towards project snow leopard - Nature Conservation Foundation

Towards Project Snow Leopard • 77
in assessing and monitoring biodiversity values, working with communities that
require capacity building. Capacity development of the entire forest department staff
is needed in this regard, including staff serving outside protected areas, as they often
deal with endangered species or human-wildlife conflicts.
1.1.4. Need for posting wildlife trained staff in wildlife departments: As discussed above, there
is a critical need for trained officers to be in charge of the existing Wildlife PAs.
Although the extent of experience and hands-on wildlife management work is vital,
some formal training in Wildlife Management needs to be promoted for all officers
under the PSL.
1.2. Financial Constraints
1.2.1. Lack of incentives and infrastructure for the staff: The regions are remote, with difficult
working conditions. The problem is exacerbated due to the general lack of proper
infrastructure including adequate housing, equipment and transport. As a result
postings in the high altitudes are often considered ‘punishment postings’ and the
personnel lose interest in working there.
1.2.2. Manpower (in wildlife works) in the high altitudes- presently less manpower, mostly
untrained: The area is characterized by a general scarcity of staff. Estimates show that
a single forest guard is sometimes expected to manage mountainous terrain ranging
from c. 600 to 1000 km 2 .
1.2.3. Generally low priority to the biodiversity sector and relatively poor funds allocation by
local single-line administration: As mentioned above, this sector is often considered
‘non-productive’ and is given much lower priority, than for example, the Animal
Husbandry Department. Scarcity of resources and manpower become serious
constraints for effective conservation work.
1.2.4. Lack of financial flexibility under single-line administration: As mentioned above,
wildlife managers have little administrative or financial flexibility under single line
administration, an issue that needs to be addressed under the PSL.
1.3. Ecological and Information Constraints
1.3.1. Inadequate baseline data on wildlife populations/species: For most areas, including PAs,
reliable data on animal abundances are largely unavailable. The primary problem
is due to the difficult access, staff scarcity, lack of resources and training. Without
baseline data and continued monitoring programmes, it is not possible to evaluate
the impact of management activities, or even the setting up of PAs.
1.3.2. Need for better, more extensive wildlife population monitoring: Proper monitoring
programmes will enable better decision making by wildlife managers.
1.3.3. Need for intelligence information on extent of hunting/ hunters: This is again related
to the poor access, lack of staff and resources. More often than not, the relationship