set out seven key priorities for snow leopard research and conservation. Following the presentation we will open the floor for questions and discussion on snow leopard research priorities for the coming decade(s). 

More about our speakers HERE.

SLN Webinar: Over 100 Years of Snow Leopard Research

Research on or about the snow leopard dates back at least 100 years. It began to intensify in the 1970s and has continued to grow rapidly in the last 10 years. The Snow Leopard Network is pleased to invite to our forthcoming webinar – WWF’s snow leopard specialist Rishi Sharma and fellow author Rashmi Singh. Together they carried out a detailed review of snow leopard published research drawing on Google Scholar and the Snow Leopard Network’s bibliography archive. The presenters will highlight the main directions of thinking which shaped what research and conservation was undertaken over the different periods. They end with a number of questions that researchers and conservationist still face today as we look ahead into the future. 

Do join us for this very interesting applied look back at snow leopard research history and an opportunity to contribute to a lively discussion on the way ahead.

About the Webinar

The presenters – Rishi Sharma and Rashmi Singh – have undertaken a review of all published research on snow leopards between 1904 and 2020. The goal was to examine the current state of knowledge across the snow leopard range while identifying spatial and temporal gaps. The findings are striking – bringing together the latest published information. Importantly the presenters will highlight the key gaps in our knowledge which may hamper effective conservation planning and action on the ground. The presenters set out seven key priorities for snow leopard research and conservation. Following the presentation we will open the floor for questions and discussion on snow leopard research priorities for the coming decade(s). 

About our Guests

Dr. Rishi Kumar Sharma. Born and brought up in a tiny village in the Himalayan foothills, Rishi is fascinated by all things concerning mountains. Rishi has a Master’s degree in Wildlife Science from the Wildlife Institute of India and a PhD in Ecology with a dissertation on snow leopards titled “A multi-scale study of habitat use and abundance of the endangered Snow Leopard “Panthera uncia“. Rishi has 15 years of experience in large carnivore research and conservation primarily tigers and snow leopards. He is currently the Science & Policy Lead for WWF’s Snow Leopard Conservation Program. He is passionate about finding solutions to conservation problems in High Asia by blending ecology, social sciences and the traditional community wisdom. His primary interests include carnivore ecology, animal behaviour, conservation biology and human dimensions of conservation.

Rashmi Singh is a PhD Scholar at the School of Human Ecology, Ambedkar University and Associate Editor for Pastoralism– research, policy and practice Journal. Her PhD work explores the politics of rangeland conservation in the Himalaya using an interdisciplinary approach. Her primary interest areas include research in the disciplines of pastoral studies, rangeland conservation and animal geography. Her ongoing research has highlighted the importance of including pastoralists in the policy formulation, conservation, and management of rangelands. She got interested in the fascinating world of snow leopards due to spirited discussion on “human snow leopard relationships” with Rishi, her partner. She is particularly interested in understanding the social dimension of Snow leopard conservation. She is intrigued by pastoral indigenous knowledge system and believes that long term regional studies are crucial for reconciling pastoral livelihood and rangeland conservation goals.

 

Ravneesh Singh/WWF-India

Date/Time

Tuesday, June 8th, 2021; 17:00- 18:00 India time

Location

ZOOM, to join this talk,   REGISTER HERE

Please note

  • 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. 

Snow Leopard Individual Identification- Increasing precision in camera-trap abundance estimates?

SLN welcomes its Steering Committee member Orjan Johansson who introduces a recent publication on the scope of potential mis-identifications errors in camera trap data processing. He also shares the latest thinking on investigating this challenge further.

Orjan is joined by Abinand Reddy, David Borchers, Justine Shanti Alexander, Koustubh Sharma, Manvi Sharma and Paul van Dam-Bates as Panelists. Each panelist share their experiences and insights on snow leopard camera trapping and the tools that are being developed to address concerns with individual identification. We hope that this workshop will help share good practices and recommendations for improving individual identification.  

This Webinar is offered thanks to GSLEP‘s support. Find out more about the Workshop and the Speakers HERE.

