Shortlisted for the Georgina Mace Prize
Concerning the analysis
Overview
Jammu and Kashmir has been an especially understudied space, particularly its excessive elevation. Over 2 years of political instability has made this activity much more difficult. On this paper, we wished to first perceive the place snow leopards are present in Jammu and Kashmir. Following this large-scale survey, we then wished to know the standing and conservation alternatives for snow leopards in a multi-use panorama, Paddar. By our research we wished to supply the primary built-in evaluation of snow leopard prevalence throughout J&Ok, and density and land use in Paddar, forming the bottom for conservation planning exterior formally protected areas.
Surprises and challenges
Snow leopards and folks use the identical areas in such nuanced methods! Regardless that they could not share the identical house at precisely the identical time, the valleys have been we discover probably the most snow leopards are utilized by numerous folks in numerous methods – livestock grazing, spiritual pilgrimages, medicinal plant assortment to state just a few. Erratic climate, navigating tough allow panorama given the political tensions within the area, distant and rugged terrain have been a number of the challenges we confronted.
Subsequent steps and broader implications
To now use the learnings from this paper, to work with multi-stakeholders (eg authorities and the local people), to construct community-lead snow leopard conservation reserves within the area. Ones that centre snow leopard conservation alongside, and never with out, folks. Thrilling developments have already begun in the direction of this!
That we have to have multi-sources of data, strategies and disciplines when gaining insights into conservation planning for species and areas. Moreover, for lengthy ranging species like snow leopards it’s crucial that landscape-level conservation methods are wanted, relatively than relying solely on Protected Areas; that is infact according to the ethos of the CBD and 30×30 targets we have now set ourselves globally.
Concerning the writer
Present place
I work as a scientist at a grassroot NGO in India known as Nature Conservation Basis and in addition a post-doc at ICTA-UAB in Spain.
Getting concerned in ecology
By hikes with my mother and father in a homeland that I needed to depart for giant elements of my childhood (J&Ok) resulting from political battle.
Is the analysis ongoing?
Completely! We’re dedicated to long-term analysis and conservation engagement in these landscapes.
Recommendation for fellow ecologists
Be humble, trustworthy and dedicated.
Learn the complete article Discovering the ghosts: Snow leopard density and distribution within the multi-use area of Jammu and Kashmir, India in Ecological Options and Proof.
