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MYRICARIA GENUS

12th June, 2024

MYRICARIA GENUS

Source: Down to Earth

Disclaimer: Copyright infringement not intended.

Context

  • Research Significance: The study by Kyoto University highlights an unexpected dietary behavior in snow leopards, showing that they consume plants, particularly Myricaria, which could impact conservation strategies and captive care.
  • Research Methodology: Researchers collected faecal samples from the Sarychat-Ertash Reserve in Kyrgyzstan and used metabarcoding analysis to identify plant and prey DNA, revealing significant plant consumption by snow leopards.

Details

Key Points

  • Snow Leopard Habitat:
    • Snow leopards live above the tree line in High Mountain Asia, particularly in areas like the Tien-Shan Mountains.
  • Dietary Habits:
    • New research shows snow leopards consume plants, specifically Myricaria genus, indicating dietary flexibility beyond carnivorous habits.
  • Research Techniques:
    • Metabarcoding analysis was used to identify plant and prey DNA in snow leopard faeces.
  • Conservation Implications:
    • Understanding plant consumption by snow leopards can inform better conservation strategies and improve conditions in captivity.
  • Geographical Focus:
    • The study was conducted in the Sarychat-Ertash Reserve in Kyrgyzstan's Tien-Shan Mountain range.

Snow Leopard

Habitat:

  • In India, snow leopards inhabit the high-altitude regions of the Himalayas, spanning across states like Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
  • They are typically found at elevations between 3,000 to 4,500 meters above sea level, thriving in rugged terrains with sparse vegetation.

Endemic Range:

  • Snow leopards are endemic to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia, including the Himalayas, Karakoram, Pamirs, and Tien Shan.
  • In India, they are primarily concentrated in the Trans-Himalayan region, which provides the cold, arid conditions they require.

Snow Leopard Programme in India:

  • The Government of India launched the "Project Snow Leopard" in 2009 to ensure the conservation of snow leopards and their habitat.
  • The project involves community participation, scientific research, and transboundary cooperation.
  • Additionally, India is part of the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program (GSLEP), which aims to secure 20 snow leopard landscapes by 2020 across the range countries

Sources:

Indian Express

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Consider the following statements regarding the snow leopard:

Snow leopards are primarily found in the high-altitude regions of the Himalayas in India.

Project Snow Leopard was launched to increase tourism in high-altitude regions of India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 only

b) 2 only

c) Both 1 and 2

d) None

Answer: a)