Bijaya Neupane

Institute of Forestry · Department of Park Recreation and Wildlife Management

Human-wildlife conflict (HWC) is a pressing issue worldwide but varies by species over time and place. One of the most prevalent forms of HWC in the mid-hills of Nepal is human-common-leopard conflict (HLC). Leopard attacks, especially in forested areas, can severely impact villagers and their livestock. Information on HLC in the Gorkha district wa...

In Nepal, red panda has been sparsely studied, although its range covers a wide geographical area. The current study was conducted in two community forests of Ilam district with the objective of examining the present distributional status and determining the habitat utilization of the species. Extensive field surveys were conducted to estimate spec...

Himalayan Musk deer, Moschus chrysogaster is widely distributed but one of the least studied species in Nepal. In this study, we compiled a total of 429 current presence points of direct observation of the species, pellets droppings, and hoofmarks based on field-based surveys during 2018-2021 and periodic data held by the Department of National Par...

Private forests offer diverse ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration and biodiversity conservation, which are crucial for Nepal. However, there is a notable absence of comprehensive research on these services. Assessing carbon sequestration in private forests can have economic advantages for forest owners by promoting resource conservat...

Endemic to India and Nepal, the swamp deer (Rucervus duvaucelii) is crucial for restoring and sustaining populations of top predators like tigers. Despite recent signs of species recovery in protected areas, the species remains vulnerable to extinction due to increasing anthropogenic activities. Information on factors influencing the occurrence of...

Information on the spatial and temporal patterns of losses caused by leopard (Panthera pardus) in terms of human attacks and livestock depredation in the human-dominated landscape of the mid-hills of Nepal is essential in formulating and implementing effective mitigation measures. This study aimed to assess the spatial and temporal patterns of leop...

The present study aimed to assess if the people are satisfied with the relief fund scheme in the three different user committees belonging to 10 Buffer Zone User Group (BZUG) of Shivapuri-Nagarjun National Park (SNNP) in the situation with the higher incidents of conflict on those areas. Differences in local people's attitudes and the effect of soc...

Over the last few years, intensifying human impact and the deterioration of natural habitats have severely restricted the global distribution of large herbivores. Rucervus duvaucelii, commonly recognized as the swamp deer, is a habitat-specialist endemic large herbivore of the Indian Subcontinent. It is classified as vulnerable by the IUCN and list...

The hispid hare (Caprolagus hispidus) is one of the most elusive mammals and is listed as an endangered species both globally by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and nationally by National Red list series, Nepal. The species is experiencing a continuous decline across its distribution range due to increasing anthropogenic a...

Mugger crocodiles (hereafter called muggers) are the apex predator and keystone species in slow flowing freshwater ecosystem. They play an important role in its functioning by distributing nutrients and increasing primary productivity. Muggers have a sympatric distribution with gharials in the Rapti and Narayani River of Chitwan National Park, but...

The Chinese pangolin is a critically endangered and biologically unique species, yet information on its status, distribution, and habitat preferences is still scarce in Nepal, which limits effective conservation action. This study identified the current burrow density status, distribution pattern, and important habitat parameters associated with Ch...

Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) contribute to livelihood of rural communities which is influenced by numerous socio-economic variables. This study assessed the financial contribution of Zanthoxylum armatum and the influence of respondents’ various socio-economic characteristics on such contribution in Ghatan of Beni Municipality, Myagdi District...

Forest management practice plays a critical role in conserving biodiversity. However, there are few studies on how forest management practice affects bird communities. Here, we compare the effectiveness of the Panchase Protection Forest (PPF; protected forest with government administration) and the Tibrekot Community Forest (TCF; community forest w...

There exists limited information on biodiversity including faunal diversity and habitat conditions in protected forests (PF) of Nepal; thus, we aimed to assess the faunal diversity and the associated habitat characteristics of birds in the Bharang area of Panchase protected forest. The point count method was used for assessing bird diversity. Mamma...

Barking deer is found in dense tropical and subtropical forests of Asia. It is listed as “least concerned” by the International Union of Conservation of Nature and as “vulnerable” in Nepal, where it is also protected. Due to the habitat loss and fragmentation by human activities, barking deer abundance is decreasing, which may even ultimately lead...

Background Knowledge about the niche overlap among wild species and domestic cattle is helpful to conserve and manage wildlife. We assessed the habitat niche breadth and overlap of sympatrically living spotted deer ( Axis axis ) and domestic cattle with swamp deer ( Cervus duvaucelii ) in Shuklaphanta National Park, Nepal during the dry season to e...

Anthropogenic pressures in human-dominated landscapes often contribute to wildlife mortality. Carnivores are especially vulnerable to human-induced mortality due to the perceived threat to livestock and humans. Despite having widespread conservation implications, carnivore mortality data have been largely underutilized within Nepal. This study util...

Striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena) is a member of the Hyaenidae family distributed globally from Africa to Central Tanzania, the Arabian Peninsula, Turkey, Central Asia, and the Indian subcontinent including Nepal. Only a few documented studies have been carried out at a national as well as international level regarding their habit, habitat, threats, an...

Wild Water Buffalo (WWB) Bubalus arnee is an endangered species and a protected animal in Nepal. The remaining WWB population is located in Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (KTWR), and it appears to have low viability under prevailing conditions. We assessed the habitat use and conservation threats to wild water buffalo in KTWR. For habitat analysis th...

The Fishing cat, Prionailurus viverrinus is a medium-size wild felid native to south and Southeast Asia. Global status of the species has been assessed under the ‘Vulnerable’ category by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and is listed as ‘Endangered’ in Nepal. Knowledge on the species is limited due to less research studies conducted resultin...

