The mountain ungulates of Ladakh, India

An emerging conflict with Trans-Himalayan pastoral communities in Ladakh’s Changthang Plateau threatens the conservation prospects of the kiang (Equus kiang) in India. It is locally believed that Changthang’s rangelands are overstocked with kiang, resulting in forage competition with livestock. Here, we provide a review and preliminary data on the causes of this conflict. Erosion of people’s tolerance of the kiang can be attributed to factors such as the loss of traditional pastures during an Indo-Chinese war fought in 1962, immigration of refugees from Tibet, doubling of the livestock population in about 20 years, and increasing commercialization of cashmere (pashmina) production. The perception of kiang overstocking appears misplaced, because our range-wide density estimate of 0.24 kiang km−2 (± 0.44, 95% CL) is comparable to kiang densities reported from Tibet. A catastrophic decline during the war and subsequent recovery of the kiang population apparently led to the overstocking perception in Ladakh. In the Hanle Valley, an important area for the kiang, its density was higher (0.56 km−2) although even here, we estimated the total forage consumed by kiang to be only 3–4% compared to 96–97% consumed by the large livestock population (78 km−2). Our analysis nevertheless suggests that at a localized scale, some herders do face serious forage competition from kiang in key areas such as moist sedge meadows, and thus management strategies also need to be devised at this scale. In-depth socioeconomic surveys are needed to understand the full extent of the conflicts, and herder-centered participatory resolution needs to be facilitated to ensure that a sustainable solution for livelihoods and kiang conservation is achieved.

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Perceived Conflicts Between Pastoralism and Conservation of the Kiang Equus kiang in the Ladakh Trans-Himalaya, India

