Yash Veer Bhatnagar

Former Programme Head, High Altitudes

Ph.D.

My primary interests lie in the cold-arid landscapes of the Trans-Himalaya. My present research and conservation interests are in studying ungulate-habitat relationships, interactions with livestock, models for coexistence of herders and wildlife, people-wildlife conflict resolution, alternative models for conservation (especially outside wildlife PAs), participatory planning and action. I had a liking for the Himalaya right from childhood. During my graduate days at the G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology in Pantnagar at the foothills of the Kumaon Himalaya, a definitive interest in wildlife emerged. I went on to complete a Masters degree in Agricultural Entomology in 1989, but then took up another Masters in Wildlife Science at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun. I worked on ranging and habitat use by Himalayan ibex under the guidance of Drs. G.S. Rawat, Michael Stüwe and A.J.T. Johnsingh for my PhD and was awarded the degree in 1997. In between, I conducted a brief study on enumerating penguins and seals in a part of Antarctica as part of the 15th Indian Antarctic Expedition in 1995-96—a very welcome interlude! After my PhD I worked for a year with the International Snow Leopard Trust as their country representative, before joining the WII as a faculty, where I served between 1999 and 2003.I joined NCF in July 2003, I have been co-directing the High Altitude Program through research, conservation and training activities.

Projects

Publications

Spatial variation in population-density of snow leopards in a multiple use landscape in Spiti Valley, Trans-Himalaya.

Journal Article

2021

Spatial variation in population-density of snow leopards in a multiple use landscape in Spiti Valley, Trans-Himalaya.

The forgotten mountain monarch? Understanding conservation status
of the vulnerable Ladakh Urial in India

Journal Article

2021

The forgotten mountain monarch? Understanding conservation status of the vulnerable Ladakh Urial in India

Snow Leopard Population
Assessment in India

Report

2021

Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India

Ecosystem service dependence in livestock and crop-based production
systems in Asia's high mountains.

Journal Article

2020

Ecosystem service dependence in livestock and crop-based production systems in Asia's high mountains.

Book Chapter

2018

Large Carnivore and Conservation and Management

Conference Proceedings

2018

Snow leopard and prey: Landscape-level distribution modeling & impacts of migratory livestock grazing in Symposium Assimilated Knowledges: an integrated approach to conservation in snow leopard landscapes

Journal Article

2017

Impact of wild prey availability on livestock predation by snow leopards. 

Two snow leopards walking

Dataset

2017

Data from: Assessing changes in distribution of the endangered snow leopard Panthera uncia and its wild prey over 2 decades in the Indian Himalaya through interview-based occupancy surveys.

Dataset

2017

Data from: Impact of wild prey availability on livestock predation by snow leopards

Report

2017

Valuation of Ecosystem Services in Snow Leopard Landscapes of Asia

Journal Article

2017

Assessing changes in distribution of the Endangered snow leopard Panthera uncia and its wild prey over 2 decades in the Indian Himalaya through interviewbased occupancy surveys

Journal Article

2017

Commensal in conflict: Livestock depredation patterns by free-ranging domestic dogs in the Upper Spiti Landscape, Himachal Pradesh, India

Conference Proceedings

2017

Migratory livestock grazing significantly impacts rangeland vegetation and wild-ungulate population in the Indian Trans-Himalaya

Data from: Response of the red fox to expansion of human habitation in the Trans-Himalayan mountains

Dataset

2016

Data from: Response of the red fox to expansion of human habitation in the Trans-Himalayan mountains

Journal Article

2016

Response of the red fox to expansion of human habitation in the Trans-Himalayan mountains

Book Chapter

2016

Richness and size distribution of large herbivores in the Himalaya

Journal Article

2016

Forage and security trade-offs by markhor Capra falconeri mothers. 

Conference Proceedings

2016

Impact of migratory livestock grazing on rangeland vegetation and wild-ungulate in the Indian Trans-Himalaya

Book Chapter

2016

South Asia: India. In Snow leopards. Biodiversity of the world: conservation from genes to landscapes. Series editor: Philip J. Nyhus, Volume editors: Thomas McCarthy, David Mallon. 

Journal Article

2015

Does livestock benefit or harm snow leopards?

Dataset

2014

Multiscale factors affecting human attitudes toward snow leopards and wolves. Dryad Digital Repository.

Journal Article

2014

Multi-scale factors influencing human attitudes towards snow leopards and wolves.

Book Chapter

2014

Conservation without fences: Project Snow Leopard

Journal Article

2013

People, predators and perceptions: patterns of livestock depredation by snow leopards and wolves.

Journal Article

2012

Standardizing the double-observer survey method for estimating mountain ungulate prey of the endangered snow leopard

Journal Article

2010

Why should a grazer browse? Livestock impact on winter resource use by bharal Pseudois nayaur. 

Book Chapter

2010

Multiple Use of Trans-Himalayan Rangelands: Reconciling Human Livelihoods withWildlife Conservation. 

Journal Article

2009

Endangered markhor Capra falconeri in India: through war and insurgency

Journal Article

2008

Distributional correlates of the Tibetan gazelle Procapra picticaudata in Ladakh, northern India: towards a recovery programme. 

Journal Article

2007

A Strategy for Conservation of Tibetan Gazelle Procapra picticaudata in Ladakh. 

Journal Article

2006

Perceived conflicts between pastoralism and conservation of the Kiang Equus kiang in the Ladakh Trans- Himalaya