Protecting large carnivores in the Mongolian Western Altai

After 15 months of data collection, we finally completed a major project in the Western Altai, with our partner Snow Leopard Conservancy. We investigated the role of Fox-Lights in mitigating human-predator conflicts in this part of the snow leopard range. Overall, we obtained 7000 forms filled in weekly by the herders living in the area. They were asked to report tracks and sightings of large carnivores, as well as any record of killing of domestic livestock and wild preys. In addition, we interviewed 60 people, gathering information on their herding practices and livestock losses. In this area, we also deployed 20 camera traps, which detected snow leopards, other carnivores and a plethora of wild prey. Incredibly, we also obtained record for the wild boar, a species known to be absent in the Western Altai.