Snow leopards are one of the least known large cats, the population of which has dramatically de- creased. Their habitat loss was considered the main reason for the decline during the last decade, but their habitat preferences are still not well known. In this paper, we studied the winter habitat preferences of snow leopards in the Tomur National Nature Reserve （TNNR） in Northwest China during 2004-2005. We used sign surveys and tran- sects to study the winter habitat selection of snow leopards. The results indicated that snow leopards showed a preference for habitat variabilities in slope aspect, vegetation cover, dominant topographical features, landform ruggedness and grazing status. We found that prey availability and dominant topographical features were the most important factors that determined the winter habitat selection of snow leopards. Our results supported the idea that the habitat preferences of snow leopards are a tradeoff between suitable habitat features and avoidance of potential human interactions.
The Relict Gull(Larus relictus) is recognized as a vulnerable species,with a worldwide population of about 6,000 individuals.Always inhabiting the extreme arid regions of Central Asia,their migratory routes and winter grounds are unclear.This research focused on distribution sites,habitat,behavior,population size and seasonal changes of Relict Gull.Line transects and point counts in every month were used to investigate the gulls around the Ebinur Lake.The result showed Relict Gull was summer visitor to Xinjiang,Western China.Population curve with a single peak was obtained.This gull appeared in early April and was 63 individuals(1% of the global population).The number remained stable from May to July in 2009.The discovery of fledglings indi-cates that Relict Gull may breed here.They left Ebinur Lake in August.Relict Gull in Ebinur Lake should belong to the Central Asian subpopulation,which was the most westerly record in China.
