TECHNICAL REPORT POPULATION STATUS AND BT DISTRIBUTION OF SNOW 2016 LEOPARDS IN WANGCHUCK CENTENNIAL NATIONAL PARK, BHUTAN POPULATION STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION OF SNOW LEOPARDS IN WANGCHUCK CENTENNIAL NATIONAL PARK, BHUTAN TECHNICAL REPORT OCTOBER 2016 Tenzin, Senior Ranger, Wangchuck Centennial National Park (WCNP), Bhutan Rinjan Shrestha, Conservation Scientist, WWF-US (Corresponding Author:
[email protected] ) Tshering Dhendup, Park Manager, Wangchuck Centennial National Park (WCNP), Bhutan Contributors: All staff of Wangchuck Centennial National Park Edited by: John D. Farrington, Program Manager, WWF-AHM Project and Vijay Moktan, Conservation Director, WWF-Bhutan Design and Layout: Tenzin Rabgye, Communications Officer, WWF Bhutan Suggested Citation: WCNP and WWF, 2016. Population Status and Distribution of Snow Leopards in Wangchuck Centennial National Park, Bhutan. Thimphu: Wangchuck Centennial National Park and World Wildlife Fund. Copyright: © 2016 Wangchuck Centennial National Park, Department of Forests and Park Services and WWF ISBN 978-99936-713-0-5 Cover Photo: Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia) © naturepl.com / Reinhard / ARCO / WWF The contents of this report are the responsibility of WCNP and WWF and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government. CONTENTS Acronyms iv Acknowledgements v Executive Summary 1 Introduction 3 Study Area 5 Field Survey Methodology 10 Data Analysis Methodology 15 Results 16 Conservation Implications 23 Key Recommendations 25 Conclusions 27 References 29 Annex: Wildlife