RESEARCH & MONITORING

Objective oriented research is a focus of SLF to gather critical information required for conservation; This includes assessing the population of snow leopards, other carnivores and their prey base, determining suitable habitats, assessing wildlife-human conflict levels, and identifying potential opportunities for conservation programs. Research is used as a tool for designing as well as evaluating conservation programs. Since its inception, SLF has pioneered state-of-the-art and cross-cutting ecological research protocols in Pakistan, which could be taken as the lifeline for the biodiversity conservation in one of the jagged habitats of the country.

GIS and Remote Sensing in SLF conservation projects

GIS & Remote Sensing technologies are a very effective tool used by SLF for managing, analyzing, and visualizing wildlife data in order to target areas where conservation practices are needed. Habitat geospatial analysis is an important key to understand the population and health of species in the wild. Monitoring change in wildlife habitats is feasible […]
Understanding Species Occurrence and Occupancy

The occupancy surveys are considered reliable in scientific circles for being statistically robust and cost-effective in long-term monitoring of a species. This technique proves significant when dealing with threatened species like the iconic snow leopard. Since its inception in 2008, SLF has been involved in obtaining data through occupancy based on sign tracks using Snow […]
Monitoring Species Response to Climate Change

SLF has established a long-term climate change monitoring experiment in the Khunjerab National Park. It aims at assessing the impacts of increased and decreased precipitation, increased temperature and nutrient addition on species richness, composition, diversity and total above ground productivity (biomass) of plant communities in the presence and absence of grazing by livestock. Analysis of this data will provide a valuable insight in species response to climate change scenarios.
Habitat Suitability and Movement Corridor Modelling

Habitat modeling is performed to assess the quality of habitat for target species and determine their movement corridors. This helps prioritize areas for conservation and develop management strategies aligned to potentials of the landscape.
Conservation Genetics

These studies are performed to differentiate species of wild and their domesticated variants. Genetic studies are also done to trace the lineage of a specie, gene flow and prey preference. DNA is extracted from scat samples of the targeted species.
Understanding Human-Wildlife Conflicts

SLF has completed human-snow leopard conflict surveys from majority of snow leopard range in Pakistan, which helps identify conflict hotspots and the causes and consequences of these conflicts.
Population Assessment of Snow Leopards

To study, shy and elusive species, camera trapping is the most favored non-invasive method. Motion triggered cameras are deployed at various locations in the study area using scent based lures to maximize the visits of targeted species. Photographs obtained from these camera traps are then further studied to reach deductions. SLF has established over 800 camera stations so far to study 30% habitat of snow leopards. These camera studies have also yielded valuable information about other carnivores as well.

RESEARCH & MONITORING

RESEARCH & MONITORING

GIS and Remote Sensing in SLF conservation projects

Understanding Species Occurrence and Occupancy

Monitoring Species Response to Climate Change

Habitat Suitability and Movement Corridor Modelling

Habitat modeling is performed to assess the quality of habitat for target species and determine their movement corridors. This helps prioritize areas for conservation and develop management strategies aligned to potentials of the landscape.

Conservation Genetics

These studies are performed to differentiate species of wild and their domesticated variants. Genetic studies are also done to trace the lineage of a specie, gene flow and prey preference. DNA is extracted from scat samples of the targeted species.

Understanding Human-Wildlife Conflicts

SLF has completed human-snow leopard conflict surveys from majority of snow leopard range in Pakistan, which helps identify conflict hotspots and the causes and consequences of these conflicts.

Population Assessment of Snow Leopards

Head Office

71-C, Street 54, E-11/3 Islamabad 44000, Pakistan.

Regional Office

Office of Wildlife & Fisheries, Near University, Sharda Neelum, Azad Jammu & Kashmir

Regional Office

Mehmood Ghaznavi Chowk Naveed Shaheed Road, Soni Kot, Gilgit, Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan

Regional Office

Governor Cottage Road, Goldur, Chitral, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

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