Srinagar, Nov 30: As part of the Annual Plan of Operations (APOs) under the Snow Leopard Project for Jammu and Kashmir approved by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, a one-day consultative workshop on Snow Leopard Population Assessment – Training was held on Wednesday at SKUAST, Kashmir
The workshop was conducted by the Department of Wildlife Protection, Jammu and Kashmir in collaboration with its Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF), Mysore, SKUAST – Kashmir, Kashmir University, Wildlife Trust of India, NCBS Bangalore and Wildlife SoS to undertake the Snow Leopard Population Assessment in the potential landscapes of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir for the last two years now.
The workshop was attended by the senior officers and staff of the Wildlife Department, Researchers, Students and volunteers.
Rashid Y. Naqash, Regional Wildlife Warden, Kashmir presented a keynote address and introduction to the workshop.
Population assessment techniques including talks on landscape level planning for population estimation for carnivores, with special reference to Snow Leopard, were presented by Dr Khursheed Ahmad, Professor/ Head, Division of Wildlife Sciences, SKUAST – K.
Non-invasive genetic techniques for population estimation were presented by Dr Uma Ramakrishnan, NCBS, Bangalore through virtual mode and Camera trapping techniques for population estimation for large cats – special reference to Snow Leopards was given by Intisar Suhail, Wildlife Warden, Shopian Division.
Population estimation of Snow Leopards – a case study in Thajwas and Gurez was presented by MuneebKhanyari, NCBS through online mode.
While an interactive session including hands-on training and sample collection was given by Dr Umer Nazir, Veterinary Assistant Surgeon and Dr Tawqir Bashir, Asstt. Professor Kashmir University followed by group discussion.
The summary of workshop proceedings was conducted by Dr Samina Amin Charoo, Wildlife Warden Research.