SLN Workshop: Snow Leopard Individual Identification- Increasing precision in camera-trap abundance estimates?

Identifying snow leopards by their spot patterns is crucial for assessing their populations. However snow leopards can be misidentified. Current analytical frameworks, such as the spatial capture recapture or the now retired (conventional) capture recapture methods, assume full confidence in the individual ID data being used for analysis. Misidentifying individuals can thus bias snow leopard abundance estimates depending on the type of misidentification error. Teams across the snow leopard range and world are working to find approaches that address these limitations. 

This workshop aims to highlight how errors in snow leopard identification is a concern and ways that such errors can be minimised. This will include the presentation of recommendations to improve individual identification from camera trap images. We will also  cover on-going and future developments in statistical ecology that could address this uncertainty analytically.

SLN welcomes its Steering Committee member Orjan Johansson who will introduce a recent publication on the scope of potential mis identifications errors in camera trap data processing. He will also share the latest thinking on investigating this challenge further. Orjan will be joined by Abinand Reddy, David Borchers, Justine Shanti Alexander, Koustubh Sharma, Manvi Sharma and Paul van Dam-Bates as Panelists. Each panelist will share their experiences and insights on snow leopard camera trapping and the tools that are being developed to address concerns with individual identification. We hope that this workshop will help share good practices and recommendations for improving individual identification.  

About the Workshop

Reliable assessments of snow leopard populations are key for their conservation. A recent paper (Johansson et al. 2020) points to frequent errors in identifying individuals and highlights how even small errors can inflate population abundance estimates.

Snow leopards can be misidentified as their spot patterns may not be easily recognized when their thick fur gets ruffled or when their body is photographed at different angles. Identification becomes even more difficult with blurry images associated with slow shutter speeds in low light or an animal’s rapid movements. A large number of photographs of different individuals can also lead to observer fatigue and subsequent errors in the identification process. Johansson et al. (2020) reported that observers tended to identify more individuals than were actually captured leading to inflated estimates. Current Capture Recapture models assume complete accuracy in the identification of individuals. These methods estimate the probability with which some individuals may never get captured during a camera trapping exercise and this allows reliable and replicable estimates of the population being surveyed. However misidentifying individuals can bias abundance estimates depending on the type of misidentification error. Improving the individual identification of snow leopards with artificial intelligence, and building uncertainties in the identification process into later statistical models, are both challenges that are at the cutting edge of research efforts. It is necessary to minimize the misidentification of animals through careful scrutiny, transparent reporting, and skills development and assessment. 

The workshop aims to outline a few tools and recommendations. Orjan will start with presenting the key findings from the study and highlight possible sources of error and what to look out for. Our guest Panelists will then share recommendations for reducing errors and introduce analytical approaches that may help support teams. We will then open the discussion for ways to improve camera-trapping surveys. 

About our Guests

Abinand Reddy is a PhD student at the Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, St Andrews. He is interested in developing and applying quantitative methods to inform conservation. His PhD research currently revolves around extending SCR models for better estimates of snow leopard densities.

David Borchers is a distinguished academic  at the University of St Andrews, with more than 30 years experience developing and applying statistical methods to address problems in ecology. His current main research interests focus on spatial capture-recapture and related methods.

Justine Shanti Alexander is the Executive Director of the Snow Leopard Network and the Regional Ecologist for the Snow Leopard Trust. She supports snow leopard research and conservation work across China, Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan and India. She also provides technical and coordination support to the GSLEP PAWS effort across range countries.

Koustubh Sharma is the International Coordinator of the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program (GSLEP) and a Senior Regional Ecologist at the Snow Leopard Trust. With nearly 20 years of experience in ecological research, wildlife conservation and training, he helps build collaborations and coordinate alliances and at multiple levels for snow leopard research and conservation.

Manvi Sharma is a Research Associate with the Nature Conservation Foundation, India. Her research interests include behavioral ecology, population ecology, and evolutionary ecology. She is working on the project on population assessment of snow leopards and their prey in India.

