Abstract

The status and distribution of snow leopard Panthera uncia were investigated in two provinces of China. The cats occur over about 65 000 km 2 or 9% of Qinghai Province, and in a few places along the western edge of Gansu Province. In many areas the animals have in recent decades been decimated or locally eradicated, as has their prey. Counts of wild ungulates in 9 mountain blocks, totalling 1375 km 2, known for abundant wildlife, had an average of 1·4–5·4 animals km −2, principally blue sheep Pseudois nayaur, which, together with marmot Marmot himalayana, represent the snow leopard's main prey. Possibly 650 snow leopard survive in Qinghai but shooting and trapping of this legally protected animal and the hunting of blue sheep for local consumption and export threaten their existence.

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