Horizon Scan of Transboundary Concerns Impacting Snow Leopard Landscapes in Asia

Hameeda Sultan, Wajid Rashid, Jianbin Shi, Inam ur Rahim, Mohammad Nafees, Eve Bohnett, Sajid Rashid, Muhammad Tariq Khan, Izaz Ali Shah, Heesup Han and Antonio Ariza-Montes
Additional contact information
Hameeda Sultan: School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Wajid Rashid: School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Jianbin Shi: School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Inam ur Rahim: Centre for Applied Policy Research in Livestock (CAPRIL), Department of Climate Change and Livestock, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54600, Pakistan
Mohammad Nafees: Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Peshawar, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan
Eve Bohnett: Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
Sajid Rashid: School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Muhammad Tariq Khan: Department of Science and Environmental Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong, Taipo, New Territories, Hong Kong, China
Izaz Ali Shah: School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Heesup Han: College of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Sejong University, Seoul 05006, Korea
Antonio Ariza-Montes: Social Matters Research Group, Universidad Loyola Andalucía, C/Escritor Castilla Aguayo, 4, 14004 Córdoba, Spain

Land, 2022, vol. 11, issue 2, 1-22

Abstract: The high-altitude region of Asia is prone to natural resource degradation caused by a variety of natural and anthropogenic factors that also threaten the habitat of critical top predator species, the snow leopard ( Panthera uncia ). The snow leopard’s landscape encompasses parts of the twelve Asian countries and is dominated by pastoral societies within arid mountainous terrain. However, no investigation has assessed the vulnerability and pathways towards long-term sustainability on the global snow leopard landscape scale. Thus, the current study reviewed 123 peer-reviewed scientific publications on the existing knowledge, identified gaps, and proposed sustainable mitigation options for the longer term and on larger landscape levels in the range countries. The natural resource degradation in this region is caused by various social, economic, and ecological threats that negatively affect its biodiversity. The factors that make the snow leopard landscapes vulnerable include habitat fragmentation through border fencing, trade corridor infrastructure, non-uniform conservation policies, human–snow leopard conflict, the increasing human population, climatic change, land use and cover changes, and unsustainable tourism. Thus, conservation of the integrated Socio-Ecological System (SES) prevailing in this region requires a multi-pronged approach. This paper proposes solutions and identifies the pathways through which to implement these solutions. The prerequisite to implementing such solutions is the adoption of cross-border collaboration (regional cooperation), the creation of peace parks, readiness to integrate transnational and cross-sectoral conservation policies, a focus on improving livestock management practices, a preparedness to control human population growth, a readiness to mitigate climate change, initiating transboundary landscape-level habitat conservation, adopting environment-friendly trade corridors, and promoting sustainable tourism. Sustainable development in this region encompasses the political, social, economic, and ecological landscapes across the borders.

Keywords: collaboration; habitat; innovative solutions; integrated landscape approach; socio-ecological system; trade corridor; tourism (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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