Foster Kittens Oscar and Cole

They will be ready for adoption in just a few days!  Let us know if you want to give them a fur-ever home at Cat@BigCatRescue.org

Snow Leopard News

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

We are happy to report that many of our staff members are making their way back from the field, bringing with them, some exciting updates!

Our Senior Regional Ecologist, Dr. Koustubh Sharma, recounts his 3 exhilarating weeks of field work in Mongolia saying, “We drove about 1000 km on non-existent tracks through beautiful, rugged landscapes with only very few human settlements, no roads and few sources of water. When the car couldn’t go any further, we put on our boots and hiked. We covered about 150 km on foot; climbing and descending nearly 8000 meters (over 26,000 feet) in altitude. I had bought sturdy new hiking boots in Ulaanbaatar before setting off for the field trip…when I went back to the store on my return to get some other equipment, the salesman refused to believe these were the same boots I bought 3 weeks ago from him.” You’ll see why on the first page of the update – ah, the life of a researcher.

From the cats, Agnes’ uplink rate has declined drastically in the past couple of weeks, and she has remained in generally the same spot. This could indicate that she is denning, and we will keep you posted as we remain on ‘cub watch’.

From Pakistan, we have some great new snow leopard photos from our research cameras along with a recap of World Environmental day that was held on June 5th to sensitize the masses on the importance of environmental conservation. From India, read about our conservation education camps complete with a beautiful photo of a morning meditation ritual with the students. And last, but certainly not least, read about conflict assessments taking place in China where after the survey one staff member, Tian Feng, said: “Wildlife-human conflicts are the common problems in environmental conservation in western China, and local communities usually have mixed feelings on them. As bear damage is severe in Sanjiangyuan region, we usually started interview with this question: “what’s your response when brown bears break in your house?” To my surprise, most nomads answered, “we have no way to stop the bears, but we can’t hurt them. The brown bears live in the environment and have their own values, and killing them is both illegal and sinful.” I was really touched by their awareness.”

Thank you for instilling this same kind of awareness into your visitors everyday through your conservation connections. We are so grateful that you help us convey the message of snow leopard conservation, and please let us know if there is anything that we can do to help facilitate that even further.

In other news, our 2013 Natural Partnership Program packets are being mailed out as I type this, so please keep an eye out for them in your mailboxes. You can also preview them online!

PS – Thank you to everyone who has let us know they are celebrating the arrivals of snow leopard cubs! We are keeping a running list here on our blog and on our Facebook page, so please contact me if you should be added to this list. You can also mention @Snowleopardtrust on any Facebook post that you put up, which will automatically link to our page!

Marissa B. Niranjan

Zoo Programs Manager

Snow Leopard Trust

4649 Sunnyside Ave. N. #325

Seattle, WA 98103

Bobcat Bill Bounding Through Legislature

COMPLETE BILL HISTORY

BILL NUMBER : A.B. No. 1213

AUTHOR : Bloom

TOPIC : Bobcat Protection Act of 2013.

TYPE OF BILL :

Active

Non-Urgency

Non-Appropriations

Majority Vote Required

State-Mandated Local Program

Fiscal

Non-Tax Levy

BILL HISTORY

2013

June 25 From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6.

Noes 2.) (June 25). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

June 20 From committee chair, with author’s amendments: Amend, and re-refer

to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on

N.R. & W.

June 13 Referred to Com. on N.R. & W.

June 3 In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

May 30 Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 51. Noes 24.

Page 1820.)

May 28 Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

May 24 From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 12. Noes 5.) (May 24).

Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

May 15 In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense

file.

May 7 Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

May 6 Read second time and amended.

May 2 From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR.

(Ayes 9. Noes 5.) (April 30).

Apr. 25 Re-referred to Com. on W.,P. & W.

Apr. 24 From committee chair, with author’s amendments: Amend, and re-refer

to Com. on W.,P. & W. Read second time and amended.

Apr. 2 In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.

Mar. 20 Re-referred to Com. on W.,P. & W.

Mar. 19 From committee chair, with author’s amendments: Amend, and re-refer

to Com. on W.,P. & W. Read second time and amended.

Mar. 7 Referred to Com. on W.,P. & W.

Feb. 25 Read first time.

Feb. 24 From printer. May be heard in committee March 26.

Feb. 22 Introduced. To print.