PARENT SESSION
Oral Session #34: Animal Ecology: Behavior and Sociobiology.
Presiding: S. Richards
Tuesday, August 6. 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM. Grand Ballroom East, Radisson.

In the shadows of snow leopards: study of group size, vigilance and habitat selection in blue sheep, Manang, Nepal.

Gurung, Mahesh^*,1, Brown, Joel¹, ¹ University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL

ABSTRACT- Snow leopards prey upon, and incite fear in blue sheep and blue sheep respond accordingly to balance its safety versus nutritional requirement. This balance is achieved by adjusting group size, vigilance and macro and micro-scale habitat selection. In Khangsar, Manang where 3-4 snow leopard were active, we observed vigilance, group size and micro-scale habitat selection of the local blue sheep population. We monitored snow leopard activity from infra-red camera traps, kills, scats and spoors along transects placed at the boundaries of our observation valley. We found presence of snow leopards to alter group size, vigilance and micro-scale habitat selection. Group size increased during periods when snow leopards were active and also at dawn and dusk when snow leopards hunt. Vigilance was greater when snow leopards were active and in high-risk habitats where snow leopards were likely to be present. A negative correlation between group size and vigilance was observed. Micro-scale habitat selection favored habitats with least obstruction on its visibility. Grass, scrubs with rolling, flat and hill slope terrain were preferred over other habitats. At macro-scale habitat, group size and vigilance varied between core and peripheral snow leopard habitats. In conclusion, blue sheep's group size, vigilance and habitat selection response, reflects the shadows of snow leopards.

KEY WORDS: snow leopard, blue sheep, vigilance, group size