Rapidly changing environmental conditions (bioclimatic, anthropogenic, topographic, and vegetation-related variables) are likely to alter the spatial distribution of flora and fauna. To understand the influence of environmental variables on the Blue bull’s distribution and to identify potential conflict zones, the habitat suitability analysis of the Blue bull was performed using ensemble modeling. We modelled the distribution of the Blue bull using an extensive database on the current distribution of the Blue bull and selected 15 ecologically significant environmental variables. We used ten species distribution modeling algorithms available in the BIOMOD2 R package. Among the ten algorithms, the Random Forest, Maxent, and Generalized linear model had the highest mean true skill statistics scores, ensuring better model performance, and were considered for further analysis. We found that 22,462.57 km2 (15.26%) of Nepal is suitable for the Blue bull. Slope, precipitation seasonality, and distance to the road are the environmental variables contributing the most to the distribution of Blue bull. Of the total predicted suitable habitats, 86% lies outside protected areas and 55% overlaps with agricultural land. Thus, we recommend that the future conservation initiatives including appropriate conflict mitigation measures should be prioritized equally in both protected areas and outside protected areas to ensure the species’ survival in the region.
Breeding seasonality of Axis axis differs from place to place mainly due to the difference in vegetation and climate. In Nepal, although Chital is found all over the lower Terai region, studies on breeding seasonality are limited. In this study, we observed the annual cycle of antler renewal and casting, monthly changes in frequency of bellowing call and ratio of new born fawn to adult and sub-adult females from October 2016 to March 2019. Seasonal peak of proportion of hard-antlered males was found in June and seasonal peak of bellowing call frequency was found in May. Seasonal peak of fawning occurred in December, January and February, at the beginning of dry season before monsoon, probably to coincide with the energy demanding late lactation season with excessive food available in rainy season. From antler cycle, bellowing call frequency and fawning frequency data, peak breeding season was identified as May-June. This information can be crucial in nutritional management, herd composition, and translocation period determination for in-situ and ex-situ species management programs.
Crab-eating mongoose Herpestes urva is one of the least studied small mammal species of Nepal with very few confirmed locality records. This paper presents the new location of crab-eating mongoose from agricultural land adjacent to the Schima-Castanopsis-dominated forest habitat of Parbat District in Gandaki Province, Nepal. Three individuals of crab-eating mongoose were sighted and photographed at an altitude of 1,515 m on swampy agricultural land at the edge of a fragmented forest patch of Schima-Castanopsis-dominated forest in Arthar Village of Kushma Municipality.
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