Photographer Steve Winter’s snow leopard photographs currently on display in London
December 1, 2009
Story behind the picture: Snow Leopard, 2008
Photographer Steve Winter on his candid picture of the elusive cat
The editor of National Geographic asked its photographers: “What would be your dream project?” I wrote “snow leopards”. I’d read a book about them years before I started photographing animals. We did a recce in
HP to protect endangered snow leopards in the state
This story is from the Chennai Online Jul 02, 2009
The state government has submitted a Rs 1.40-crore project to the Centre for the protection and conservation of the endangered snow leopards in Himachal Pradesh,
According to a 2003 census report, there were only 35 snow leopards in the state. The animal is found in high altitude regions in Lahual and Spiti district.
This project for 2009-10 has been formulated after reviewing progress of the ongoing activities of the forest department at Spiti, an official release said.
A management policy was being formulated for the protected area in Spiti valley, which would also help in protecting the wild life, the minister said.
Capturing the elusive cat
Ashwin Aghor / DNA
Dolpo conservationist awarded
Kantipur Report
DOLPA, April 22 – World Wild Fund (WWF) Nepal has presented this year’s Abraham Conservation Award to Tashi Gyaltsen Lama of Saldang VDC-9, Dolpa.
Lama was awarded in recognition to his works in the conservation of wildlife and their habitat.
Lama has long been working for the conservation of forest and wildlife, especially the endangered snow leopard.
He was awarded with certificate along with a purse of Rs. 25,000.
Posted on: 2009-04-22 07:47:11 (Server Time)
http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?nid=190607
The Dalai Lama has called for an end to illegal wildlife trafficking between Nepal, Tibet, India and China
The Dalai Lama has called for an end to illegal wildlife trafficking between
He is appealing to exiled Tibetans, who are increasingly involved in the bloody trade, to remember their dedication to Buddhist non-violence.
Last year, Tibetan officials intercepted 32 tiger, 579 leopard and 665 otter skins in one single shipment.
This prompted the Dalai Lama and a pair of wildlife charities to launch an awareness drive around the
“We Tibetans are basically Buddhists, we preach love and compassion towards all other living beings on Earth,” said the exiled Tibetan leader. “Therefore, it is the responsibility of all of us to realise the importance of wildlife conservation. We must realise that because of our follies a large number of our animals are getting killed.”
The Dalai Lama is working with the charities Care for the Wild International (CWI), from the
The team plan to make videos and leaflets which they will take to Tibetan refugee settlements around
“Thousands will be reached in this way,” said Barbara Maas of CWI. “Eventually, we hope to reach every single one – we will go to schools, we will go to refugee camps, we will go to villages.”
Urgent action
Dr Maas says the project has a sense of urgency because illegal wildlife trading is set to get worse, thanks to a new train line being constructed between the old Tibetan capital of
This new transport link will make things easier for poachers wishing to shift animal body parts.
“You can imagine what will happen when the train link opens,” said Dr Maas. “So we are trying to pour water on the flames as they are at the moment and also take pre-emptive action.”
Other charities are in strong support of this new initiative.
“Our own investigation has shown that Tibetans are heavily involved in the organised smuggling of tiger and leopard skins between India and Tibet, and that Tibet is a major market and distribution point for these skins,” said Debbie Banks, of the Environmental Investigation Agency.
“We are encouraged that the Dalai Lama is taking action on this serious issue and hope that his message helps to prevent this disgusting trade from spiralling further out of control.”
CWI claims that the illegal wildlife trade is devastating populations of endangered Himalayan and sub-Himalayan wildlife such as tigers, leopards, snow leopards, otters and bears.
Many of these animal body parts head for
Wildlife organisations have long worried about this sad pilgrimage, but few have appealed to people’s religious sensibilities to prevent it.
The Dalai Lama carries enormous weight, especially with Tibetans living in exile, so his voice is likely to be heard.
“It is in the Pali and Sanskrit tradition to show love and compassion for all living beings,” he said at a press conference in
“We must realise that because of our follies a large number of our animals are getting killed and we must stop this.”
Loud voice
The CWI is under no illusion about the importance of the Dalai Lama backing the campaign.
“This campaign starts and ends with him,” said Dr Maas. “If it was just us saying: ‘Oh please don’t do it’, I’m not sure it would do much good. But His Holiness will make all the difference.”
Underpinning the whole campaign is the hope that, in the end, people all over the world will want to save endangered species not because we can benefit from them financially, but because it is wrong to kill them.
The Dalai Lama said: “Today more than ever before life must be characterised by a sense of universal responsibility not only nation to nation and human to human, but also human to other forms of life.”
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/science/nature/4415929.stm
Published: 2005/04/06 14:58:32 GMT
© BBC MMIX
Tiger pugmarks seen at 10,000 feet
From The Times of
2 Apr 2009, 0938 hrs IST, IANS
GANGTOK: Pugmarks of a Royal Bengal Tiger have been found in the snow at an altitude of 10,000 feet in the Himalayas near Jelepla in eastern
Officials called it a rare discovery, since tigers are usually found in the plains and almost never above 6,000 feet.
The latest pugmarks were photographed March 27 in the Ganek-Lungto area in eastern
Tiger pugmarks were last officially recorded at this altitude in
Legshey said forest officials were on a routine patrol when they found the pugmarks on the snow in the northeastern part of the Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary in
The team then recorded the altitude of the pugmark site using the Global Positioning System. They also measured the pugmarks and photographed it, he added.
