Personality assessment in snow leopards (Uncia uncia)

Knowledge of individual personality is a useful tool in animal husbandry and can be used effectively to improve welfare. This study assessed personality in snow leopards (Uncia uncia) by examining their reactions to six novel objects and comparing them to personality assessments based on a survey completed by zookeepers. The objectives were to determine whether these methods could detect differences in personality, including age and sex differences, and to assess whether the two methods yielded comparable results. Both keeper assessments and novel object tests identified age, sex, and individual differences in snow leopards. Five dimensions of personality were found based on keepers' ratings: Active/Vigilant, Curious/Playful, Calm/Self-Assured, Timid/Anxious, and Friendly to Humans. The dimension Active/Vigilant was significantly positively correlated with the number of visits to the object, time spent locomoting, and time spent in exploratory behaviors. Curious/Playful was significantly positively correlated with the number of visits to the object, time spent locomoting, and time spent in exploratory behaviors. However, other dimensions (Calm/Self-Assured, Friendly to Humans, and Timid/Anxious) did not correlate with novel-object test variables and possible explanations for this are discussed. Thus, some of the traits and behaviors were correlated between assessment methods, showing the novel-object test to be useful in assessing an animal's personality should a keeper be unable to, or to support a keeper's assessment.     

Inducing pluripotency in somatic cells from the snow leopard (Panthera uncia), an endangered felid

Induced pluripotency is a new approach to produce embryonic stem-like cells from somatic cells that provides a unique means to understand both pluripotency and lineage assignment. To investigate whether this technology could be applied to endangered species, where the limited availability of gametes makes production and research on embryonic stem cells difficult, we attempted generation of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells from snow leopard (Panthera uncia) fibroblasts by retroviral transfection with Moloney-based retroviral vectors (pMXs) encoding four factors (OCT4, SOX2, KLF4 and cMYC). This resulted in the formation of small colonies of cells, which could not be maintained beyond four passages (P4). However, addition of NANOG, to the transfection cocktail produced stable iPS cell colonies, which formed as early as D3. Colonies of cells were selected at D5 and expanded in vitro. The resulting cell line was positive for alkaline phosphatase (AP), OCT4, NANOG, and Stage-Specific embryonic Antigen-4 (SSEA-4) at P14. RT-PCR also confirmed that endogenous OCT4 and NANOG were expressed by snow leopard iPS cells from P4. All five human transgenes were transcribed at P4, but OCT4, SOX2 and NANOG transgenes were silenced as early as P14; therefore, reprogramming of the endogenous pluripotent genes had occurred. When injected into immune-deficient mice, snow leopard iPS cells formed teratomas containing tissues representative of the three germ layers. In conclusion, this was apparently the first derivation of iPS cells from the endangered snow leopard and the first report on induced pluripotency in felid species. Addition of NANOG to the reprogramming cocktail was essential for derivation of iPS lines in this felid. The iPS cells provided a unique source of pluripotent cells with utility in conservation through cryopreservation of genetics, as a source of reprogrammed donor cells for nuclear transfer or for directed differentiation to gametes in the future.     

Dinucleotide microsatellite markers from the Antarctic seals and their use in other Pinnipeds

Twenty‐four microsatellite loci were isolated from three species of Antarctic seals (Subfamily Monachinae, Tribe Lobodontini). Eleven loci were cloned from Weddell seal, Leptonychotes weddellii, seven from leopard seal, Hydrurga leptonyx, and six from crabeater seal, Lobodon carcinophagus. Variability was assessed in Weddell seals collected in McMurdo Sound, leopard seals from Bird Island, South Georgia, and crabeater seals sampled in the eastern Ross Sea. All loci were variable in the three species used for cloning and 22 of these loci amplified variable products in the Ross seal, Ommatophoca rossii. Cross‐species amplification was largely successful, with an average of 19 loci amplifying products in other phocids.     

北京地区四个豹猫亚种群肠道菌群的组成

野生动物的肠道微生物组成受食物资源和遗传属性的影响较大, 为了解北京地区小型猫科动物肠道菌群组成特点及其影响因素, 本研究通过扩增细菌16S rRNA的V3‒V4高变区进行高通量测序, 对云蒙山、云峰山、松山、百花山4个区域的豹猫(Prionailurus bengalensis)亚种群进行肠道菌群组成分析。结果表明, 在门水平上, 豹猫的肠道优势菌群主要由厚壁菌门(相对多度52.40%)、变形菌门(25.18%)、放线菌门(9.07%)、拟杆菌门(8.17%)和梭杆菌门(4.74%)组成。在属水平上, 相对多度最高的前5个属为假单胞菌属(Pseudomonas, 13.37%)、布劳特氏菌属(Blautia, 11.20%)、梭菌属(Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, 9.10%)、消化梭菌属(Peptoclostridium, 8.62%)、乳杆菌属(Lactobacillus, 6.08%), 共约占总多度的50%。各区域豹猫亚种群的肠道菌群β多样性不存在显著差异, 松山区域的ACE指数和Chao 1指数与云蒙山和云峰山存在显著差异。鉴于松山亚种群的遗传结构与其他区域有所不同, 而4个区域的气候类型和豹猫食物构成相似性高, 推测该亚种群的肠道菌群主要受遗传结构分化的影响, 对此还需进一步研究。     

