Abstract

The spatial analysis of population areal of snow leopards in the Central Tian Shan Mountains and monitoring of their population dynamics and reproduction is needed by nature conservation activities. The study area is located in the unique and remote transboundary region between the Kyrgyz Republic, Republic of Kazakhstan and People’s Republic of China. The population areas, feeding base and movement of snow leopards within the Khan Tengri State Nature Park were realized by using camera traps and Geoinformation Systems (GIS). Camera traps have been used for recording the existence and activity of snow leopards in the high mountainous and uninhabited area. 14 adult and 5 snow leopard cubs are detected and recorded within the survey period in 2018-2019 with various individual characteristics of animals. The spatial distribution of snow leopard’s population was mapped and analyzed by applying open source GIS software (Quantum GIS) and satellite positioning.

Highlights

  • Investigation and analysis of the distribution range of the snow leopard (Uncia uncia) and other endangered species of large mammals are currently of great scientific interest, which is growing because of the climate change issues

  • Climate change impact is increasingly affecting the snow leopard population because of the glacier loss resulting in the reduced feeding area of its main prey and disturbance caused by increasing altitude of highland pasture grazing [3,4]

  • These silhouettes are created using a graphical editor using Quantum GIS (QGIS) to compile a thematic map with points of fixation and presence in a given area (Fig. 5)

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Summary

Introduction

Investigation and analysis of the distribution range (areal) of the snow leopard (Uncia uncia) and other endangered species of large mammals are currently of great scientific interest, which is growing because of the climate change issues. These numbers are resulted from the traditional research methodology based mainly on interview with huntsman, herders and other people in the snow leopard population area

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