Download - Global Tiger Initiative

Protecting and/or recovering the natural prey base of Snow
Leopards
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Grazing management and animal husbandry
Governments, resource managers, conservation NGOs and development agencies
should undertake efforts that will help to promote livestock grazing practices that
reduce impacts on native wildlife. Community-generated grazing management plans
should be developed after a careful analysis of land tenure systems, grazing patterns and
wildlife needs (range, key lambing/kidding sites, winter pastures, etc.). The grazing plans
should contain monitoring protocols and indicators of success and regular progress reports
should be disseminated among participating stakeholders. In addition, information,
training and technical assistance for animal husbandry should be provided to local
communities to increase the economic value of the stock, thereby creating the possibility
to reduce the number of animals grazing. Focus should be applied to areas where overgrazing
by domestic livestock has led to declines in wild ungulates and where Snow
Leopard predation is reported to be high. One option of value would be to prioritize
allocation of pasture, so that in some areas wildlife is given precedence over domestic
stock, for example at wildlife-viewing sites in protected areas.
Unregulated/illegal hunting of prey species
Governments, NGOs, scientific and other relevant institutions should compile
information on the levels and impact of illegal hunting and/or unregulated hunting
of wild ungulates and other Snow Leopard prey species in Snow Leopard range States
and the motives that lead to the poaching of wild ungulates and other mammal species (i.e.
subsistence, trade of certain body parts, minimizing competition with domestic livestock,
etc.).
“Pest control” programmes and the use of Tiger bone substitutes
Governments, scientific institutions and NGOs should encourage, initiate and
support research studies on the impacts of so-called “pest” control programmes for
smaller mammals that are important Snow Leopard prey species, such as pikas, and molerats,
the bones of which are also promoted as an official substitute for Tiger bones.
Prey species conservation and managment
Governments, scientific institutions and NGOs should encourage and support studies
that focus on the biology, population trends and habitat needs of wild ungulates, in
particular those that are known to be important Snow Leopard prey species, to improve the
understanding of the most important threats posed to these species and investigate the
specific effects that livestock and human activities have. The findings of these studies
should be used to promote effective management of protected areas in key habitats, i.e.
those that support important populations of wild ungulates. Assistance should be provided
to range States to implement existing management plans for protected areas and to create
new plans for protected areas, where necessary.
FADING FOOTPRINTS: the killing and trade of Snow Leopards 59