Thread by @SyedMAbubakar

This is how #ClimateChange is affecting #Wildlife!
#CommonLeopard is now reported from #SnowLeopard's habitat, & experts fear this will not only threaten the #SnowLeopard but may even jeopardize the entire #Ecosystem!

My latest for @third_pole

@WWFPak @SLFPakistan

URL: thethirdpole.net/en/2020/01/16/…

This story is part of my research I did during my masters in international journalism from @CardiffJomec. I was only able to finalize this after thorough feedback from my supervisors @viewmagazine & @MattSwaine. Cannot thank them enough for their support

thethirdpole.net/en/2020/01/16/…

So the story "Snow Leopard VS Climate Change" took shape when a #commonleopard camera trap photo was obtained in Chitral Gol National Park a prime #snowleopard habitat

This baffled the environmental experts as they couldnt figure out as to why the #commonleopard has travelled up

Sajid Hussain @wwfpak says, 'The presence of the #commonleopard in #snowleopard’s territory can be dangerous for the #snowleopard due to its aggressive nature. Field experts believe it is likely that #ClimateChange caused common leopard to intrude on the snow leopard’s habitat.'

Mehmood Ghaznavi, GB Wildlife Deptt: 'Habitat change of #snowleopard's prey i.e. Himalayan ibex & blue sheep & changes in rainfall patterns are the major reasons”

“Climate change is resulting in increase in avalanches affecting the snow leopard’s prey & the snow leopard itself.”

The intrusion of #commonleopard in #snowleopard’s habitat is happening globally

In Niandu village in China’s Qinghai province — a snow leopard habitat — a video camera trap in 2016 revealed snow leopards & the common leopards using the same area.

Video:

The presence of #commonleopard has also been reported in Passu valley, near the mighty Baltoro glacier.

Dr Ali Nawaz @SLF_PAK: In the Passu valley, we met a guide who complained about increased snow leopard attacks on livestock in their village, which led us to install some camera traps. To our surprise the camera trap pictures revealed the presence of a common leopard in the area.

In Passu Valley, the #snowleopard was photo-captured on April 21-22, 2018, whereas the #commonleopard was photo-captured on May 17, 2018. This indicated that both species of leopards shared the same elevation of about 3,000 to 3,300 meters.

Dr. Ali Nawaz #SLF: Diamer district is the nearest common leopard habitat in Gilgit Baltistan which is 300-400 km away from the camera trapping site but these large cats can travel long distances. The surprising part is the terrain as Baltoro glacier is not home to common leopard

Ashiq Ahmed Khan, a wildlife experts says,"The #commonleopard, mostly a predator of dogs, monkeys, poultry birds & smaller mammals, may take years to adapt to the feeding habits of #snowleopards that prey on animals such as the #ibex #markhor #bluesheep and #marcopolosheep

Dr. Ali Nawaz from #SLF disagrees: Common leopard is a stronger animal than the snow leopard, and it can push the snow leopard into marginalised habitats, where there is limited availability of prey. This may affect the breeding capacity and long-term survival of the snow leopard

The common leopard is more aggressive and hunts larger livestock, including cows and buffaloes.The common leopard also has a long history of conflict with humans. In the summer of 2005, six women were killed by a single common leopard.

But Dr. Ali Nawaz says, the common leopard is a stronger animal than the snow leopard, and it can push the snow leopard into marginalised habitats, where there is limited availability of prey. This may affect the breeding capacity and long-term survival of the snow leopard

The climate-induced migration of the common leopard should be a wake-up call for the govt. It signals that the worst is yet to come and that the entire ecosystem of the Hindu Kush Himalayan region of Pakistan is at risk due to #climatechange @laurie_vasily @MaximShrestha