First camera-trap record of the snow leopard Panthera uncia in Gaurishankar Conservation Area, Nepal

The snow leopard Panthera uncia is the flagship species of the high mountains of the Himalayas. There is potentially continuous habitat for the snow leopard along the northern border of Nepal, but there is a gap in information about the snow leopard in Gaurishankar Conservation Area. Previous spatial analysis has suggested that the Lamabagar area in this Conservation Area could serve as a transboundary corridor for snow leopards, and that the area may connect local populations, creating a metapopulation. However, there has been no visual confirmation of the species in Lamabagar. We set 11 infrared camera traps for 7 months in Lapchi Village of Gaurishankar Conservation Area, where blue sheep Pseudois nayaur, musk deer Moschus leucogaster and Himalayan tahr Hemitragus jemlahicus, all snow leopard prey species, had been observed. In November 2018 at 4,100 m, 5 km south-west of Lapchi Village, one camera recorded three images of a snow leopard, the first photographic evidence of the species in the Conservation Area. Sixteen other species of mammals were also recorded. Camera-trap records and sightings indicated a high abundance of Himalayan tahr, blue sheep and musk deer. Lapchi Village may be a potentially important corridor for snow leopard movement between the east and west of Nepal and northwards to Quomolongma National Park in China. However, plans for development in the region present increasing threats to this corridor. We recommend development of a transboundary conservation strategy for snow leopard conservation in this region, with participation of Nepal, China and international agencies.

Himalayan tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus) recreational hunting values

Context Himalayan tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus) are a valued game resource that can cause environmental harm, requiring control of tahr populations below policy-prescribed thresholds. Effective game management requires understanding of the benefits to hunters of game resources and how hunter behaviours change in response to changes in hunt attributes, including game-animal densities, hunt duration, presence of other hunters and travel distance. Aims To identify the value of recreational Himalayan tahr hunting and how that value is affected by changes in hunt attributes for different types of hunter, thereby identifying the value of tahr as a recreational resource and opportunities for enhancing recreational hunting experiences. Methods Hunter differences were explored through factor analysis and cluster analysis, which identified three different groups of hunters on the basis of motivations and hunting activity. Preferences for hunt attributes were explored with a choice experiment that used a pivot design around actual travel distances to measure the relative importance of hunt-related attributes. Latent class analysis of choice experiment responses identified three discrete groups of hunters who sought different activity settings. Key results Results showed the high value of recreational tahr hunting for all three groups of tahr hunters. Tahr hunters were uniformly focussed on trophy bull tahr, and reduced probabilities of securing a trophy would diminish recreational hunting effort significantly. Hunting activity was not affected by adult female tahr populations. These results suggest that managing tahr to low densities, but improving trophy potential, can provide concurrent environmental and recreational benefits. Conclusions Changes in hunt attributes, such as trophy potential and presence of other hunters, have significant effects on hunt benefits, site choice and the amount of recreational tahr hunting. Implications The present study identified potential gains from active management of Himalayan tahr and tahr hunters.

New Olonbulukia material and its related assemblage reveal an early radiation of stem Caprini along the north of the Tibetan Plateau

Living Caprini are dominant bovids in the pan-Tibetan area that are strongly adapted to dry steppe and high-mountain meadow habitats. Some taxa with Holarctic distributions, e.g., Ovis Linnaeus, 1758, were thought to originate on the Tibetan Plateau and subsequently dispersed elsewhere, which was depicted as an ‘out of Tibet’ story. However, except for some information on a stem caprine assemblage from the Qaidam Basin, the early evolution of Caprini around the Tibetan Plateau is poorly known. Here, we report new material of Olonbulukia tsaidamensis Bohlin, 1937, which was a member of this stem caprine assemblage, from the Wuzhong region, northern China, confirming the similarity of the Wuzhong Fauna and ‘Qaidam Fauna.’ Based on a biometric study of horncores from the ‘Qaidam’ and Wuzhong faunas, we recognize six taxa from this stem caprine assemblage: O. tsaidamensis, O. sp., Qurliqnoria cheni Bohlin, 1937, Tossunnoria pseudibex Bohlin, 1937, ?Protoryx cf. P. enanus Köhler, 1987, and cf. Pachytragus sp. Among these taxa, Q. cheni and T. pseudibex are probably related to some extant Tibetan endemic species, e.g., the Tibetan antelope, Pantholops hodgsonii (Abel, 1826), and the Himalayan tahr, Hemitragus jemlahicus (Smith, 1826). Others might be ancestral to the Turolian caprine assemblages and even possibly gave rise to the extant Caprina. This work reveals an early radiation of stem caprines along the northern side of the rising Tibetan Plateau and indicates a mixed pattern of pan-Tibetan stem caprine evolution prior to their dispersal out of the Tibetan Plateau.

