Snow Leopard - CatSG

Snow LeopardConservationAction Plan forNepal 2005-2015Revised (2012)Table 2 Population status of snow leopards in NepalHabitat BlocksDensity/100 8301400TotalSource: WWF Nepal, 2009Progress and Status of the Snow LeopardConservation Action PlanThe snow leopard conservation action plan forNepal, endorsed in 2005, was devised with thebroader aim to maintain a viable populationof snow leopards, with considerations of thesocio-cultural aspects of mountain communities.The plan is currently implemented by theDepartment of National Parks and WildlifeConservation (DNPWC) in close partnershipwith the Department of Forests (DoF), NationalTrust for Nature Conservation (NTNC), WWFNepal, and other local, national, and internationalconservation organizations.Major interventions include: Nationwide population estimate of snowleopards; Regional level (Eastern Himalaya-wide) analysisof the impacts of climate change on snowleopard habitat; Non-invasive genomic analysis of snowleopards; Human-snow leopard conflict mitigationthrough community-managed livestockinsurance scheme in KCA; and Community-based snow leopard monitoringsystem initiation in several sites.The Government of Nepal (GoN) establishedGaurishankar Conservation Area (GCA) and ApiNampa Conservation Area (ANCA) in 2010. GCAand ANCA have an estimated area of 217,900haand 190,300ha respectively, which also includessnow leopard habitats. Declaration of the twoareas as protected areas is one of the milestones forconserving mountain flagship species, including thesnow leopard. Similarly, the government endorsedthe Sacred Himalayan Landscape (SHL) StrategicPlan (2006-2016) in 2006 and the SHL InterimImplementation Plan (2010-2014) in 2010, whichprovided opportunities to implement snow leopardconservation initiatives at the landscape level.Establishment of the national level Wildlife CrimeControl Bureau (WCCB) under the chairmanshipof the Director General of DNPWC and its districtcells in Sindhupalchok and Darchula districtunder the chairmanship of District Forest Officer,has contributed towards controlling poachingand illegal trade of wildlife. Moreover, signingof the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)between China and Nepal in 2010 and a resolutionbetween India and Nepal in 2010 are importantsteps towards trans-boundary and regional levelcollaboration for conservation.Major Constraints in ImplementationSnow leopard is on the list of protected speciesbacked by a strong legal provision under theNational Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act,1973. Despite this listing and conservationinitiatives undertaken to date, much remains tobe done to ensure effective conservation of snowleopards. Because snow leopards exist in theremote, high mountain areas that are relativelyinaccessible, conservation efforts require largebudgets and highly motivated and skilled peoplewho are willing to work under difficult conditions.Unlike tiger conservation, the opportunities to getsubstantial funds for snow leopard conservation arelimited even though snow leopards are consideredan umbrella species for alpine ecosystems and anindicator species of ecosystem health. Moreover, thesurvival of snow leopards in the high mountains ofNepal is largely dependent on the willingness of thelocal people to participate in its conservation.Implementing a science-based, adaptiveconservation strategy requires in-depth informationon snow leopard ecology and behavior. Suchinformation is lacking because of inadequateresearch to address these aspects of snow leopardbiology using contemporary methods and tools. Inaddition, prevailing national research policy and a3

