THE STATUS OF THE SNOW LEOPARD IN THE EEP-PROGRAM IN 2007

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1 THE STATUS OF THE SNOW LEOPARD IN THE EEP-PROGRAM IN 2007 Leif Blomqvist EEP Co-ordinator & International studbook keeper, Helsinki Zoo, Helsinki, The snow leopard, Uncia uncia, has been co-ordinated at the highest level of management in Europe (EEP) for 20 years. During this time, the population has fluctuated from 74 animals in 1987 when snow leopards were included in the EEP-program, to a maximum of 224 animals in 1996 when the captive population reached its largest number. The following year, in 1997, the population started to decrease and with a few exceptions, has continued to do so throughout the following years. In , the population stood at 183 (87.96) animals, distributed over 85 institutions. FLUCTUATIONS IN THE POPULATION IN 2007 two zoos in France and one in England re-joined the EEP after obtaining animals from collaborating participants. As the number of lost animals exceeded the number of births, the negative population growth continued and the status stood at individuals distributed over 85 institutions. Despite all attempts to expand the population during the past years, this is the lowest number of snow leopards kept in the breeding programme since 1992 (Figure 1). Reproduction took place in 14 locations in 2007, with a total of 16 litters and 28 (15.8.5) cubs born. Two litters were bred in Jihlava in the Czech Republic. Kolmården bred a litter for the first time during the year, but unfortunately neither of the two kittens survived. As 13 out of 28 cubs did not survive for half a year, the juvenile mortality amounted to 46%. As also 6.7 adult animals died, a total of 25 (11.9.5) animals were lost from the program in No animals were exported from the EEP, whereas a private holder in Germany entered the program with three animals. Two additional holders, Moulin in France and Kolmården in Sweden joined the program, while CURRENT STATUS OF THE POPULATION The snow leopard has a long breeding history in Europe where the first reported birth took place in Wroclaw in Breeding success was, however, 20

2 Figure 1. Development of EEP population Number of animals Males occasional and rare until the 1970s when regular breeding took place mainly in three zoos, Zurich, Krefeld and Helsinki. Helsinki Zoo where the global studbook has been kept since 1976 has also been the most successful breeding facility in the world with a total of 117 cubs born in In 1987, two years after the establishment of the EEP-breeding program, the snow leopard was also included in the joint efforts. The annual fluctuations in the stock since the establishment of the program are shown in Figure 1. After reaching a peak with 223 animals in 1994, the EEP has exhibited a decline of 23% (lambda = 0.775). The current age structure (Figure 2) also illustrates a fairly high number of aging animals where 11% are older than 15 years and therefore have passed the Figure 2. Age/sex distribution in the EEP population of snow leopards at (sterile animals are excluded). Number of animals Males Age main reproductive life span. The base of juveniles and young animals is, however, fairly healthy, and with good breeding results it might be sufficient to replace the older animals and change the trend in a positive direction. The founder base is broad, containing 48 wild-caught animals with one potential founder housed in Kazan Zoo (Figure 3). The gene diversity for the population is 96% equalling the amount of diversity found in 12 randomly wild-caught snow leopards (fge). INTENSIFIED CO-OPERATION BENEFITS ALL PROGRAMS Genetic diversity is required for populations to adapt to environmental changes. Large populations have extensive diversity whereas it is typically reduced in small or declining populations. As most of the captive populations are small, they are more prone to random events than large and stable populations. When offspring are produced and previous generations pass away, the diversity of the genes decreases due to random genetic processes. Small populations, like this, lose variation more rapidly than large ones. The current gene diversity of 96% (Table 1) could theoretically be improved by regular arrivals of wild immigrants. With a regular influx of new founders, the captive population could be kept smaller without losing too much of its diversity. As one of the goals for the breeding program is to support the survival of snow leopards in their natural environment, catching new animals is not an option. All recent surveys reveal that snow leopards are declining throughout most of their natural range. Trade in live animals to Chinese zoos, as well as trade in skins and bones have become so extensive that there is a danger that the snow leopard might be wiped out from many of its former strongholds (Blomqvist and Dexel 2006). A clear indication of the decline can be found from statistics of wild-caught animals which have been transferred from the range countries to foreign zoos. Before 1970, an average of 12 live animals were exported each year to zoos from the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic. The EEP has, however, strongly opposed to the capture of wild snow leopards for zoos and during the last 20 years only six wild-caught snow leopards have entered the program. Proposals to capture new founders from the wild have also been rejected by the species co-ordinator in the SSP, as well as by the propagation group. Intensified co-operation and expanded exchanges of animals between the continental breeding programs are therefore keys for maintaining a healthy population in captivity with a sufficient amount of retained diversity. Internal transfers within the regional breeding programs are common and undertaken on a routine 21