Orjan Johansson is a senior conservation scientist at the Snow Leopard Trust. His research evolves mainly around snow leopard ecology and behaviour. Orjan devotes a lot of his time to a snow leopard study in Mongolia. 

Paul van Dam-Bates is a PhD student in statistics at the University of St Andrews working with David Borchers and Michail Papathomas on latent ID spatial capture-recapture methods for camera traps and acoustic recorders. Prior to this, Paul did a masters in statistics at the University of Victoria, worked as a statistician for the Department of Conservation in New Zealand and was a statistical consultant for Ecofish Research Ltd.

Date/Time

Tuesday, May 11th, 2021; 14:00-15:15 Bishkek time (1h15min)

Location

ZOOM, to join this talk,  REGISTER HERE

Please note

  • 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. 

Snow Leopard Conservation in Wakhan, Afghanistan

SLN is pleased to welcome Mr. Sorosh Poya Faryabi and Dr. Eve Bohnett for this special Country Update. The Wakhan Corridor is a narrow strip of isolated high mountain terrain in the far northeast of Afghanistan. The landscape is situated in the western part of the snow leopard range, linking with Pakistan, Tajikistan and China. WCS Afghanistan in close partnership with the government of Afghanistan, has collated critical information about snow leopards in Wakhan through camera trapping and collaring. It also continues implement with district authorities varied community-based conservation action in this extremely remote part of the country.

About the talk

This webinar provides an overview of recent snow leopard conservation efforts in the Wakhan National Park (WNP), a 10,950km2 GSLEP designated ‘priority landscape’ in Afghanistan. The National Park is situated at the junction of the Pamir, Hindu Kush and Karakoram mountain ranges. WNP is co-managed by communities and the national government as an IUCN Category VI protected area. Since 2006 it has received contributions from numerous bilateral donors for conservation actions undertaken by the government, with the technical support of WCS. This region hosts the core of the snow leopard population in Afghanistan.

Mr. Sorosh Poya Faryabi, Conservation and Science Manager for WCS Afghanistan, provides an update on the status of snow leopards in the country. It starts off with the history of WCS engagement in snow leopard conservation in the country, followed by an overview of conservation efforts to protect snow leopards in WNP. Dr. Eve Bohnett then describes the population assessment approach and associated challenges the team has experienced in identifying snow leopard individuals with artificial intelligence in the Wakhan. Finally, the presenters look ahead and share ideas for the future development for snow leopard monitoring in the country.  

This presentation is a tribute to the People of Wakhan who provide snow leopards a safe haven in their area.

Find out more about our speakers HERE.

Snow leopards in Nepal: Satellite Telemetry Update

SLN welcomes Samundra Subba and Sheren Shrestha from WWF Nepal in this further update from teams working in Nepal. Orjan Johansson – SLN Steering Committee member and also a specialist on snow leopard collaring- will joins us as facilitator.

About the talks

Ensuring the long term viability of snow leopards (Panthera uncia) across large human dominated landscapes requires an understanding of its spatial ecology and movement behavior. In the first section of the talk, Samundra Subba presents preliminary findings of the first ever GPS telemetry study by the Nepal government in the western and eastern snow leopard landscapes, and supported by WWF. The speakers give insights into what was found regarding the snow leopard’s spatial range and movement patterns, including transboundary travel to India and China.

In a second section, Sheren Shrestha describes how the collaring research is blended with community knowlege to strengthen conservation efforts. While modern science and technology has helped us understand the elusive snow leopards better, many conservation solutions find basis in traditional and community knowledge. Sheren will furthermore outline how their project supports the Nepal government to find solutions that benefit both snow leopards and communities in the Himalayas, with focus on Shey Phoksundo National Park in western Nepal.

Find out more about our speakers HERE.