Odonata are one of the most ancient, well studied and fascinating insect orders considered as bio-indicators of aquatic ecosystems. Studies on Odonata have been carried out in many parts of Nepal, but no specific study has been performed in Tanahun. Hence, a study was conducted to determine the species diversity and abundance of Odonata in the Sish...

There exists limited information on biodiversity including avifaunal diversity and habitat condition in community forests (CF) of Nepal; thus we aimed to fulfill such gaps in Tibrekot CF of Kaski district. We used the point count method for assessing bird diversity and laid out a circular plot size of radius 5-m within 15-m distance from each point...

Few researches have been conducted on the hispid hare Caprolagus hispidus, an endangered small mammal native to the southern foothills of the Himalayas. In major protected areas of Nepal, grassland burning has been considered as one of the most important habitat management tools however its effects on grassland dependent species such as hispid hare...

The red panda (Ailurus fulgens), an arboreal mammal belonging to the family Ailuridae, and order Carnivora with herbivorous tendencies is distributed across the mountains of Nepal, Bhutan, China, India, and Myanmar. Due to different anthropogenic activities, the wild populations of A. fulgens have declined by 50% across these range countries. There...

Himalayan or White-bellied Musk Deer Moschus leucogaster, an IUCN indexed endangered species, is distributed in isolated pockets in the Himalaya. The deer population is decreasing owing to several pressures that include habitat loss and fragmentation, and poaching. It is essential to identify preferred habitat characteristics to support appropriate...

Floral attributes often influence the foraging choices of nectar-feeding butterflies, given the close association between plants and these butterfly pollinators. The diversity of butterflies is known to a large extent in Nepal, but little information is available on the feeding habits of butterflies. This study was conducted along the periphery of...

Blue bull is Asia’s largest antelope, a species of least concern in IUCN Red data list of 2020. In Nepal, it is vulnerable and is often considered as a problem animal for its crop raiding habit. Although, its population is restricted in India and Nepal, there are insufficient studies conducted on the distribution and threats of the species at local...

Cheer pheasant, a vulnerable species in the pheasant family, Phasianidae, is found distributed through the southern foothills of the Himalayas from Pakistan to Nepal. In Nepal, it has been recorded from few areas including the Annapurna Conservation Area (ACA) in central Nepal. However, no systematic survey has been conducted on this shy species in...

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 ca...

Human-wildlife conflict (HWC) is on an increasing trend and has become one of the most challenging problems for the rural communities of developing nations like Nepal. There is limited information available on HWC in Kailali district, Nepal. The objective of our study was to explore the different incidents and the perceptions of local people on HWC...

Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) is one of the most highly threatened fauna of fresh water ecosystems in the world. Yet, information about the species habitat characteristics influencing its distribution and threats to its existence are still lacking in Nepal. This study identified the most important habitat characteristics associated with gharial pre...

Background Wild water buffalo is an endangered species presently distributed in some countries of South and Southeast Asia with Nepal’s only population in the flood plain of the Koshi River at Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (KTWR). Some of the individuals have been translocated to Chitwan National Park of central Nepal but the survival rate is not sa...

Great hornbill (Buceros bicornis) which belongs to Bucerotidae family is a big bird found in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It is recorded as Endangered in Red data book of Nepal, Vulnerable in IUCN Red list, Appendix I of CITIES and protected species in NPWC Act 1973. It requires large and dense forest for feeding, roosting and nestin...

The Asian Barred Owlet (Glaucidium cuculoides), one of 23 owl species found in Nepal, is an important indicator of biodiversity in forest ecosystems. Considering the scene of very scare studies of these owlets, this study explored its roosting habitat characteristics in Raghuuganga-02 of Myagdi district, Nepal. Listening/playback surveys were condu...

We assessed species diversity and relative abundance during February - March by employing transect method in four line transects and 30 point count stations, and associated threats by direct observations and consultation with people (n= 1) living in vicinity of Phewa wetland. We counted 2651 bird individuals of 148 species belonging to 104 Genera o...

Understanding Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) is very important in countries like Nepal, where solutions to escalating conflicts are urgently required. However, most of the HEC mitigation measures implemented so far have been done on an ad hoc basis without a detailed understanding of nature and extent of the damage. This study aims to assess the cur...

Habitat Suitability of Wild Water Buffalo in Chitwan National Park Nepal

This study focused on the spirurid nematode Mastophorus muris in water voles ( Arvicola amphibius ) trapped in three regions in southern Sweden during spring and fall 2013. The collection of water voles formed part of a larger project (EMIRO) on the cestode Echinococcus multilocularis in rodents. The voles’ stomach contents were examined for the pr...

Asian elephants are the largest terrestrial animals that are highly threatened due to habitat loss and fragmentation. Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) is a complex interaction between human and elephant, which represents detrimental impacts for both. The aim of this study was to explore HEC in terms of human casualties and injuries and crop and proper...

Human Elephant Conflict (HEC) is a product of complex interaction between human and elephant that represents the detrimental impact for both. This study was aimed to assess the effectiveness of 17 km solar-powered electric fence installed in 2015 in north-eastern part of Jhapa district (Bahundangi VDC) against transboundary herds of wild elephants...

Quantification of vegetation carbon stocks is an important task to evaluate the carbon sequestration potential in the ecosystem. Two community forests (CFs)-Jalbire Mahila CF and Laxmi Mahila CF of Gorkha district, Nepal were selected for the current study to measure carbon stocks. Allometric relationships of diameter and height were used to estima...