Snow Leopard Conservancy -- Associates (Jan Janecka)

Jan Janecka

Jan Janecka is a wildlife biologist focusing on evolutionary and conservation genetics. In the winter of 2005 he traveled to Ladakh, India and with the Snow Leopard Conservancy conducted a pilot study examining the feasibility of using noninvasive genetic techniques for estimating snow leopard distribution and abundance. This approach uses a combination of traditional methods including sign and scat surveys with subsequent genetic analysis to identify the number of snow leopards in an area. The approach was efficient in detecting snow leopards, and this technique in conjunction with camera trapping, is now being used to examine snow leopard abundance in Qinghai, China and southern Mongolia. These surveys will generate information on the status and distribution of snow leopards critical for designing effective conservation actions.

Jan has conducted research integrating genetics, ecology, and conservation of ocelots as a Rob and Bessie Welder Wildlife Doctoral Fellow at the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute (Texas A&M University-Kingsville) focusing on the effects genetic erosion will have on ocelot persistence and recovery in Texas. He also has field experience conducting surveys camera trapping and live-trapping ocelots in Texas. He assisted the US Fish and Wildlife Service in developing a revised recovery plan for ocelots in Texas and northeastern Mexico. Jan has also examined the social structure and dispersal of bobcats and population genetics of mountain lions in Texas.

Jan Janecka is currently a post-doctoral research associate in the Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University in Dr. William Murphy’s laboratory where he is conducting research on the evolution of mammals. In collaboration with the Snow Leopard Conservancy and the Chinese Academy of Forestry, Jan is developing a collaborative project to examine the distribution, evolution, and status of mammals in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. He is a member of the IUCN Cat Specialist Group and has traveled and conducted research in Thailand, Laos, India, China, and Mongolia.

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