Country Update: Snow Leopard Conservation in Wakhan, Afghanistan

SLN is pleased to welcome the WCS Afghanistan team for this special Country Update. The Wakhan Corridor is a narrow strip of isolated high mountain terrain in the far northeast of Afghanistan. The landscape is situated in the western part of the snow leopard range, linking with Pakistan, Tajikistan and China. WCS in close partnership with the government of Afghanistan, has collated critical information about snow leopards in Wakhan through camera trapping and collaring. It also continues implement with district authorities varied community-based conservation action in this extremely remote part of the country.

Do welcome Mr. Sorosh Poya Faryabi and Dr. Eve Bohnett and join us to listen to this very interesting presentation and discussion.

Camera trap photo of a female snow leopard with her two grown-up cubs in Ween Sar, Shikargah Valley, Wakhan National Park, Badakhshan Province, June 2020, ©WCS, UNDP-GEF and EU project

About the talk

This webinar provides an overview of recent snow leopard conservation efforts in the Wakhan National Park (WNP), a 10,950km2 GSLEP designated ‘priority landscape’ in Afghanistan. The National Park is situated at the junction of the Pamir, Hindu Kush and Karakoram mountain ranges. WNP is co-managed by communities and the national government as an IUCN Category VI protected area. Since 2006 it has received contributions from numerous bilateral donors for conservation actions undertaken by the government, with the technical support of WCS. This region hosts the core of the snow leopard population in Afghanistan.

Mr. Sorosh Poya Faryabi, Conservation and Science Manager for WCS Afghanistan, will provide an update on the status of snow leopards in the country. This will start off with the history of WCS engagement in snow leopard conservation in the country, followed by an overview of conservation efforts to protect snow leopards in WNP. Dr. Eve Bohnett will describe the population assessment approach and associated challenges the team has experienced in identifying snow leopard individuals with artificial intelligence in the Wakhan. Finally, the presenters will look ahead and share ideas for the future development for snow leopard monitoring in the country.  

This presentation is a tribute to the People of Wakhan who provide snow leopards a safe haven in their area.

Predator Proofing household corrals windows and doors Ftur and Kushnikhan villages of Wakhan National Park, Wakhan National Park, Badakhshan Province, September 2020, ©Amruddin Sanjer, UNDP-GEF and EU project
Snow leopard ranger team practicing data collection on the SMART mobile CyberTracker app, Wakhan, Badakhshan province, 26th November 2020, © Ali Madad Rajabi, UNDP-GEF Project.

About our Guests

Mr. Sorosh Poya-Faryabi joined WCS Afghanistan as Training Education and Outreach Adviser (2013- 2015) and was then promoted to the position of Conservation and Science Manager (2017). In this role, Sorosh oversees the overall implementation of conservation science actions for WCS in Afghanistan and particularly in the Wakhan National Park, which hosts the core population of snow leopards in the country. Before joining WCS, Sorosh worked as a programme officer at the Asia Foundation and was a member of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. Sorosh received a M.Eng from the University of York in 2008 and a MPhil in conservation from the University of Cambridge in 2016.

Dr. Eve Bohnett is currently a contractor with WCS Afghanistan and a postdoctoral research fellow at San Diego State University, USA. Her interests include statistical ecology, teaching data science skills, conservation planning, and environmental governance. Eve received her Ph.D. from the University of Florida (2016-2020). Her dissertation research focused on spatio-temporal modelling for assessing landscape biodiversity and species distributions for birds and mammals using occupancy modelling and machine learning. Eve also received a M.Sc. from Wildlife Institute at Beijing Forestry University (2012-2015) while participating in research for wild felid and large mammal survey methods, mostly camera trapping study design and analysis. Her favourite hobbies are singing/song writing, studying Chinese, and traveling to pilgrimage places.

Participatory management planning: Wakhan district governor discussing the Wakhan National Parks management plan with Kyrgyz community in Siki village of Little Pamir, , Wakhan National Park, Badakhshan Province, August 2020, © Abdul Akbari, UNDP-GEF and EU Project.

Date/Time:Tuesday, 30th March, 2021; 17:00 Afghanistan Time (AFT)

Location: ZOOM, to join this talk,  REGISTER HERE

Please note

  • 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. 
Counting a flock of sheep and goats in Big Pamir, Wakhan National Park, Badakhshan Province, September 2020, © Ali Madad Rajabi, UNDP-GEF and EU Project.

