Climate change and catfight in the Himalayas

Climate change and catfight in the Himalayas

Subject : Environment

Section: Species in News

Context: A warming climate threatens to push Nepal’s three big cat species — tigers, leopards and snow leopards — into closer proximity to each other, with unknown consequences for the survival of each.

More on the News:

• Both tigers and leopards have been observed at elevations above 3,000 meters (9,800 feet), well within snow leopard territory, although conservationists say tigers are less likely to persist at these altitudes over the long term.
• Research shows that snow leopards are also moving uphill. But with limited room to move into, their habitat will effectively shrink, even as they compete with leopards for this scant space.

Tiger:

• Habitat distribution:
  • Tigers are found in a variety of habitats across Asia, including forests, grasslands, and swamps. In India, the Bengal tiger (Panthera tigristigris), the most common subspecies of tiger, is found in a range of habitats, from tropical and subtropical forests to mangrove swamps and grasslands.
• Protection Status:
  • Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I
  • IUCN Red List:
  • CITES: Appendix I.

Leopards:

• Habitat distribution:
  • Leopards (Panthera pardus) have a wide distribution across Africa and Asia, and they are found in a variety of habitats, from forests and grasslands to deserts and mountains.
  • In India, leopards are primarily found in forested areas, but they can also be found in scrublands, grasslands, dry and moist deciduous forests, as well as in the Himalayan foothills, Western Ghats and even in urban areas.
• Protection Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
  • CITES: Appendix I
  • Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule 1

Snow Leopards:

• Habitat distribution:
  • Snow leopards (Panthera uncia) are found in the high-altitude mountain ranges of Central and South Asia, including the Himalayas, Karakoram, Hindu Kush, Pamir, Tien Shan, and Altai Mountains. Their range covers 12 countries, including Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
  • Within these mountain ranges, snow leopards are found in a variety of habitats, including alpine meadows, subalpine scrub, and rocky areas. They are known to range from an elevation of 1,200 meters (3,900 feet) in some areas to as high as 5,500 meters (18,000 feet) in others.
• Protection Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
  • CITES: Appendix I
  • Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule 1