Maheshwar Dhakal

Ministry of Forests and Environment, Nepal

Sweet pepper is an emerging high value vegetable crop. There are few numbers of varieties recommended in Nepal despite of having immense commercial farming potentiality. An experiment was conducted during 2020 and 2021 at National Horticulture Research Centre, Khumaltar, in open field condition to identify high yielding capsicum genotype with longe...

The human-wildlife conflict (HWC) is a serious problem that affects both human and wildlife populations worldwide. This study investigates the prevalence and increasing trend of HWC in the Gaurishankar Conservation Area (GCA) of Nepal, with a specific focus on leopard (Panthera pardus) and Himalayan black bear (Ursus thibetanus laniger) as conflict...

Asiatic wildcat Felis lybica ornata has never been recorded historically in Nepal except for the pelts in illegal market but its possible occurrence has been reported in recent years. Here, we present a camera trap picture resembling Asiatic wildcat phenotypically from forests connected to Chitwan National Park, Nepal obtained during the national t...

Healthy natural forests maintain and/or enhances carbon stock while also providing potential habitat and an array of services to wildlife including large carnivores such as the tiger. This study is the first of its kind in assessing relationships between above-ground biomass carbon stock, tiger density and occupancy probability and its status in pr...

As a basic component of the forest ecosystem, the forest structure refers to the general distribution of plant species of different life forms and sizes. The characterization of forest structure is the key to understanding the vegetation history, present status, and future development trajectory of the forest ecosystems. The Chure region of Nepal c...

The present study was carried out to establish the synergistic effect of CoolBot storage and organic and chemical preservatives on pineapple fruit to lengthen the marketable shelf life. The research work was conducted during the period of 17th Mangsir to 28th, Poush 2077 at the laboratory of the National Horticulture Research Center, Khumaltar, Lal...

Guava (Psidium guajava L.) popularly known as poor man's apple is one of the common fruit crops cultivated in terai, inner terai and hilly areas of Nepal. There are numerous genotypes available within the country but absence of their proper characterization is impeding guava improvement program The present study was carried out with six guava genot...

Kiwifruit is one of the leading agricultural commodities having the tremendous potential of export to the international market. An experiment was carried out during the period of 20th January to 20th June, 2020 to evaluate the efficacy of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on quality and physiochemical characteristics in cool bot storage condition...

This article on "Asian Elephant population, their habitat and interaction with humans in Nepal" is published in the Journal of the Elephant Managers Association (JEMA) on the recent issue.

Dragon fruit is an emerging fruit in Nepal. The covered area of this fruit has been expanding during the last few years. Vegetative propagation through stem cutting is the easiest and cheapest method for large-scale propagation to produce genetically identical plants. Synthetic rooting hormones have proven to be effective, but their high cost limit...

Although research on wildlife species across taxa has shown that males and females may differentially select habitat, sex-specific habitat suitability models for endangered species are uncommon. We developed sex-specific models for Bengal tigers (Panthera tigris) based on camera trapping data collected from 20 January to 22 March 2010 within Chitwa...

Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.) is one of the most popular and demanded vegetable in Nepal. Seedlings of seven genotypes of squash gourd; Super Squash Ball, Squash Long, Squash Light, Squash Green Ball, Squash Green House Sondo V (check) and Grey Zucchini (check) were transplanted on second week of March in two consecutive years; 2016 and 2017 in fiel...

Horticulture is one of the important sub-sectors of agriculture in Nepal to reduce the poverty and increase income. It contributes 38.59% to AGDP, of which 21% contribution is coming from vegetables. The recent area, production and productivity show a rising trend. Over the last 20 years area has increased by about 98% and production by about 194%....

Wildlife is used for a range of purposes such as food, healthcare and ornamentation. Most wildlife trade is legal, contributing to livelihood and income generation for many people including some of the world’s poorest. However, the part of wildlife harvesting and trade occurring outside the laws is considered the biggest threat to conservation afte...

Nepal Himalayas combine Oriental and Sino-Japanese zoogeographic realms as well as those of the eastern and western Himalayas. Physiography coupled with the diverse local climates has enriched the biodiversity of the Nepal Himalayas. The order Chiroptera constitutes more than 25% of the mammalian fauna and forms the most speciose group of mammals i...

We provide the first evidence of an apparent decline in optimal temperature for methane emissions with increasing elevation. These findings have been widely recognized as the most fundamental factor among the variables regulating methane emissions from wetlands, as it involves both production and oxidation processes of methane dynamics. We selecte...

The Fishing Cat Prionailurus viverrinus is known to occur in the Terai region since at least the late 1920s. Contemporary locality records of the Fishing Cat in this region are widely spaced, and the knowledge about the connectivity between these localities is still deficient. We present the first photographic evidence for the presence of the Fishi...

Better conservation planning requires updated information about leopard distribution to prioritize and allocate limited resources available. The long-term persistence of leopards and sympatric tigers can be compromised by linear infrastructure development such as roads that fragment habitat. We used detection and non-detection data collected along...

A global pledge to double wild Tiger populations by 2022 has focused attention on the need for effective conservation management. Conservation Assured | Tiger Standards (CA|TS) was established to identify good management standards for Tigers and promote these within Tiger conservation areas (TCAs). The study reported here assessed TCA management ag...

There is always a conflict of interest between conservation efforts and communities living near conservation areas. Buffer zones and opportunities for ecotourism are sometimes created to lessen the negative impact of the stringent rules involved in conservation which directly impacts the livelihoods of neighbouring communities. This paper examines...