Module 10: Conservation Communication

The Snow Leopard Network (SLN) and Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program (GSLEP) are pleased to launch a Snow Leopard Conservation Communication Module. This module seeks to bring together resource persons from around the snow leopard range and wider world, to discuss approaches for communications regarding the conservation of snow leopards. The focus in this instance will be on effective communications with decision makers, journalists, donors and the general public.  

About the module

Communications may mean different things to different people. In the introductory session, we will to start by encouraging you to ask yourself some of the fundamental questions about communication: What are you trying to achieve, who are you trying to reach and why, and what you would like your audience to do as a result of your attempt at communicating. 

We will then share knowledge and stimulate conversations about various communications strategies and techniques; i.e.,discuss how to identify and reach your target audiences and how to maximise the communications channels that are available to you; raise questions about ethics and talk about messaging and storytelling.

Some of the questions we hope to discuss during the module include: how can we use communications to inspire action? How do we use images effectively and ethically? How do we ensure that the language we use is inclusive and empowering? How do we shift narratives about conservation from problems to solutions, (and why is this shift important)? How do we report back to donors and funding partners in a way that inspires them to continue their support? We are also keen to make this module as useful as possible – so please share your priorities when you sign up for the module and we will try to accommodate them to the best of our abilities.

This Module is aimed at practitioners working in the field of communicating conservation. We hope that the sessions will be interactive and draw upon participants’ experiences and ideas. It will also help shape future thinking and practice around communication for conservation. The Snow Leopard Network is partnering with GSLEP to offer this module and hopes to use the outcomes as a foundation for future initiatives.

Outline Schedule

Session 1: Introduction to Communications – what, why, how, to whom? 

Session 2: The Photographic Image, Ethics & Storytelling

Session 3: Communications & Advocacy

Session 4: Communicating solutions & towards a toolkit

Photo by Behzad Larry

Meet the Resource Team

Behzad Larry is the CEO of Voygr Expeditions and a founding member of the High Asia Habitat Fund. An avid explorer, Behzad specializes in documenting the remote reaches of the world. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) and a Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society.

Dr. Bermet Tursunkulova is the Director of Development and Associate Professor in Political Science at the American University in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic. She is also a part-time PR and Fundraising Consultant for SLT/SLKF. She holds a PhD in Political Science, she is a former Advisor to the Prime-Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic.

Julia Migne is the Director of Conservation Optimism, a global community dedicated to sharing stories and resources to empower people from all backgrounds to make a positive impact for wildlife and nature. She specialises in science communication and outreach and loves sharing conservation success stories. Julia is also the co-founder of the international media platform INKLINE.

Dr. Koustubh Sharma is the International Coordinator of the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program and a Senior Regional Ecologist with the Snow Leopard Trust. He holds a PhD in Wildlife Zoology from Mumbai University, and a Masters degree in Physics. He is particularly passionate about communicating science and conservation with the public. 

Matthias Fiechter is a Media & Communications Officer at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), where he works primarily with news and science journalists to get nature conservation stories covered in the press. Before, Matt worked for 7 years as the Communications Manager at Snow Leopard Trust, where he produced communications content for audiences including donors, supporters and partners.

Prasenjeet Yadav is a molecular ecologist turned National Geographic Photographer focusing on wildlife and science stories. Early in his scientific career, he realized that his real passion lay in storytelling. He now combines his experience in research with his photography skills to popularize ecological and conservation sciences in the wider society. He is currently working on a story for National Geographic Magazine in Indian Himalayas.

This module will be supported by SLN and GSLEP’s Justine Shanti Alexander, Ranjini Murali and Rakhee Karumbaya.

