Population density of snow leopards (Panthera uncia) in the Yage Valley Region of the Sanjiangyuan National Park: Conservation implications and future directions

Abstract

Population-based studies on snow leopard (Panthera uncia) are of theoretical and practical significance for the conservation of alpine ecosystems, though geographic remoteness and isolation hinder surveys in many promising regions. The Sanjiangyuan National Park on the Tibetan Plateau is acknowledged as a main snow leopard habitat, but most of the region remains unexplored and unknown. We adopted a combined approach of route survey and camera trapping survey to explore the population density of snow leopard in the Yage Valley region of the Sanjiangyuan National Park. Results indicated that (1) large populations of blue sheep contributed to the major food supply for snow leopards, along with diverse prey species as dietary supplementations, and (2) a population density of four to six snow leopards per 100 km 2 on the north bank was estimated, and nine to fourteen individuals within the valley core areas were identified. We also argue that under the potential impacts of hydropower dams, this valley ecosystem should be symbolized as a conservation hotspot and therefore merits prioritized conservation. We recommend further surveys combined with novel methods/techniques and advocate a sustainable ecotourism model for the first V-shaped valley along the Yangtze mainstream.

Potential Range Shift of Snow Leopard in Future Climate Change Scenarios

“…In total, 352 occurrences were removed from 758 records (Figure S1). Snow leopard individuals usually have stable home ranges, and their sizes vary in different regions, such as 11.2-22.5 km 2 [26], 11.5-100 km 2 [27], and 16.7-25 km 2 [28]. As such, occurrences 2 to 3 km apart may belong to the same individual, whereas occurrences 5 km apart are likely to belong to different individuals.…”