Investingation on Snow Leopard (Uncia uncia) and Its Prey in Baytag Mountain Region,Xinjiang

The snow leopard and its prey were investigated in Beita Mountain Region,Xinjiang in Sep.2004.Both the field survey and questionnaire were involved in this project which supported by International Snow Leopard Trust and Xinjiang Conservation Fund.The signs marked by the snow leopard were used to reflect the living condition of snow leopard and they were collected by running transects.The prey investigation was conducted by positioned observation and route survey.Fifteen transects were done in the project and 67 signs leaved by snow leopard were discovered totally.58.2% of them were the scrapes,35.8% of them were the feces,4.5% of them were the claw rake and 1.5% of them were the scent spray.As to the prey resources,4 herds of 23 ibex and 24 herds of 418 chukars were found during survey.Also 81 local people came from 5 different nationalities were interviewed during the field work,13.58% of them had seen the snow leopard,20.99% of them had heard of snow leopard but not seen.Among them,10 herdsmen had sufferred from the loss of livestock attacked by snow leopard.