Criteria for participation

  • Snow Leopard Network Members
  • Non Snow Leopard Network Members are also encouraged to apply
  • Confirmed availability to attend all the four online seminars of a given module
  • Number of participants is limited to 20-30

Planned Schedule

  • 2 hour online Zoom Seminars take place every Wednesday of the month, April 2021 (4 Seminars; March 31st, April 7th, 14th, 21st 2021) at 14:00- 16:00 Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan time
  • Please note we encourage participants to attend the complete set of Seminars as they are interconnected and build on each other
  • Please note that all sessions will be recorded and later featured on the SLN website. If you have concerns about this please let us know. 

Applications

  • Applications close Wednesday, March 24th, 2021. 
  • Please note places are limited so please do not delay in applying.
  • Applications Closed

Snow leopards in Nepal: Satellite Telemetry Update

WWF Nepal/Rocky Prajapati
WWF Nepal/Rocky Prajapati

This webinar shares the latest preliminary findings on collared snow leopards in Nepal. SLN aims to continue to highlight the multiple approaches teams across the range are using to study and conserve snow leopard populations. Nepal was the first country to conduct telemetry work on snow leopards back in early 1980s. This Country Update captures how telemetry continues to be used in the country, now using GPS technology. Our speakers also highlight how telemetry results are being linked to community knowledge and conservation action on the ground. 

SLN welcomes Samundra Subba and Sheren Shrestha from WWF Nepal in this further update from teams working in Nepal. Orjan Johansson – SLN Steering Committee member and also a specialist on snow leopard collaring- will be joining us as facilitator. Do join us for this interesting Webinar and the discussion that follows- your views will enrich the session!

WWF Nepal/Rocky Prajapati

About the talks

Ensuring the long term viability of snow leopards (Panthera uncia) across large human dominated landscapes requires an understanding of its spatial ecology and movement behavior. In the first section of the talk, Samundra Subba will present preliminary findings of the first ever GPS telemetry study by the Nepal government in the western and eastern snow leopard landscapes, and supported by WWF. The speakers will give insights into what was found regarding the snow leopard’s spatial range and movement patterns, including transboundary travel to India and China.

In a second section, Sheren Shrestha will describe how the collaring research is blended with community knowlege to strengthen conservation efforts. While modern science and technology has helped us understand the elusive snow leopards better, many conservation solutions find basis in traditional and community knowledge. Sheren will furthermore outline how their project supports the Nepal government to find solutions that benefit both snow leopards and communities in the Himalayas, with focus on Shey Phoksundo National Park in western Nepal.

About our speakers

WWF Nepal/Rocky Prajapati

Samundra Subba is currently working as a Research Officer at WWF Nepal. He has a Master’s degree in Conservation Biology from Lund University, Sweden, and has been working in Nepalese landscape researching and conserving large carnivores – snow leopard and tiger, over the past eight years. During his tenure with WWF, Samundra has supported numerous research interventions on these carnivores, including satellite telemetry of snow leopards in east and west Nepal.

WWF Nepal/Rocky Prajapati

Sheren Shrestha is Senior Program Officer with the Wildlife Programs of WWF Nepal. He has managed the snow leopard conservation program for WWF Nepal since 2016. He has a post-graduate degree in Environmental Sciences, and has previously worked with two premier wildlife organizations in India. His special interest includes human-wildlife conflict management focusing on strengthening community awareness and mobilization. He enjoys writing, traveling, photography, singing-songwriting and making video documentaries on conservation and social issues.

Date/Time: March 17th 2021; 6:30 PM Kathmandu, Nepal

Location: ZOOM, to join this talk,  REGISTER HERE

Please note:

  • If you have never used Zoom before, we recommend that you try the link 10 minutes before the start of the Webinar.
  • 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. 
WWF Nepal/Rocky Prajapati

Snow leopard & Tibetan brown bear conservation and research

 

In this first webinar of 2021 we travel to the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau with a young team of researchers who are looking at snow leopard conservation from a wider perspective- and considering other large mammals. We are pleased to welcome Charlotte Hacker and Dr. Yunchuan Dai who discuss Tibetan brown bear and snow leopard research and conservation in China. Our speakers give a particular focus to how these carnivores co-exist with humans and varying land use patterns- highlight key conservation messages and learnings.