3 Figure 3. Founder representation in EEP snow leopard population as of % Representation Male Female Stbk # DEMOGRAPHY Current Population Size (N) 183 (87.96) Target Population Size 200 Mean Generation Time (in 7.73 years) Population Growth Rate 0.82 (lambda) GENETICS Current Potential Number of Founders 48 1 Founder Genome Equivalents (fge) Gene Diversity Retained 96% 98% Fraction of wild gene diversity 4% 2% lost Population Mean Kinship Mean Inbreeding (F) % Known Pedigree (prior to 100 assumptions) Ne/N 0.33 Table 1. Demographic and genetic data extracted from the EEP population basis each year. In the global population, 26 animals were transferred in 2007, 9.8 of which took place within the EEP program. Between the continental programs such exchanges have unfortunately been less common. To improve the breeding potential in the two main breeding programs in North America and Europe, an agreement was reached in 2007 between the co-ordinators. The SSP will assist the EEP with a young pair of animals to be located in St. Aignan and Planckendael, while Tierpark Berlin has offered to provide one of their males to the North American colleagues. The original intention was that both programmes would exchange a pair. Due to lack of suitable animals in 2007, the EEP was not able to fulfil its obligations and the program will therefore try to find a suitable female born in BREEDING STRATEGIES The EAZA Felid TAG has set a target population of 200 animals within the European region (Blomqvist et al. 2000). The current number of 183 animals is therefore lower than recommended in the Regional Collection Plan and many participants are currently looking for either partners for their single animals or for a totally new pair. Because of a shortage of animal, the program has not been able to supply each participant with new animals. Other continental breeding programs have also asked for support from the EEP. The number of pairs selected for breeding therefore has to be increased from the current level of 15 to 20. As in most programs, pairings are mainly selected by considerations of MK-values and avoidance of inbreeding (Table 2). Due to the low likelihood of breeding success with genetically important 22

4 Males 23 Rank Stbk# MK Age Location Stbk# MK Age Location KAZAN ,003 9 ZURICH , MOSCOW , LENINGRAD , LENINGRAD , KALININGR , HELSINKI , BANHAM , EKATERINB , WUPPERTAL , DUBLIN , YARMOUTH , TALLIN , JIHLAVA , HELSINKI , HELSINKI , SZEGED ,033 5 MOSCOW , KAUNAS ,033 5 KALININGR , KISHINEV , LENINGRAD , BUSSOLENG , ST MARTIN , BANHAM , MOSCOW , MOSCOW , LIGNANO , ZURICH , HEADCORN , TALLIN , VALBREMBO , NURNBERG , HELSINKI , COLWYNBAY , DUBLIN , PLOCK , NESLES , ASSON , BROXBRNE , NINDORF , KAUNAS , AHTARI , COLWYNBAY , LIBEREC , PLOCK , BERLIN TP , KOLMARDEN , LA PALMYR ,04 11 MUNICH , MAGDEBURG , JURQUES , AHTARI , SZEGED , HEADCORN , AHTARI , SANTILLAN , DUBLIN , OSTRAVA , WARSAW , NEUWIED , TALLIN , ZAGREB , LYMPNE , MUNICH , KRAKOW , NESLES , BEKESBRNE , USTI , LEIPZIG , PLZN , LISBON , NOVOSIBRK , DRESDEN , NIKOLAEV , AVINTES , SOSTO , OSTRAVA , ROSTOCK , LA PALMYR ,046 6 LEIPZIG , PARIS JP ,046 4 MOULIN , STUTTGART , SANTILLAN , PEAUGRES , KOLN , PEAUGRES , KOLMARDEN , NOVOSIBRK , RAFAEL R , MOULIN , AVINTES , PLZN , LINTON , NINDORF , LISBON , BUSSOLENGO ,048 9 AGRATE , SOSTO Table 2. MK value for EEP population. Males older than 16 years and females older than 15 years have been removed from table due to high age.

5 individuals no longer in their prime breeding age, some pairs are also recommended to be bred in order to meet the demographic goals to expand the population size to the target level of 200 animals. There is still room for significant husbandry improvements and the program has the potential to increase several of its genetic parameters presented in Table 1. One has to remember, however, that although the potential gene diversity is 2% higher than the current, the potential diversity can newer be fully achieved. The high infant mortality remains a severe problem also. Although as many as 688 ( ) cubs have been born in the EEP during the past 20 years, 39% ( ) of them have died before they have reached 12 months of age. This clearly indicates that a management problem exists which should be open to improvement. The EEP consequently has to continue improving its management by reducing cub mortality and trying to breed from all healthy individuals in order to equalize family sizes. Institutions must also be encouraged to breed from less well represented bloodlines and to utilise MK values better in recommending breeding exchanges. REFERENCES BLOMQVIST, L., S. McKEOWN, J. C. M. LEWIS and D. RICHARDSON (2000): EEP Felid Regional Collection Plan & Veterinary Guidelines. 57 pp. The Nordic Ark Found. BLOMQVIST, L. and B. DEXEL (2006): Declining numbers of wild snow leopards. International collaboration urgently needed to ensure long-term survival of snow leopards. EAZA Zoo News 53: BLOMQVIST, L. (2008): Snow leopard EEP Annual Report. EAZA Yearb. 2006: Eds. D. de Man, W. van Lint, A-K. Garn and B. Hiddinga. EAZA Executive Office, Amsterdam 24