Snow LeopardConservationAction Plan forNepal 2005-2015Revised (2012)dearth of trained researchers constrain importantresearch on snow leopards. More importantly, thereis also insufficient coordination among stakeholdersand a lack of national drive to implement the snowleopard conservation action plan.Conservation ThreatsDespite Nepal’s continual actions to conserve snowleopards, it remains under threat from human-snowleopard conflicts; especially from retaliatory killingswhich is largely due to depredation on livestock.Poaching of snow leopards for illegal trade of skinsand bones is another widespread threat to snowleopard conservation. Open borders with Chinaand India trigger wildlife crimes, particularlypoaching and illegal trade. Loss of prey in someprotected areas such as Sagarmatha National Park(Lovari et al., 2009, Ale et al., 2010) and outsidethe protected areas (Kattel, 1995) is another threatto snow leopard survival. Habitat degradation dueto unsustainable grazing, and collection of NonTimber Forest Products (NTFP) and Medicinal andAromatic Plants (MAPs) for commercial trade areadditional threats to snow leopard conservation.Emerging ThreatsImpacts of climate change have emerged asunavoidable threats to snow leopards and theirhabitats. Models based on global climate changetrajectories suggest that Nepal will lose about40% of alpine habitat due to upslope habitat shifts(Forrest et al., 2012). The projected consequenceswill be the loss, degradation and fragmentation ofsnow leopard habitats, isolating populations withinsmaller habitat patches, and compromising theirdemographics, which include their ecological andeven genetic viability. Habitat shifts may causeoverlapping of snow leopard habitat with othercats resulting in increased competition. Many ofthe traditional pastoralist systems are currently inthe process of substantial change due to externalinfluences related to modern development (Miller,1987) that could significantly influence the alpinepredator-prey system. Rapid spreading of village4and district roads throughout the country is leadingto the loss of snow leopard habitats. Construction ofhighways could also result in habitat fragmentation(Thapa, 2005) and increased wildlife crimes inMustang and Rasuwagadhi. Unregulated highvolume tourism could result in increased stress andother negative impacts on snow leopard habitatsand snow leopard populations in SNP and ACA.Emerging OpportunitiesRecent advances in wildlife techniques, such asnon-invasive genetic sampling (Janecka et al., 2008;Lovari et al., 2009; Wegge et al., 2012), cameratrap surveys (Karanth & Nichols, 1998; Jackson etal., 2006), and satellite telemetry (McCarthy et al.,2005; McCarthy et al., 2008) offer possibilities forbetter and more rigorous studies on the ecologyand behavior of snow leopards. Genetic analysisof fecal DNA shows potential to develop an indexof snow leopard abundance and populationstructure, including information on sex and geneticrelationships between different populations.Snow leopards are a wide-ranging species thatrequire landscape level conservation efforts. About28% snow leopard habitat falls outside the protectedarea system in Nepal. Maintained contiguity andconnectivity of the protected areas and habitats isimportant for landscape level conservation. Thiswill require strengthened coordination between thegovernment agencies, conservation partners andother stakeholders. .Conservation of snow leopards will largely bedecided by the active participation of people inthe high mountain regions. Local communitieshave been experiencing economic losses due tolivestock depredation by snow leopards. Beinga charismatic species, there is a high potentialto generate income through promoting naturebased eco-tourism featuring snow leopards. Thisopportunity will not only enhance the livelihoodsof local communities but will also raise awarenesson snow leopard conservation.

Snow LeopardConservationAction Plan forNepal 2005-2015Revised (2012)CHAPTER IIConservation Action PlanGoalMaintain viable populations of snow leopard andecosystem integrity in the Nepal Himalaya.Three snow leopard conservation complexesare envisioned in Nepal (Figure 3) for long termmanagement of the minimum viable populations(MVP) of at least 50 breeding snow leopards. TheMVP will be maintained in the Western conservationcomplex (from Darchula district to Tscharka pass,the border of Dolpa and Mustang) and AnnapurnaManaslu conservation complex (from Tscharka passto Rasuwagadhi in the east-central region of Nepal)which is contiguous habitat of this wide rangingspecies. However, in the Eastern conservationcomplex (from Rasuwagadhi to eastern part ofKCA), which is fragmented habitats without eastwest connectivity in Nepal, the MVP of snow leopardpopulations is, thus, dependent on connectivity withpopulations in China and India.Figure 3 Snow leopard conservation complexes in Nepal5

