Long term conservation management plan has been implemented in (Wikramanayake, 1995). CONCLUSION Pro-conservation development programmes must be initiated like and community education, alternate economic opportunities for local people, along with scientific surveys and studies should be taken as soon as possible to gather baseline data which will help in formulating conservation plans. 2.3 STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION The total area of snow leopard habitat in China is estimated to be about 1,100,000 sq.km with 2,000-2,500 individuals (Fox, 1994), whereas potential habitat was estimated as 1,824,316 sq.km by Hunter & Jackson (1997), making china the most important country with as much as 60% of snow leopard range. Approximately 6% of this is to be under protected coverage (Hunter & Jackson, 1997). Snow leopards are present in six provinces or autonomous regions (, , , , Xinjiang and Xizang or ), but are on the verge of the extinction in . The snow leopard is severely affected throughout , but especially in Quinghai province. The distribution of snow leopard in has changed dramatically for several decades. The distribution areas have lessened then before in , and whereas increased in Xinjiang province but province is a new province added to the snow leopard distribution in recently. In province the districts i.e. southern flanks of Yinshan and Wulashan have reported snow leopard (yonzu, 1997). But it is said to be on the verge of extinction
Long term conservation management plan has been implemented in (Wikramanayake, 1995). CONCLUSION Pro-conservation development programmes must be initiated like and community education, alternate economic opportunities for local people, along with scientific surveys and studies should be taken as soon as possible to gather baseline data which will help in formulating conservation plans. 2.3 STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION The total area of snow leopard habitat in China is estimated to be about 1,100,000 sq.km with 2,000-2,500 individuals (Fox, 1994), whereas potential habitat was estimated as 1,824,316 sq.km by Hunter & Jackson (1997), making china the most important country with as much as 60% of snow leopard range. Approximately 6% of this is to be under protected coverage (Hunter & Jackson, 1997). Snow leopards are present in six provinces or autonomous regions (, , , , Xinjiang and Xizang or ), but are on the verge of the extinction in . The snow leopard is severely affected throughout , but especially in Quinghai province. The distribution of snow leopard in has changed dramatically for several decades. The distribution areas have lessened then before in , and whereas increased in Xinjiang province but province is a new province added to the snow leopard distribution in recently. In province the districts i.e. southern flanks of Yinshan and Wulashan have reported snow leopard (yonzu, 1997). But it is said to be on the verge of extinction
Msc-review-SL.docx