Snow Leopard Survival Strategy - Panthera

1997. Cougar predation on bighorn sheep in
southwestern Alberta during winter. Canadian
Journal of Zoology 75(5):771-775.
Sunde, P. and T. Kvam. 1997. Diet patterns of Eurasian
lynx Lynx lynx: What causes sexually determined
prey size segregation? Acta Theriologica
42(2):189-201.
R.8 Prey species distribution and “hot spots”:
As with snow leopards themselves, the distribution
and abundance of the cat’s primary prey is poorly documented
over much of the range. Some records exist but
have not been collected in a uniform fashion and reported
in the literature. Historic and current records need to be
retrieved and analyzed. This will allow surveys to be
designed to fill in gaps or update our knowledge.
Potential Methods
• Review literature and develop an habitat model for
each snow leopard preys species
• Use the standardized SLIMS protocol to collect data
on prey sightings.
• Develop a prey distribution database (analogous to
SLIMS) with a standardized way of recording data.
Case Studies
Anon. 1997. Status and distributions of Caprinae by
region: China, the Commonwealth of Independent
States, and Mongolia. Pages 148-203 in Shackleton,
D. M. editor. Wild sheep and goats and their relatives.
Status survey and conservation action plan for Caprinae.
IUCN. Gland. Switzerland.
Anon. 1997. Status and distributions of Caprinae
by region: Indo-Himalayan Region. Pages 204-263
in Shackleton, D. M. editor. Wild sheep and goats and
their relatives. Status survey and conservation action
plan for Caprinae. IUCN. Gland. Switzerland
R.9 Prey population baseline and trends:
As above (R.8), prey trends and causes of change
must be determined. Baseline population estimates
should immediately be gained for at least the most critical
snow leopard areas and all snow leopard containing
protected areas. This will allow long-term trend monitoring
to begin.
Potential Methods
• Based on R.8 conduct surveys where information is
lacking or unreliable.
• In key selected areas conduct regular surveys to monitor
trends over years.
Case Studies
Fox, J. L. and R. M. Jackson. 2002. Blue sheep and
snow leopards in Bhutan and trans-Himalayan
Nepal: recent status evaluations and their application
to research and conservation. Page 64 in T. M.
McCarthy and J. Weltzin, editors Contributed Papers
to the Snow Leopard Survival Strategy Summit. International
Snow Leopard Trust, Seattle, Washington,
USA. Available at http://www.snowleopard.org/sln/
Harris, R. B., D. H. Pletscher, C. O. Loggers and D. J.
Miller. 1999. Status and trends of Tibetan plateau
mammalian fauna, Yeniugou, China. Biological
Conservation 87(1): 13-19.
Reading, R. P., S. Amgalanbaatar, H. Mix and B.
Lhagvasuren. 1997. Argali Ovis ammon surveys
in Mongolia’s south Gobi. Oryx 31(4): 285-294.
R.10 Dynamics of illegal ungulate hunting (sources,
local need, uses, trade, etc.):
Wild ungulates are hunted both illegally and legally
across much of snow leopard range. We lack a clear
synopsis of the extent of both types of activities. Conservation
planning for snow leopards and prey can not be
accomplished without an understanding of the potential
impacts of ungulate and small mammal (marmot) hunting
on prey populations.
Potential Methods
• Record prey poaching events on a systematical basis,
in parallel to snow leopard poaching investigation
(use existing available bodies).
• Develop a standardized framework to document
poaching cases (use specific data such as measurements
to get information on prey population). Train
people to record adequately.
• Incorporate poaching cases into national and range
wide database to identify patterns of prey poaching.
Case Studies
IFAW and WTI. 2001. Wrap up the trade: an international
campaign to save the endangered Tibetan
antelope. International Fund for Animal Welfare,
Yarmouth Port, MA, USA and Wildlife Trust of India,
Delhi, India. 80 pp.
Milner-Gulland, E. J., M. V. Kholodova, A. Bekenov,
O. M. Bukreeva, I. A. Grachev, L. Amgalan and A.
A. Lushchekina. 2001. Dramatic declines in saiga
antelope populations. Oryx 35(4): 340-345.
R.11 Dynamics of legal ungulate harvest and baseline
statistics (sex/age, effort, trophy size, etc.):
In many cases where ungulate hunting is legal, limited
records are kept, or potentially valuable data is not
collected at the time of the hunt. Legal trophy and meat
hunting is a valuable source of demographic data on ungulate
populations, but is overlooked. Governments and
resource managers need to be provided with examples of
best methods for collecting, storing and analyzing these
data. Historic records need to be collected and assessed.
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