# Guidelines for Telemetry Studies on Snow Leopards
## 5 Snow Leopard Captures Using Foot Snares
### Site Selection  
Leg-hold traps such as snares are relatively easy to transport and carry, even in rugged landscapes, allowing the researchers to carefully choose the terrain where the animal will be sedated and later safely recover. In addition to selecting sites that snow leopards are likely to visit, it is imperative that trap sites are selected so that undue injuries are avoided. The following safety considerations must be evaluated specifically for snow leopard captures, but are also relevant to other field captures:  
1. A snared snow leopard will thrash around across the area it can reach. Therefore, it is imperative that the total length of the snare and anchor cable be as short as possible to minimize the cat's range of mobility, exposure to rocks or other sharp objects, and the possibility of entanglement. Although no sites in the mountains are completely safe, it is important to avoid places with dangerous features that may injure the animal and areas with ledges or cliffs where an exhausted cat could fall and be left hanging. Snares should be located away from streams or other open water sources as snared and anesthetized animals can drown even in shallow water, and wet animals are more prone to hypothermia or other physiological challenges.
2. A safe snare must be secured to an anchor that is sturdy enough to hold any animal, wild or domestic (e.g., bears or camels), that might step into it--anything less creates the risk of debilitating injuries to the animal and research staff alike.
3. Sites must be considered both for their probability of capturing snow leopards, as well as for effectively approaching and darting captured animals.
4. Sites should be selected to maximize the likelihood of snow leopard captures, but also minimize the risk of capturing non-target species. Sites used regularly by non-target species should be avoided. Similarly, baits and lures should typically not be used as they will likely attract scavenging species to the snare, increasing captures of non-target species. Snares may be particularly dangerous to certain non-target species, especially ungulates, which can respond more violently to capture, increasing the risk of debilitating or life-threatening injuries.
5. When a snow leopard recovers from chemical immobilization, it tries to move into steep, rugged terrain as that is their natural escape response. To avoid injuries from falls before the animal has fully recovered, it is important to ensure that there are gentle slopes in at least one direction into which the animal may be guided if necessary. If there is no such place, it is important to identify a site to which the animal can be carried after it has been darted, or alternatively, it is allowed to recover in a secured, on-site, enclosure for later release. If an animal has been critically injured and will not be able to recover it is ethically justifiable to euthanize it, the capture team should be trained and equipped to carry out humane euthanasia [12].
6. Researchers need to be able to safely access the site under a wide range of conditions, including inclement weather and darkness. Snares must be avoided in sites that may become inaccessible under adverse conditions (e.g., crossing of flooded waterways).