Defining priorities for global snow leopard conservation landscapes

Li, Juan; Weckworth, Byron V.; McCarthy, Thomas M.; Liang, Xuchuang; Yan-lin, Liu; Xing, Rui; Li, Diqiang; Zhang, Yuguang; Xue, Yadong; Jackson, Rodney; Xiao, Lingyun; Cheng, C. H.; Li, Sheng; Xu, Feng; Ma, Ming; Yang, Xin; Diao, Kunpeng; Gao, Yufang; Song, Dazhao; Nowell, Kristin; He, Bing; Li, Yuhan; McCarthy, Kyle P.; Paltsyn, Mikhail Yurievich; Sharma, Koustubh; Mishra, Charu; Schaller, George B.; Lü, Zhi; Beissinger, Steven R.

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2019.108387

Cited by 63 publications

(72 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…The latter is expected to be most severe on species that inhabit mountain ecosystems (Forest et al, 2012;Aryal et al, 2016); a prime example of such a species is the snow leopard (Panthera uncia) (Ghoshal et al, 2019). The snow leopard occurs in 12 countries: Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan (Li et al, 2020). The main threats to its persistence are habitat loss and fragmentation, natural prey depletion, poaching, and retaliatory killing (Watts et al, 2019;Li et al, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The snow leopard occurs in 12 countries: Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan (Li et al, 2020). The main threats to its persistence are habitat loss and fragmentation, natural prey depletion, poaching, and retaliatory killing (Watts et al, 2019;Li et al, 2020). Although the population estimates are yet to be updated, the global snow leopard population is currently estimated at 2,710-3,386 mature individuals (McCarthy et al, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Modeling Distribution and Habitat Suitability for the Snow Leopard in Bhutan

Lham

Cozzi

Sommer

et al. 2021

Front. Conserv. Sci.

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The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is one of the world's most elusive felids. In Bhutan, which is one of the 12 countries where the species still persists, reliable information on its distribution and habitat suitability is lacking, thus impeding effective conservation planning for the species. To fill this knowledge gap, we created a country-wide species distribution model using “presence-only” data from 420 snow leopard occurrences (345 from a sign survey and 77 from a camera-trapping survey) and 12 environmental covariates consisting of biophysical and anthropogenic factors. We analyzed the data in an ensemble model framework which combines the outputs from several species distribution models. To assess the adequacy of Bhutan's network of protected areas and their potential contribution toward the conservation of the species, we overlaid the output of the ensemble model on the spatial layers of protected areas and biological corridors. The ensemble model identified 7,206 km2 of Bhutan as suitable for the snow leopard: 3,647 km2 as highly suitable, 2,681 km2 as moderately suitable, and 878 km2 as marginally suitable. Forty percent of the total suitable habitat consisted of protected areas and a further 8% of biological corridors. These suitable habitats were characterized by a mean livestock density of 1.3 individuals per hectare, and a mean slope of 25°; they closely match the distribution of the snow leopard's main wild prey, the bharal (Pseudois nayaur). Our study shows that Bhutan's northern protected areas are a centre for snow leopard conservation both at the national and regional scale.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modeling Distribution and Habitat Suitability for the Snow Leopard in Bhutan

Lham

Cozzi

Sommer

et al. 2021

Front. Conserv. Sci.

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“…Western, Central and Eastern landscapes [ 6 ]. These landscapes contribute to one of the critical habitat linkages of snow leopards in the Tianshan-Pamir-Hindu Kush-Karakorum region where their population is facing threats from poaching, anthropogenic development and climate change [ 7 , 8 ]. These landscapes are inhabited by typically marginalized impoverished pastoralists, who are highly reliant upon herding for their subsistence and income.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

What Factors Predispose Households in Trans-Himalaya (Central Nepal) to Livestock Predation by Snow Leopards?

Tiwari

Devkota

Jackson³

et al. 2020

Animals

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Livestock depredation across the trans-Himalaya causes significant economic losses to pastoralist communities. Quantification of livestock predation and the assessment of variables associated with depredation are crucial for designing effective long-term mitigation measures. We investigated the patterns and factors of livestock depredation by snow leopards (Panthera uncia) using semi-structured questionnaires targeting herders in the Narphu valley of the Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal. During the two years (2017/18 and 2018/19), 73.9% of the households interviewed (n = 65) lost livestock to snow leopards, with an annual average loss of two livestock per household. Of the total depredation attributed to snow leopards, 55.4% were yak (mainly female: 79%), 31.7% goat, 6.8% sheep, 3.2% horse and 2.8% cattle. Results from applying Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMMs) revealed the total number of livestock owned and the number of larger bodied livestock species as the main explanatory covariates explaining livestock depredation. Forty-one (41%) of all herders considered snow leopard’s preference for domestic livestock as the main factor in livestock predation, whereas only 5% perceived poor herding practice as the main reason for the loss. Our study found poor and changing herding practices in the valley, whereby 71% herders reported careful herding as a solution to snow leopard depredation, and 15% of herders considered the complete extermination of snow leopards as the best solution to the problem. Tolerance levels and awareness among herders towards snow leopard conservation is increasing, mainly due to the Buddhist religion and strict law enforcement within this protected area. We recommend the effective implementation of a community-based livestock insurance scheme to compensate the economic loss of herders due to predation and improved herding practices as the recommended mitigation measures for ensuring livestock security and snow leopards’ conservation in the valley.

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“…Conservation genetics then reveals the key factors, which may cause snow leopard extinction, in such situations 20 . Thus both population genetics and habitat suitability models are crucial for designing proper management plans for its conservation 13 , 21 , 22 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The decline in the area of suitable habitat due to human activities and global change will make migration between such areas increasingly difficult 1 , 8 , 9 . To assure the future of snow leopards, it is necessary to safeguard the survival of this species as a metapopulation, which includes maintaining the connectivity between such areas 13 , 21 , 22 , as only this will preserve its genetic variability 31 . Although some studies on habitat suitability were performed in Nepal 32 – 34 and in Tibet 35 , 36 , the connectivity between them has never been analysed.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Implications of landscape genetics and connectivity of snow leopard in the Nepalese Himalayas for its conservation

Shrestha

Kindlmann

2020

Sci Rep

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The snow leopard is one of the most endangered large mammals. Its population, already low, is declining, most likely due to the consequences of human activity, including a reduction in the size and number of suitable habitats. With climate change, habitat loss may escalate, because of an upward shift in the tree line and concomitant loss of the alpine zone, where the snow leopard lives. Migration between suitable areas, therefore, is important because a decline in abundance in these areas may result in inbreeding, fragmentation of populations, reduction in genetic variation due to habitat fragmentation, loss of connectivity, bottlenecks or genetic drift. Here we use our data collected in Nepal to determine the areas suitable for snow leopards, by using habitat suitability maps, and describe the genetic structure of the snow leopard within and between these areas. We also determine the influence of landscape features on the genetic structure of its populations and reveal corridors connecting suitable areas. We conclude that it is necessary to protect these natural corridors to maintain the possibility of snow leopards’ migration between suitable areas, which will enable gene flow between the diminishing populations and thus maintain a viable metapopulation of snow leopards.

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Defining priorities for global snow leopard conservation landscapes

Cited by 63 publications

References 42 publications

Modeling Distribution and Habitat Suitability for the Snow Leopard in Bhutan

Modeling Distribution and Habitat Suitability for the Snow Leopard in Bhutan

What Factors Predispose Households in Trans-Himalaya (Central Nepal) to Livestock Predation by Snow Leopards?

Implications of landscape genetics and connectivity of snow leopard in the Nepalese Himalayas for its conservation

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