“The pugmarks measure 19 cm long and 17 cm wide with a stride of around 110 cm,” Legshey said, adding that a subsequent study confirmed the pugmarks as being those of a Royal Bengal Tiger.
He added that the trail of around 70 metres (of the animal’s track) resembled that of a tiger on a “normal walk”. The team then followed the track from Ganek to Devithan from where the terrain became too steep to follow.
“After making necessary arrangements at the site, we came down to Zuluk from where it was possible to catch the mobile telecom network and informed our superiors of our find. Immediately, a team from WWF-India, Sikkim Programme Office, led by Partho Ghosh, a tiger expert, left for the site and conducted necessary studies on the spot,” Legshey said.
“After interviews with local residents and senior officials, it was presumed that the animal is a female,” he added.
The residents in the area heard tiger roars in the past and also came across carcasses
of yaks and goats killed by the animal, Legshey said.
He said the tiger might have crossed into
Currently, a team of forest officials is camping at Zuluk to monitor and alert the villagers, police and defence personnel about the probable presence of a tiger in their midst.
Meanwhile, forest officials have urged the local residents not to harm the animal even if it attacks livestock, and assured appropriate compensation in case of an attack.
Tigers have been reported to prowl in the forests of Lachen and Lachung in northern
Project Snow Leopard Launched
Project Snow Leopard Launched 20 January 2009
Innovative Conservation Project for Indian High Altitudes
Project Operational in Five Himalayan States viz. Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh,
Thiru S. Regupathy said that Project Snow Leopard is a manifestation of the Government of India’s resolve to conserve biodiversity with community participation. To give it the same status of importance in the high altitude as that of Tiger in the terrestrial landscape, the ministry is launching the Project Snow Leopard in the country from today. Releasing a document on Project Snow Leopard here today, Mr Regupathy said that Snow Leopard is globally endangered species as well as the most important flagship species of the mountain region. They are at the apex of ecological pyramid suffer the most on account of relatively smaller population size and also because of man-animal conflict. This situation further gets aggravated by the hostile landscape forming its habitat. Referring to its globally endangered species status as well as the most important flagship species of the mountain region, the Minister informed that Snow Leopard has been included in the list of species under Recovery Programme to be funded through the umbrella scheme of integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats. Giving details of there habitat, Sh S Regupathy said there are more than 26 protected areas in the Himalayan landscape where snow leopard is reported. However, areas outside protected areas are equally important for a long range species like Snow Leopard.
Considering these facts, Sh Regupathy added that
The biodiversity of the Himalayans includes at least 350 species of mammals, 1200 species of birds, species of amphibians and reptiles, and numerous plants including many with medicinal properties. Over 335 species of wild relatives of cultivated crops are also found in the region. There are numerous biologically important wetlands that form breeding grounds for waterfowl. These areas also provide vital ecosystem services that are important for the dense human populations downstream and in the Indo-Gengetic plans.
The project will be operational in five Himalayan States viz. Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh,
The project stresses on a landscape approach to conservation wherein smaller core zones with relatively conservation values will be identified and conserved with support and the larger landscape will be managed in such a way that it allows necessary development benefits to the local communities. The project thus places greater importance to careful and knowledge-based management planning of the landscapes. The adaptive management planning will involve participation of all key stakeholders so that action is taken by incorporating local wisdom and support. For facilitating effective planning and action, the project will set up enabling administrative mechanisms from the village duster level to the Central Government. At the Central level, a Steering Committee chaired by Director General of Forests & Special Secretary to the Government of India will help guide the project. Each State will have a State Snow Leopard Conservation Society that will coordinate work by the Landscape-level Implementation Committees, which in turn will coordinate work by the village Wildlife Conservation Committees.
The Project Snow Leopard is an Innovative project that would help to arrest species declines in the Indian high altitudes and would lead to conservation based on sound scientific plans and local support. Species such as Snow Leopard, Asiatic Ibex, Tibetan Argali, Ladakh Urial, Chiru, Takin, Serow and Musk Deer will particularly benefit from this project.
http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=46855
Seminar Announcement: The Challenge of Development in Energy-related Projects and Climate Change Adaptation Strategies in the Cold Regions of Asia
Solidarity), an international French NGO specialised in energy and climate change issues, is organising a regional seminar on ‘The Challenge of Development in Energy-related Projects and Climate Change Adaptation Strategies in the Cold Regions of Asia’, to be held from April 21 to 24 2009 in Leh, Ladakh, Jammu&Kashmir, India. Should you wish to contribute(abstracts will be received until 2 February 2009) or participate, kindly visit our website on http://india.geres.eu/seminar.php for more details and registration.
If you need any financial support, you may request it and your demand will be reviewed by the organizing committee during the month of February.
For more information:
http://india.geres.eu/seminar.php
Download the official brochure
http://india.geres.eu/docs/seminar.pdf
Mr. Vincent Stauffer
v.stauffer@geres.eu
Country Representative
Dr. Charudutt Mishra, Snow Leopard Trust Science and Conservation Director, awarded the 2009 Khoshoo Memorial Award in Conservation
SLN Member and Snow Leopard Trust Science and Conservation Director Dr. Charudutt Mishra was recently recognized for his excellence in conservation work by the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment (ATREE) in
Congratulations! For more information on this prestigious award, please see: http://www.atree.org/tnk_ma_08.html