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Relative abundance, prey preference and niche partitioning of snow leopard (Uncia uncia) and Tibetan wolf (Canis lupus chanku) in Karakoram Pamir mountains
6th International Conference on Biodiversity and Conservation
Anila Ajmal, Babar Khan and Abdukadir Alimit
World Wide Fund for Nature, Pakistan
Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
Reliable information about predator��?s abundance, their feeding habits, potential habitats and niches is imperative to understand the
ecological interactions among herders, herbivores and carnivores on shared habitats. Therefore, the present study endeavors to
fill knowledge gaps for the sustainable conservation and management of the remaining lot of endangered Snow leopard and Tibetan
wolf in Khunjerab National Park (KNP) in Pakistan and Taxkorgan National Nature Reserve (TKNR) in China. Our results revealed
that the Tibetan wolf and Snow leopard as the major predators in KNP, with an estimated population size of 30-35 with 0.006 Snow
leopards in per km-2. Also, out of estimated total 822.7 kg km-2 (animal��?s km-2) biomass, it was found that that livestock and ungulates
offered around 66% and 34% diet for Snow leopard and Tibetan wolf collectively. Through scat analysis, results showed that both these
predators rely heavily on livestock to fulfill food requirements. Moreover, Tibetan wolf was found having a large niche separation
with Snow leopard, whereas, Snow leopard was found comparatively having greater niche than the Tibetan wolf. In the same vein,
considering the large biomass needs of the carnivores and the low availability of wild prey, human-wildlife conflict is therefore an
inevitable and critical issue in the region. Trans-boundary efforts are necessary to develop conservation management schemes that
protect threatened wildlife species as well as provide support and benefits to the local communities living adjacent to KNP and TNR
in the Karakoram and Pamir mountains of China and Pakistan.