Wildlife conservation in Yeniugou, Qinghai Province, China.

摘要

Conservation prospects for large mammals in Yeniugou, an unprotected region of {dollar}approx{dollar}3900 km{dollar}sp2{dollar} in Qinghai Province, China, were investigated. Mortality from poaching activities was identified as the greatest threat subject to management intervention. Failing implementation of effective conservation systems, it was concluded that large mammal fauna in Yeniugou will become reduced and possibly extirpated. The potential of using foreign currency as an incentive in a management structure was explored through questionnaire surveys.; Wild ungulate population sizes were estimated with randomly-placed line transects supplemented by total counts; and by delineating discrete groups, and estimating the probability that group observations represented duplicate counts. Estimated numbers and 95% CIs were: Tibetan gazelle (Procapra picticaudata) 1,511 (1,037-1,985), Tibetan antelope (Pantholops hodgsoni) 2,076 (927-3,247), Tibetan wild ass (Equus hemionus) 843 (618-1,052), wild yak (Poephagus mutus) 1,223 (1,014-1,494), blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur) 1,200 (1,150-1,261), and argali (Ovis ammon) 245 (238-256).; Results of surveys mailed to Asian ecotour and trophy-hunting operators suggested that both endeavors remained problematic in western China. Ecotour operators were less satisfied with services in China than elsewhere in Asia, and most used cultural attractions in preference to wildlife; few were comfortable using horses or requiring clients to hike at high elevations. Available revenues for conservation projects were 5-15% total ecotour fees. Interest and potential revenues from trophy hunters were high. Trophy hunting appeared able to provide higher revenues for conservation in Yeniugou with less development than ecotourism.; I proposed that a Yeniugou Wildlife Management Area (YWMA) be established. YWMA relies on a dynamic incentive structure to reward actions that conserve, and punish actions that waste, wildlife resources. Elements of YWMA include definition of residents and exclusion of outsiders, financial and in-kind benefits, limitations on development activities incompatible with conserving natural habitat, biennial wildlife monitoring, linking benefits to the results of biennial surveys, employment of full-time enforcement personnel, maintenance of a livestock economy, and participation of local people in administration of the program. Problems identified with YWMA include legal barriers to importation of trophies from rare species, heavy reliance on the precision of biennial wildlife population estimates, and difficulties of creating and maintaining an effective management structure that adequately represents all the stake-holding parties.