Snow LeopardConservationAction Plan forNepal 2005-2015Revised (2012)Objective1. Update the status and distribution of local andmeta-populations of snow leopards and their prey baseRationaleUnderstanding the distribution of snow leopardsand finding reliable abundance estimates is animportant pre-requisite in order to undertakeappropriate conservation and managementmeasures. However, due to the snow leopard’shighly elusive behavior, such estimates have beenbased on indirect index methods such as signencounter rates (Fox, 1989). Also, informationon genetic relationships between scattered snowleopard populations is required to understandthe meta-population dynamics and structure ofthis species. The data available on snow leopardbiology is scant, biased, and outdated (Lovari etal., 2009). Therefore, more accurate informationon their spatial distributions, habitat use andpreferences, and ranging behavior is required todesign landscape level conservation strategies. Thisis especially important in the context of potentialhabitat barriers which might prevent snow leopardsfrom dispersing between the habitats, especially inthe context of climate change. Because good snowleopard habitat in Nepal is contiguous with the vastQuomoloangma Nature Reserve in Tibet’s TransHimalaya region (WWF, 2009), it is essential toensure habitat connectivity.StrategyCutting-edge technologies such as non-invasivemolecular genetics and satellite GPS tracking willbe applied to maintain the status and distribution ofsnow leopard populations. Non-invasive moleculargenetic technology (Jackson et al., 2006: Janecka etal., 2008: McCarthy et al., 2008 and Karmacharyaet al., 2011) will be used to determine the geneticrelationships between snow leopard subpopulations.This genetic information will also be combined tocalibrate data from sign and camera-trap surveysto get more reliable estimates of abundance andpopulation densities. Satellite GPS tracking will beused to determine habitat use and behavior of snowleopards. Unlike conventional VHF radio-collaringstudies, where data gathering is contingent onaccessibility to researchers, satellite GPS collars willeliminate bias and provide a more reliable picture of6Citizen scientists are the local resource persons enlightenedwith the knowledge of snow leopard ecology and behavior1habitat use and ranging patterns of snow leopards(McCarthy et al., 2005). Combining these data withsatellite imagery, and including a study on snowleopard population and the impact of climate change,will provide information on habitat availability,preferences and conservation requirements tomanage viable snow leopard meta-populations.Citizen scientists1 and local communities will betrained and mobilized to monitor snow leopardsand prey base species. Standard protocols willbe applied towards snow leopard and prey basemonitoring. They will also be capacitated andmobilized for snow leopard research. This will bea cost effective way to get substantial, reliable datawhile also ensuring local ownership.Activities1.1 Conduct non-invasive genetic analyses toassess ‘relatedness’ of subpopulations, geneticdiversity, and abundances.1.2 Conduct camera trap and sign surveys usingSnow Leopards Information ManagementSystem (SLIMS) protocols and engage citizenscientists and local communities throughSnow Leopard Conservation Committees(SLCC) to understand the distribution ofsnow leopards, monitor their populationstatus, and estimate snow leopard populationabundance and densities.1.3 Conduct population surveys of primary snowleopard prey species.1.4 Assess pasture quality, herding practices,habitat preferences and interactions betweenwild and domestic ungulates.1.5 Use satellite GPS tracking to determinehabitat use, ranging patterns, and activity ofsnow leopards.1.6 Conduct spatial analyses of satellite GPS andremote-sensed data to identify core snowleopard habitat and dispersal habitat. Combinethe information with climate projectionsto develop a climate-integrated landscapeconservation plan.1.7 Update the status of snow leopard populationsin the country and integrate it into amonitoring plan.1.8 Develop zoning and conservation managementplan for mountain ecosystems.

Snow LeopardConservationAction Plan forNepal 2005-2015Revised (2012)Expected Outcomes1.2.3.4.5.6.Snow leopard populations (size, abundances,and densities) will be estimated and updated.Information on ‘relatedness’ and geneticvariability of snow leopard populations inNepal will be updated.Populations of prey base in snow leopard habitatcomplexes will be estimated and updated.Understanding on important ecologicalprocesses such as predator-prey relationshipsbetween snow leopard and its prey, andresource partitioning/competition among andbetween snow leopard’s prey and livestock willbe documented.Snow leopard habitats will be mapped forspatial conservation planning and monitoring.Databases of population status for monitoringwill be established and updated.Objective2. Manage snow leopard habitat addressing theimpacts of climate change at the landscape levelRationaleClimate change scenario projections indicate anorthward shift of forests due to global warmingand moister conditions expected under climatechange trajectories (IPCC, 2007; Rupa et al., 2006).Since forest habitats do not generally constitutegood snow leopard habitats, this shift will result insignificant loss and fragmentation of snow leopardhabitats. It is projected that Nepal will lose about40% of the current alpine areas (Forrest et al.,2012). Consequently, snow leopards can becomeisolated in smaller fragments, compromisingtheir demographics and their ecological as well asgenetic viability.StrategyStudies and action research will be conducted toproject the impacts of climate change on snowleopards and their habitats. The results will beintegrated with the information from Objective 1 todevelop a climate-integrated conservation plan forNepal which in turn will identify climate resilient coreareas and dispersal linkages, across the Himalayas andwithin the Trans-Himalayan region. The conservationplan will also consider the role of snow leopards as anapex species in the high Himalayan ecosystems, andas an indicator of the impacts of climate change andother local anthropogenic activities on the ecologicalintegrity on sensitive habitats.Activities2.1 Conduct predictive modeling to assess theimpacts of climate change on snow leopardhabitats and identify priority core areas,dispersal linkages, and multiple use areas forzoning under conservation management plans.2.2 Develop and implement sustainable grazingpractices and sustainable collection of NonTimber Forest Products (NTFP) and MAPS toreduce habitat degradation.2.3 Develop monitoring protocols with definedcriteria and indicators to detect changes inthese priority areas to assess habitat qualityand availability.Expected Outcomes1.2.3.4.5.A long-term climate-integrated landscapelevel snow leopard conservation plan withmanagement zones developed.Critical climate-resilient core areas anddispersal linkages for snow leopards identified,protected and managed.Sustainable grazing practices regulated tominimize habitat degradation.Sustainable collection and harvesting of NTFPsand MAPs initiated to minimize habitatdegradation.Regular monitoring of habitat changes dueto anthropogenic as well as climate-relatedissues initiated.Objective3. Reduce human-snow leopard conflictsRationaleHuman-snow leopard conflict is one of themajor issues in snow leopard conservation. Localcommunities sometimes kill snow leopards inretaliation to predation on their livestock. Themountain ungulates, such as blue sheep andHimalayan tahr, prey of the snow leopards, arewidely excluded by the herders because of theperception that these wild ungulates compete forforage with domestic livestock (Mishra et al., 2001;Shrestha & Wegge, 2008). Consequently, snowleopards prey on domestic livestock, increasingconflict with herders (Bagchi & Mishra, 2006). But,even when there is an abundance of natural prey,snow leopards often do prey on livestock since theyare an easier prey to kill, which is directly related tothe loss of traditional guarding systems in the highmountains of Nepal (Sharma et al., 2006).7

