The image is from a camera trap yesterday at about 2900m, the snow not too deep at that altitude. Around 3000m and above I was often in thigh deep drifts, the result of falls in recent days throughout much of the Himalaya. I set certain types of cameras for certain types of conditions and locations. Yesterday I set cameras during a sweep traversing several gullies and ridges along transect lines I have used for several months now.
I undergo these sweeps, taking several hours, to get an idea of wildlife motion through the range as well as livestock and human activity. These factors play a big part in where I will place Asa's food drop. The presence of other predators plays its part as well. Yesterday I had a brief glimpse of what I think was the young female leopard which appears in the area every few months. She once came very close to my tent and on another occasion her scent interested Asa enough that he went off exploring for four days. He is still much too young to mate but he does not seem at all concerned by her being in the territory unlike when the large male leopard passes through, this making Asa very wary.
I hate disturbing wildlife and I immediately changed my line of survey after my encounter with the leopard yesterday. I would far rather my cameras see these animals than get a direct sighting myself. Stress on wildlife through over indulgent research methods and poor tourism practices is something that concerns me greatly. Many "wildlife reserves" have become nothing more than large zoos and the integrity of the ecosystems is often not the priority of operators. Unfortunately the income from wildlife tourism is important for many conservation projects as well as community developments. It's a double edged sword, something I grapple with, as do many others as there is no easy solution. The model I am trying to develop for WildTiger is one of "wildlife first" but there are times progress means compromise. It makes me uneasy but I think that's a good thing, it means constant looking for better solutions.
It's a long day tomorrow with the food drop. It means finding Asa and leading him to the area after the drop is made. We usually spend a few hours together but there is no doubt that he associates me with food, exactly the outcome I had been striving for. The balance between attachment and detachment is something I am still learning of course because a project like this is so new but respecting Asa's solitary instincts is essential.
This may all sound quite clinical but it has to be that way to be effective. However it doesn't dilute the passion in any way. While I know it will take me 36 to 48 hours to physically and mentally recover from the preparation and the encounter with Asa itself I know I will learn... and I love that. I also love that I know so little because it gives so much scope for knowledge to be gained. The most important three words for a genuine researcher are "I don't know"... and I'm pleased to say I use that phrase a lot :)
I bask in my ignorance.
That being said I am excited about the future prospects for big cat rewilding. Replenishing ecosystems from the top down has not only become crucial but I really feel it is a moral obligation... conservation must not only come from the head, it must come from the heart.
Cheers Jack.