Abundance of snow leopard (Panthera uncia) and its wild prey in Chhekampar VDC, Manaslu Conservation Area, Nepal

Snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is the striking symbol as well as an indicator of intact eco-regions of high mountains it inhabits. Despite the advancement in new methods, scholars argue that signs are still a reliable indicator for the purpose of habitat use study of snow leopards. The relative abundance of snow leopard and its major prey species such as blue sheep (Pseudois nayar) and Himalayan tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus) in the Chhekampar Village Development Committee within the Tsum Valley of the Manaslu Conservation Area was determined by sign survey using Snow Leopard Information Management System (SLIMS) and block survey using Vantage Point Method, respectively. We also assessed human snow leopard conflict through household and key informant survey. The encounter rate of snow leopard signs were 3.57/km on an average, indicating low abundance, whereas prey species such as blue sheep and Himalayan tahr had 3.8 and 1.8 animals/km2, respectively. The livestock depredation rate was 1.29% with snow leopard accounting to only 0.32% of the total. Due to the low abundance of snow leopard but sufficient number of large-sized wild prey species, livestock predation by snow leopard was minimum, and therefore, the local people had positive perception towards snow leopard conservation. Though the present situation including the local religious tradition and social norms is supportive in conservation of snow leopard, it may not sustain unless incentive programs are encouraged timely.Banko Janakari, Vol. 27, No. 1, Page : 11-20

Habitat and feeding ecology of alpine musk deer (Moschus chrysogaster) in Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, Uttarakhand, India

The alpine musk deer, Moschus chrysogaster, a small member of family Moschidae, is a primitive deer threatened due to poaching and habitat loss, and therefore classified as Endangered by IUCN and also listed in Appendix I of CITES. Although the species is legally protected in India under Wildlife Protection Act 1972, conservation of the species requires better understanding of its distribution and resource-use pattern; therefore, a study on its feeding and habitat ecology was conducted from February 2011 to February 2014, at Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary. The Sanctuary is one of the known remaining habitats for musk deer in India. Four locations, namely, Shokhark I, Shokhark II, Tungnath and Chandrashila, were intensively monitored and further categorised on the basis of habitats and altitudinal gradient. The habitat overlap between musk deer and all other ungulate species of the area was calculated through Pianka’s overlap index. The results indicated a large overlap between musk deer and Himalayan tahr. Species dietary spectra were studied using microhistological techniques for faecal pellet-group analysis coupled with Bonferroni approach. The dicotyledon to monocotyledon ratios were found to be 73.62–26.38% and 52.016– 47.984% in the pre- and post-monsoon seasons, respectively. The study showed that the musk deer is predominantly a browser. The most preferred plant species of the animals were found to be Gaultheria trichophylla, Ophiopogon intermedius., Cyperus sp. and Sibbaldia cuneata. During the field survey, opportunistic sightings of the species were also recorded. The species was found to be restricted to areas where the density of preferred vegetation was high. Therefore, it is recommended to provide strict protection to the areas such as Shokhark.

Parasitic burden in high altitude wild ruminants: Himalayan Tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus Smith, 1826) and Barking Deer (Muntiacus vaginalis Boddaert, 1785) of Rara National Park, Nepal

Parasites of two high altitude ruminants Himalayan Tahr (Near Threatened) and Barking Deer (Vulnerable) were examined from the Rara National Park, located at 3000 – 4000 m altitude of Nepal, for the first time. A total of 51 faecal samples, 17 from Himalayan Tahr and 34 from Barking Deer were collected in the month of May/June 2012 and 2013. Parasites were found in all the samples of Himalayan Tahr and 33 samples (97.06%) of Barking Deer. Coccidian oocysts (Eimeria sp.), eggs of cestodes (Moniezia sp.) and gastrointestinal nematodes (Strongyloides sp., Trichuris sp., Oxyuris sp., Ascaris sp., Trichostrongylus sp. and Haemonchus sp.) and bronchopulmonary nematode larvae (Dictyocaulus sp. and Muellerius sp.) were identified by means of coprological techniques. Himalayan Tahrs were found to be highly infected with Eimeria sp. (88.24%) and Moniezia sp. (70.59%) compared to Barking Deers, Eimeria sp. (73.53%) and Moniezia sp. (47.06%). In Himalayan Tahr, prevalence of Oxyuris was found to be highest (88.24%) among various nematode parasites followed by Stongyloides sp. (64.71%), Ascaris sp. (52.94%), Trichostrongylus sp. (11.76%), Dictyocaulus sp. (11.76%), Muellerius sp. (11.76%) and Haemonchus sp. (5.88%) while in Barking Deer, 26 (76.47%) samples were found to be positive for nematode parasites. Among the nematode eggs examined, Oxyuris revealed highest prevalence (70.59%) followed by Ascaris sp. (17.65%), Trichuris sp. (8.82%), Dictyocaulus sp. (8.82%) and Haemonchus sp. (2.94%). Present findings highlight that the parasitic diseases are posing considerable threat in the conservation of wild life in Nepal.

Status of blue sheep and Himalayan tahr in Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve, Nepal

A survey of blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur) was conducted in six blocks of Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve (DHR), Nepal. A total of 852 blue sheep were recorded in 73 different groups. The average group size was found to be 11.7 individuals. The average population density of blue sheep in the reserve was found to be 1.28 animals per km2. There were 263 rams, 307 ewes, 89 yearlings and 39 lambs. Among the rams, 126 were classified as trophy rams, 92 as medium rams and 45 as young rams. The ratio of trophy rams to other rams was found to be higher than those found in the earlier studies. The mean sex ratio was 86 males per 100 females and the yearling to ewes ratio was 29 per 100 ewes. The survey of Himalayan tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus) in Sundaha block recorded 53 individuals with 30 males, 14 females, eight yearlings, and one lamb. The results indicated that the existing quota of blue sheep hunting can be safely continued. In case of higher demands, two more quotas can be added to Barse, Dogadi and Sundaha blocks for the next five years (2008-2012). Himalayan tahrs can be hunted in all the blocks. Sundaha block can sustain four while the rest of the blocks can sustain two Himalayan tahrs per year. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/banko.v21i1.9060 Banko Janakari, Vol. 21, No. 1 2011; 25-30