中国雪豹的威胁与保护现状

大部分保护机构只有能力在特定种群层面上保护大型食肉动物, 而物种的灭绝风险却是在全球尺度进行评估的。因此, 要填补这一尺度断层, 多机构的工作与意见汇总非常必要。本研究综合了文献和18家中国雪豹(Panthera uncia)研究与保护机构共24位一线工作人员提供的信息, 经过两次集体讨论和填写评分表格的方式, 识别出21种威胁因素, 在全国层面和青海、西藏、新疆、四川和甘肃5个主要雪豹分布省区层面对威胁进行了排序, 并汇总了各保护机构实施的17项保护行动, 以及各项行动所应对的威胁。全国评分前三的威胁依次是基层保护部门能力不足(9.5分)、气候变化(8.0分)、当地社区保护动力不足(6.8分), 不同省区的威胁排序则体现出很大差异性。其中, 目前仍没有任何行动措施应对气候变化。虽然已有一些保护行动来应对基层保护能力不足和当地社区保护动力不足的问题, 如保护区能力建设、开展社区监测等, 但行动的覆盖尺度仍远远不够。     

Tiger and leopard co-occurrence: intraguild interactions in response to human and livestock disturbance

Intraguild interactions have important implications for carnivore demography and conservation. Differences in how predators respond to different forms of disturbance might alter their interaction patterns. We sought to understand how human and livestock disturbance impact co-occurrence of sympatric large carnivores such as tiger (Panthera tigris) and leopard (P. pardus) and thereby mediate the intraguild interaction pattern to enable coexistence of the species in a human-dominated landscape. We surveyed 361 locations in Chitwan National Park, Nepal, to examine how prey abundance and disturbance factors such as human and livestock presence might influence habitat use by tigers and leopards independently and when co-occurring. Single-species single-season models and two-species single-season models were developed to examine hypotheses on unconditional detection and occupancy and species interaction respectively. Pervasive human use of the park had negative impacts on tiger occupancy while the abundance of prey had a positive influence. Despite significant prey overlap between tigers and leopards, none of the native prey species predicted leopard habitat occupancy. However, habitats used extensively by livestock were also used by leopards. Further, we found strong evidence of intraguild competition. For instance tiger occupancy was higher in prey-rich areas and leopard occupancy was low in the sites where tigers were present. These findings, and a species interaction factor of < 1 clearly indicate that leopards avoid tigers, but their use of areas of disturbance enables them to persist in fringe habitats. We provide empirical evidence of how intraguild interaction may result in habitat segregation between competing carnivores, while also showing that human and livestock use of the landscape create disturbance patterns that facilitate co-occurrence of the predators. Thus, because large carnivores compete, some disturbance may mediate coexistence in small protected areas. Understanding such interactions can help address important conservation challenges associated with maintaining diverse carnivore communities in small or disturbed landscapes.     

No silver bullet? Snow leopard prey selection in Mt. Kangchenjunga,Nepal

In this study, we investigated the impact of domestic and wild prey availability on snow leopard prey preference in the Kangchenjunga Conservation Area of eastern Nepal—a region where small domestic livestock are absent and small wild ungulate prey are present. We took a comprehensive approach that combined fecal genetic sampling, macro‐ and microscopic analyses of snow leopard diets, and direct observation of blue sheep and livestock in the KCA. Out of the collected 88 putative snow leopard scat samples from 140 transects (290 km) in 27 (4 × 4 km²) sampling grid cells, 73 (83%) were confirmed to be from snow leopard. The genetic analysis accounted for 19 individual snow leopards (10 males and 9 females), with a mean population size estimate of 24 (95% CI: 19–29) and an average density of 3.9 snow leopards/100 km² within 609 km². The total available prey biomass of blue sheep and yak was estimated at 355,236 kg (505 kg yak/km² and 78 kg blue sheep/km²). From the available prey biomass, we estimated snow leopards consumed 7% annually, which comprised wild prey (49%), domestic livestock (45%), and 6% unidentified items. The estimated 47,736 kg blue sheep biomass gives a snow leopard‐to‐blue sheep ratio of 1:59 on a weight basis. The high preference of snow leopard to domestic livestock appears to be influenced by a much smaller available biomass of wild prey than in other regions of Nepal (e.g., 78 kg/km² in the KCA compared with a range of 200–300 kg/km² in other regions of Nepal). Along with livestock insurance scheme improvement, there needs to be a focus on improved livestock guarding, predator‐proof corrals as well as engaging and educating local people to be citizen scientists on the importance of snow leopard conservation, involving them in long‐term monitoring programs and promotion of ecotourism.     

Potential risk zone for anthropogenic mortality of carnivores in Gandaki Province,Nepal

Anthropogenic pressures in human‐dominated landscapes often contribute to wildlife mortality. Carnivores are especially vulnerable to human‐induced mortality due to the perceived threat to livestock and humans. Despite having widespread conservation implications, carnivore mortality data have been largely underutilized within Nepal. This study utilized Maxent to identify high‐risk areas and explore the contribution of habitat attributes associated with carnivore mortality using the casualty database within the Gandaki province of central Nepal. We categorized the risk to carnivore species in three taxonomic groups, Felid, Viverridae, and Herpestidae, and identified a 3704‐km² area within the province at high risk for carnivore casualty. The middle mountains were the riskiest physiographic zone, and the Annapurna Conservation Area represented the largest risk zone among the four protected areas. Agricultural land was the most problematic area in terms of carnivore casualty. The human population was positively associated with high‐risk areas and the number of casualties, whereas protected area cover had a negative association. This study identified that the common leopard was at the highest risk of mortality and therefore would benefit from the implementation of an action plan and species‐specific conservation strategies, especially within identified high‐risk zones. An expansion of protected areas in the middle mountain region would serve to greatly reduce carnivore casualty. Species distribution modeling can be further used with national‐level spatial and temporal mortality data to identify the most prominent casualty times and pinpoint potential casualty locations throughout the country.