No silver bullet? Snow leopard prey selection in Mt. Kangchenjunga, Nepal

Thapa, Kamal; Schmitt, Natalie; Pradhan, Narendra Man Babu; Acharya, Hem Raj; Rayamajhi, Santosh

doi:10.1002/ece3.8279

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…However, some researchers argue that appropriate grazing can promote vegetation regeneration and improve the quality of edible plants, benefitting wild herbivore survival (Dave & Jhala, 2011; Khan, 1995). On the other hand, according to the alternative prey hypothesis, livestock may serve as alternative food resources for large carnivores when wild prey densities were low (Lack, 1954; Nordberg & Schwarzkopf, 2019), directly affecting large carnivores through interspecies predation (Thapa et al, 2021; Wilkinson et al, 2020). Livestock could sustain predator populations as vital food supplements (Kafley et al, 2019; Rovero et al, 2018; Shao et al, 2021; Sundararaj et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In summary, numerous factors influence large carnivore‐livestock interactions, including grazing practices (Maheshwari & Sathyakumar, 2020 ), grazing scale (Filla, Lama, Filla, et al, 2022 , Filla, Lama, Ghale, et al, 2022 ; Sueur et al, 2014 ), wild prey availability (Lu & Bullock, 2021 ; Thapa et al, 2021 ; Wilkinson et al, 2020 ), and community cultural context (Shao et al, 2021 ). A lack of ecological data may hinder the effectiveness of carnivore conservation strategies development (Li, Bleisch, et al, 2020 , Li, McShea, et al, 2020 ; Wang et al, 2014 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Free‐ranging livestock affected the spatiotemporal behavior of the endangered snow leopard (Panthera uncia)

Shi

et al. 2023

Ecology and Evolution

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Long recognized as a threat to wildlife, particularly for large carnivores, livestock grazing in protected areas can potentially undermine conservation objectives. The interspecific interactions among livestock, snow leopards (Panthera uncia), and their wild prey in fragile Asian highland ecosystems have been a subject of debate. We strategically deployed 164 camera traps in the Wolong National Nature Reserve to systematically investigate the activities of snow leopards, their primary wild ungulate prey species, and free-ranging livestock. We found that snow leopard habitat use was influenced by both wild prey and livestock. Blue sheep served as the main wild prey that spatially attracted snow leopards and coexisted with yaks while free-ranging yaks significantly restricted snow leopard habitat use both temporally and spatially.This study challenges the conventional understanding that livestock indirectly impacts large carnivores by competing with and displacing wild prey. Our findings highlight that free-ranging yaks within the alpine canyon terrain could directly limit snow leopard habitat use, suggesting a potential risk of grazing in reducing apex predator distribution and jeopardizing their populations. Consequently, managing their coexistence in shared habitats requires a more nuanced approach. Furthermore, our research underscores the importance of further research efforts aimed at enhancing our comprehension of the complex interplay within animal communities and ecosystems. This knowledge will contribute to the development of informed, evidence-based conservation strategies and policies.

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