Snow LeopardConservationAction Plan forNepal 2005-2015Revised (2012)StrategyDNPWC, WWF Nepal, NTNC and otherconservation organizations have been implementingboth preventive and remedial mitigation measuresin the Northern Mountain Landscape, SHL,ACA, and MCA to build community stewardshipfor snow leopard conservation. A communitymanaged livestock insurance scheme has beensuccessfully piloted in the Ghunsa valley of KCA(Gurung et al., 2011), and has now been introducedin LNP and SPNP. This insurance scheme islargely self-sustaining and is locally managed andadministered. Most importantly, it has recentlybeen demonstrated as a more rational approachin conserving snow leopards compared to otherremedial measures (Gurung et al., 2011; Weggeet al., 2012). The results from KCA, LNP andSPNP have been highly promising and thereforesuch schemes (Gurung et al., 2011) will now bereplicated across Nepal.Other innovative solutions such as the constructionof predator-proof corrals, conservation awarenesscampaigns to guard livestock by herders, andveterinary services will be initiated to reduce bothdepredation and retaliation.Citizen scientists and SLCCs will be trained toverify depredation events, and to make reliefpayments as guided by the community basedlivestock insurance scheme.Alternative sources of livelihoods that can be linkedto snow leopards will also be piloted. For instance,the snow leopard’s charismatic appeal can be used topromote nature-based tourism in the mountain areas.Activities3.1 Form, capacitate and strengthen the SLCCs.3.2 Establish endowment funds for communitybased livestock insurance schemes.3.3 Train SLCCs members to efficiently administerlivestock insurance schemes.3.4 Train and equip SLCC members to monitor theactivities of snow leopards and their prey usinga standardized protocol.3.5 Strengthen the traditional rotation grazingsystem such as the Nawa system in KhumbuValley to reduce habitat degradation (relatedwith objective 2) and minimize grazingcompetition with livestock.3.6 Prepare an inventory of livestock pens.83.7 Monitor livestock numbers and losses.3.8 Assess and monitor the nature, intensity, andtrends of human-snow leopard conflicts.3.9 Provide predator-proof corrals.3.10 Institute system of guard dogs and a betterguarding system.3.11 Provide access to veterinary services forlivestock and guard dogs.3.12 Develop a snow leopard-based ecotourism plan.3.13 Develop, capacitate and mobilize citizenscientists towards snow leopard protection.Expected Outcomes1.2.3.Human-snow leopard conflict mitigationstrategywill be developed and implemented.Retaliatory killings of snow leopards will beminimized.Site specific snow leopard-based ecotourismplan will be prepared and implemented.Objective4. Increase awareness on snow leopard conservationRationaleA long-term conservation plan for snow leopardswill require an adequate level of awareness, fromthe primary stakeholders at the grass root levelto the decision-makers responsible for planningand policy-making. In doing so, the awarenessprograms have to be designed keeping theaudience in mind. For instance, the literacy rateamongst subsistence herder communities in thehigh mountain is very low. On the other hand,the decision-making bodies do not seem to havea good understanding of the conservation needson the ground. Thus, it is required to developand implement a site-specific and audiencespecific awareness program. This will help todisseminate information on the role that snowleopards play in maintaining integrity of highalpine ecosystems, the decline in snow leopardnumbers, and the proven solutions in conservingsnow leopards.StrategyOrganize appropriate training, meetings,workshops, and seminars for a wider audience fromthe community to the decision makers in order toincrease aware

2. Manage snow leopard habitat addressing the impacts of climate change at the landscape level 7 3. Reduce human-snow leopard conflicts 7 4. Increase awareness on snow leopard conservation 8 5. Reduce and control snow leopard poaching and illegal trade 9 6. Consolidate collaborativ