Conservation Genetics Of Snow Leopards

Snow leopards lag far behind in the volume and advancement of genetic-based research, often because direct observation is difficult due to their rugged, remote distribution, their elusive nature, and low densities. Molecular tools can reveal several population characteristics, including population trends, impacts of landscape change, diet, demographic, and genetic threats. Advances in molecular techniques have made it possible to study these factors through the use of noninvasive genetics; unfortunately, these have yet to be fully implemented in the study of snow leopards. For this second edition, we summarize conservation genetic techniques, review current genetic studies on wild snow leopards, address the gaps in our understanding of these elusive creatures, and outline how conservation genetics can address these issues to provide defensible conservation units upon which snow leopard conservation efforts can refocus.