Changes in economy and land use are under way in the Indian Transhimalayan region of Ladakli, creating both negative and positive prospects for wildlife conservation in this sparsely populated and previously remote area. New livestock breeds, irrigation developments, farming practices, foreign tourists, and a large military presence are changing the way people view and use the mountainous land that surrounds them. With only 0.3% of the land currendy arable, changes in wildlife and natural resource conservation are most apparent on Ladakh 's extensive rangelands which are apparently undergoing a redistribution of use associated with social changes and recently introduced animal husbandry and farming practices. Internationally endangered species such as the snow leopard, several wild ungulates, and the black-necked crane provide special incentive for conservation efforts in what are some of the best remaining natural areas in the mountainous regions to the north of the Himalayan crest. The success of newly created protected areas for wildlife conservation in Ladakh rests on an understanding of the effecls of various development directions, a commitment to environmentally sensitive development amid the many competing demands on Ladakh 's natural resources, conservation laws appropriate to human needs, and a clear recognition that solutions can be neither directly adaptable from other mountainous areas nor even widely applicable across the Himalayan region. fc Conservation de la Jaunt et ckangementi d'utiliiation des trrres dam la region trtmshimalayeiinf du Ladakh, Inile. Des changements dans ['economic et 1'utilisation des terres sont en train de se produire dans le region transhimalayenne du Ladakh en Inde, entrainant des expectatives negatives aussi bien quc positives pour la conservation de la faune dans celte zone faiblemenl peuplee et jusque dans ces derniers temps isolee, Les nouvelles especes de bestiaux, les projets d'irrigation, les pratiques agricoles, les touristes etrangers et la presence d' in stall aliens militaires imponantes ont modifie la maniere dont la population percoit et utilise le milieu momagnard qui les entoure. Si 1'on considere qifa present seulemertt 0,3 pour cent des terres sont arables, les changements dans la conservation de la faune et des resources naturelles sont plus apparents dans les grands paturages du Ladakh; ces paturages semhlent subir line redistribution de leur utilisation associcc aux changements sociatix ct aux pratiques d'clcvagc du bctail ct dc culture qui ont ete introduces recemment. Les especes menacees a 1'echelle Internationale, comme le leopard des neiges, plusieurs ongules sauvages et la gnie a col noir, fournissent une forte justification pour les projets de conservation dans ces zones naturelles qui comptent parmi les meilleures encore preservers dans les regions montagneuses situees au nord de la crete himalayenne. Le succes des zones protegees qui ont etc recemment crcecs pour la conservation dc la faune du Ladakh est base sur une comprehension des effets de diverses approches vis-a-vis du developpement, un engagement total envers un developpement respectant 1'environnement dans le cadre des demandes multiples sur les ressources naturelles du Ladakh, des lois sur la conservation appropriees aux besoins de la population, et une admission claire que les solutions ne peuvent ni etre directement adaptees a partir d'autres zones montagneuses, ni elre applicables a la totalite de la region himalayenne. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Artensehutz und Landnutaingsdnderungen im Transhimalaya Gfbiet van Ladakh, Indien. 1m indischen Transhimalaya Gcbict von Ladakh verandern sich die Okonomie und die Landnutzung— was in diesem sparlich besiedelten und frtther abgeschiedenen Gebiet Vorund Nachteile fur den Artenschutz mit sich bringL Neue Arten bei der Viehzucht, Bewasserungsprojekte, neuc Landwirtschaftsmethoden, auslandische Touristen und ein grofies militarisches Kontingcnt verandern die Art und Weise, in der die Revolkerung das sie umgebende Land sieht und nulzt. Da nur 0,3% des Gebietes anbaufahig sind, werden Veranderungen bcim Artenschutz und bei der Erhaltung der Naturressourcen auf den ausgcdehnten Flachcn Ladakh's besonders auffallig. Diese Gebiete unterliegen einer Nutzungsordnung, die sich aus sozialen Veranderungen und kurzlich neu eingefuhrten Ackerbauund Viehzuchtmethoden ergibt. Tiere, die global geschutzt sind, wie der Schneeleopard, verschiedene wilde Hufiiere und die schwarzhalsigen Kranichc gcben Erhaltungsbcstrebungcn besondere Motivation, denn die bergigen Regionen nordlich des Himalaya Kammes gehoren zu den besterhaltenen unter den verbliebenen Naturlandschaften. Der Bestand der neuerlich geschaffenen Schutzgebiete in Ladakh hangt voin Verstandnis der Auswirkungen verschiedener Entwicklungsprojekte ab, ebenso von der Verpflichtung fur umweltgerechte Entwicklung innerhalb der vielen konkurrierenden Anforderungen an Ladakh's Naturressourcen. Gesetzgebung auf dem Gebiet des Artenschutzes muB den menschlichen Bedurfnissen angcpaBt sein, und es mulJ erkannt werden, daB Losungen von anderen Bergregionen nicht unbedingt iibernommen werden konnen und oftmals fur das Himalayagebiet unzutreffend sind. 'Department of Ecology/ Zoo logy (IBG), University of Tromsn, N-9037 TromsB, Norway Department of Wildlife Protection, Leh 19-1101, Ladakli, Jammu and Kashmir, India 'School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, New Haven, CT OfiSll, U.S.A. Present address: Vikram Sambhai Centre for Development Interaction, Thaltej Tekra, Ahmedabad 380054, Gujarat, India 'Conservation Action Group, 211 DDA(SFS) Haul Khas, New Delhi 110016, India

Wildlife Conservation and Land-Use Changes in the Transhimalayan Region of Ladakh, India

The author spent eleven months between 1970 and 1975 studying the wildlife of the high mountains in northern Pakistan, especially the large mammals that are endangered in Pakistan. He describes the status of nine, of which the brown bear is on the verge of extinction there (although commonly seen in the form of performing bears in city streets), while the Kashmir markhor, snow leopard and Marco Polo sheep are in serious danger. Despite the protection laws and new reserves, including a new national park, the rule is still too often ‘if it moves shoot it, if it doesn't chop it down’.

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Mountain Mammals in Pakistan

The flare horned markhor Capra falconeri occurs in northern Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Most of the species’ range is along volatile international borders and limited information is available, especially for the population of the Pir Panjal or Kashmir markhor C. f. falconeri in India. From October 2004 to April 2005 we therefore conducted the first range-wide survey of the species in India since independence. The markhor's range has shrunk from c. 300 km2 in the late 1940s to c. 120 km2 in 2004–2005. Our surveys and interviews with key local informants indicate that 350–375 markhor may yet exist in the region. All the populations are small (usually < 50) and fragmented. International conflicts, developmental projects, the needs of an increasing human population and poaching, along with lack of awareness, are the primary threats to the species. The largest population in India, in Kajinag, may have potential for long-term survival if immediate conservation measures can be implemented.

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Charles Hugh Stockley

Papers

Stalking In The Himalayas And Northern India