Yufang Gao

The coexistence between people and large carnivores such as the snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is of growing concern on the Tibetan Plateau. However, little empirical evidence is available about the extent, characteristics, and temporal and geographical patterns of livestock depredation by snow leopards. As a pre-dissertation study, this research aimed to assess the extent of livestock depredation in my field site Nyanpo Yutse, Qinghai Province in China. Snow leopard scats were collected in five valleys with the support of local herders for a microscopic analysis of snow leopard diet in the region. Local herders and monk conservationists were interviewed to understand their perception of human-carnivore coexistence. Data are being analyzed to elucidate the interactions between Tibetan herders and snow leopards, and will be used to develop a long-term fine-grained study incorporating ethnography and ecological fieldwork.