Recent Saiga Population Crash in China Highlights How Conservation of Migratory Species Can Only Succeed with International Collaboration

Saiga (Saiga tatarica) was extirpated in China. Since Mid-1980s, attempts have been made for revival the species in the country, however, only a breeding herd of Saiga was successfully established at Wuwei, Gansu, China. The reintroduced Saiga population experienced a bumpy growth. Then, the population collapsed following the catastrophe die-off in the Saiga ranging countries in Central Asia. After reviewing the population trend and conservation breeding of Saiga in China, we concluded that to establish a migratory species that needs vast range size like Saiga on central Asia steppe, an international collaboration is needed. We recommend China to ratify the CMS in order to facilitate international conservation efforts to restoring the species in its former range.

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Sedelnikovaea baicalensis (Lecanoraceae) — new lichen genus and species for Europe

Novosti sistematiki nizshikh rastenii ◽

10.31111/nsnr/2018.52.2.407 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 52 (2) ◽

pp. 407-416

Author(s):

T. V. Makryi

Keyword(s):

Central Asia ◽

Lichen Species ◽

Significant Part ◽

The Urals ◽

Southern Siberia ◽

Central Asian ◽

Northeastern Siberia ◽

Mountain Belts ◽

First Time ◽

Vast Range

Sedelnikovaea baicalensis, the Siberian-Central Asian lichen species, is recorded for the first time for Europe. Based on all the known localities, including those first-time reported from Baikal Siberia, the peculiarities of the ecology and distribution of this species are discussed, the map of its distribution is provided. It is concluded that the species was erroneously considered earlier as a Central Asian endemic. The center of the present range of this lichen is the steppes of Southern Siberia and Mongolia. Assumptions are made that S. baicalensis is relatively young (Paleogene-Neogene) species otherwise it would have a vast range extending beyond Asia, and also that the Yakut locations of this species indicate that in the Pleistocene its range was wider and covered a significant part of the Northeastern Siberia but later underwent regression. Based on the fact that in the mountains of Central Asia the species is found only in the upper mountain belts, it is proposed to characterize it as «cryo-arid xerophyte» in contrast to «arid xerophytes». A conclusion is made that the presence of extensive disjunctions of S. baicalensis range between the Southern Pre-Urals and the Altai-Sayan Mountains or the Mountains of Central Asia is unlikely; the lichen is most likely to occur in the Urals and most of Kazakhstan.

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International Collaboration Studies in Central Asia

Juntendo Medical Journal ◽

10.14789/jmj.60.411 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 60 (5) ◽

pp. 411-419

Author(s):

MOMOKO CHIBA ◽

TAKEHISA MATSUKAWA

Keyword(s):

Central Asia ◽

International Collaboration

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Home Range Size in Middle Pleistocene China and Human Dispersal Patterns in Eastern and Central Asia

Asian Perspectives ◽

10.1353/asi.2004.0021 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 43 (2) ◽

pp. 227-247 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

S. G. Keates

Keyword(s):

Home Range ◽

Central Asia ◽

Home Range Size ◽

Range Size ◽

Middle Pleistocene ◽

Dispersal Patterns ◽

Human Dispersal

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Capture of ungulates in Central Asia using drive nets: advantages and pitfalls illustrated by the Endangered Mongolian saiga Saiga tatarica mongolica

Oryx ◽

10.1017/s003060531000058x ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 44 (4) ◽

pp. 512-515 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Joel Berger ◽

Kim M. Murray ◽

Bayarbaatar Buuveibaatar ◽

Michael R. Dunbar ◽

Badamjav Lkhagvasuren

Keyword(s):

Central Asia ◽

Rectal Temperature ◽

High Speed ◽

Biological Information ◽

Government Officials ◽

Remote Areas ◽

Adult Females ◽

Saiga Tatarica ◽

Multiple Vehicles ◽

Related Mortality

AbstractThe study of mammals suffering intense poaching in remote areas poses an increasingly difficult conservation challenge, in part because the extreme flightiness of such species complicates safe capture. The benefits of handling (an opportunity to obtain biological information and attach radio collars) must be weighed against stress to the animals and potential capture-related mortality. In parts of Central Asia this problem is not trivial, as populations have been heavily harvested and opportunities for restraint are often limited. Mongolian saiga Saiga tatarica mongolica, being both Endangered and poached, typifies these issues. Here we describe capture protocols for adult females handled quickly and without anaesthesia. Using multiple vehicles driven at high speed, individual saiga were isolated from groups and herded into nets. Chase time was linearly associated with rectal temperature (P < 0.03), with maximum pursuits and temperatures of 9 minutes and 43.1°C, respectively; time to release averaged < 7 minutes. Given that rural residents often chase saiga and other desert and steppe-dwelling ungulates, for photography or for amusement, our results offer conservationists and government officials an empirical basis for recommending prudence on chase times and/or for recommending that the practice be prevented.

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Big cats in borderlands: challenges and implications for transboundary conservation of Asian leopards

Oryx ◽

10.1017/s0030605319000693 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mohammad S. Farhadinia ◽

Susana Rostro-García ◽

Limin Feng ◽

Jan F. Kamler ◽

Andrew Spalton ◽

...

Keyword(s):

International Collaboration ◽

Large Carnivores ◽

Wild Animals ◽

Panthera Pardus ◽

Migratory Species ◽

Transboundary Cooperation ◽

High Importance ◽

International Agencies ◽

Transboundary Conservation ◽

The Status

Abstract Large carnivores have extensive spatial requirements, with ranges that often span geopolitical borders. Consequently, management of transboundary populations is subject to several political jurisdictions, often with heterogeneity in conservation challenges. In continental Asia there are four threatened leopard subspecies with transboundary populations spanning 23 countries: the Persian Panthera pardus saxicolor, Indochinese P. pardus delacouri, Arabian P. pardus nimr and Amur P. pardus orientalis leopards. We reviewed the status of these subspecies and examined the challenges to, and opportunities for, their conservation. The Amur and Indochinese leopards have the majority (58–100%) of their remaining range in borderlands, and the Persian and Arabian leopards have 23–26% of their remaining ranges in borderlands. Overall, in 18 of 23 countries the majority of the remaining leopard range is in borderlands, and thus in most countries conservation of these subspecies is dependent on transboundary collaboration. However, we found only two transboundary initiatives for Asian leopards. Overall, we highlighted three key transboundary landscapes in regions that are of high importance for the survival of these subspecies. Recent listing of the leopard in the Bonn Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals is important, but more international collaboration is needed to conserve these subspecies. We provide a spatial framework with which range countries and international agencies could establish transboundary cooperation for conserving threatened leopards in Asia.

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