towards project snow leopard - Nature Conservation Foundation

58 • Appendix 1
and often circuitous route when it is too late for any activity. There are too many
procedural bottlenecks and stringent and lengthy financial guidelines.
2.2.5. Lack of funds for research-based activities: The Department is best placed to undertake
long-term monitoring and research activities relating to conservation. This needs a
relatively small, but continued allocation so that within the department, the activities
are sustained.
2.3. Infrastructure
One way to suitably mitigate the problems of remoteness and a harsh climate is to have
staff that is well equipped with good infrastructure to perform. The facilities that are largely
lacking are:
2.3.1. Lack of communication infrastructure: connected through mobile phones, and wireless
sets.
2.3.2. Lack of mobility: in terms of pack animals with no facility for hiring them.
2.3.3. Lack of good camping equipment, clothes, boots, sleeping bags, and haversacks.
2.3.4. Lack of staff quarters and guest houses with passive solar insulation for high altitudes.
2.3.5. Lack of binoculars, GPS, ADIGital cameras, video cameras, maps, topo-sheets.
2.4. Ecological and Information Constraints
2.4.1. Lack of coordination and information sharing with research agencies: The area is rich in
terms of its biological resources. There are some Government and Non-Governmental
agencies that have been working in the state, but mostly without any coordination.
Further the relevant information is not shared with the state forest department.
2.4.2. Lack of carrying capacity studies (pastoralism, tourism): For regulating both grazing
pressures and tourism activities, it is important to have some figures for permissible
limits of entry/use. This information needs to be generated using the best accepted
techniques in order to guide conservation in the state.
2.4.3. Lack of information on wildlife ecology: There is little or no information on the ecology
of most wild animals of the region, including on endangered species.
2.4.4. Lack of wildlife intelligence, poaching, trade, trapping, wildlife casualties, and
persecution: With the lack of this information, it becomes very difficult for taking
suitable corrective steps to curb illegal activities.
2.4.5. Lack of Wildlife population monitoring: Information on distribution and status of
species is mostly lacking for most of the area.
2.4.6. Lack of socio-economic and demographic profile: Demographic and socio-economic
information helps in taking many management decisions. Some such information,