Pangolins are highly-threatened due to illegal hunting and poaching, and by the loss, degradation, and fragmentation of their habitats. In Nepal, effective conservation actions for pangolins are scarce due to limited information on the distribution of pangolins in many areas of the country. To identify the nationwide distribution of pangolins in Ne...

In this study we determined the probability of predator attacks on livestock around Bardia National Park, Nepal. We conducted semi-structured interviews to explore the patterns and factors affecting livestock losses in four administrative sectors of the Park's buffer zone. We developed models to investigate the overall probability of livestock loss...

The phylogenetic clustering of the identified H9 segment to that of other prevalent AIV isolated from wild and domestic birds of mixed geographical origin suggest a possible role of migratory birds in worldwide viral spread.

The phylogenetic clustering of the identified H9 segment to that of other prevalent AIV isolated from wild and domestic birds of mixed geographical origin suggest a possible role of migratory birds in worldwide viral spread

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0133035.].

Understanding the dietary habits of sympatric apex carnivores advances our knowledge of ecological processes and aids their conservation. We compared the diets of the sympatric Snow Leopard Panthera uncia and Grey Wolf Canis lupus using standard microhistological analyses of scats collected from the western complex of Nepal Himalaya. Our study reve...

We investigated the factors facilitating co-occurrence of two large carnivores, tigers (Panthera tigris) and common leopards (Panthera pardus), within a human-dominated landscape. We estimated their density and population size using camera-trap photographs and examined spatial segregation of habitats, temporal activity pattern, and diets in Chitwan...

Leopards are known to prey on livestock throughout their range. Depredation of livestock makes leopards vulnerable to retaliatory killings and reduces public support for conservation. We examined spatiotemporal patterns, correlates, as well as economic losses and compensation paid for livestock depredation by leopards in buffer zone of Chitwan Nati...

Translocations are an important tool for the conservation of biodiversity, but although ecological feasibility studies are frequently conducted prior to implementation, social feasibility studies that consider how local communities perceive such projects are less common. The translocation of blue sheep Pseudois nayaur to Sagarmatha National Park, N...

Biodiversity is declining at an unprecedented rate with infrastructure development being one of the leading causes. New infrastructure, such as roads, provides new access and results in increased land clearing and wildlife hunting. A number of large infrastructure projects, including new roads and rail, are being planned in Nepal. We show the appli...

Biodiversity is declining at an unprecedented rate with infrastructure development being one of the leading causes. New infrastructure, such as roads, provides new access and results in increased land clearing and wildlife hunting. A number of large infrastructure projects, including new roads and rail, are being planned in Nepal. We show the appli...

We studied the diet and prey preferences of tigers (Panthera tigris tigris Linnaeus, 1758) in Bardia National Park, Nepal using DNA-based techniques from their scat samples. Remains of prey species in scats were identified through microscopic hair morphology analysis. Of 101 scats, DNA was extracted from 84 samples and 75 were assigned to tigers (3...

Ganges River dolphin (Plantanista gangetica gangetica) is an indicator of fresh clean water and mainly found within the low land eco-system of Nepal (WWF, 2006). The large rivers: Karnali, Koshi and Narayani basin are the uppermost habitat for Endangered Ganges River dolphin (GRD). GRD have been registered as CE in Nepal (Jnawali et. al., 2011). Ho...

Fishing cats (Prionailurus viverrinus) are globally threatened. Recent surveys suggest further decline of their populations throughout their range. In Nepal, their status is poorly known. However, due to increasing intensity of camera trap surveys, fishing cats were recorded in different protected areas in recent years. In Bardia National Park BNP...

Fishing cats Prionailurus viverrinus are globally threatened. Recent surveys suggest further decline of their populations throughout their range. In Nepal, their status is poorly known. However, due to increasing intensity of camera trap surveys, fishing cats were recorded in different protected areas in recent years. In Bardia National Park BNP of...

This books covered 25 areas of biodiversity conservation in Nepal. This books consists of all areas of biodiversity conservation of Nepal since the incpetion of the CBD convention.

Effective management of the wildlife stockpiles is important to reduce the risk of leakage of contraband to illegal markets. The management of wildlife stockpiles involves a chain of systematized processes that should ensure that such information is not lost, and the destruction of the stockpiles is followed by post-destruction activities. This boo...

We undertook field surveys of the critically endangered Bengal Florican throughout its range in India and Nepal and used the results to develop models of distribution to identify new populations. We also tagged 11 birds with satellite transmitters to assess their distribution and habitat use during the non-breeding season, about which nothing is kn...

With fewer than 200 tigers (Panthera tigris tigris) left in Nepal, that are generally confined to five protected areas across the Terai Arc Landscape, genetic studies are needed to provide crucial information on diversity and connectivity for devising an effective country-wide tiger conservation strategy. As part of the Nepal Tiger Genome Project,...

Thermo-cycling conditions for tiger species and sex identification PCR. PCR: polymerase chain reaction; min: minute; sec: second; “x” indicates times; F: forward; R: reverse. (DOC)

Summary results from analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) for tigers detected across three populations across the Terai Arc Landscape implemented in program ARLEQUIN 3.5 [53]. df = degree of freedom, P value (α = 0.05). (DOC)

STRUCTURE bar plot at k = 2 (top) and k = 4 (bottom) visualizing individual-based genetic differentiation in tigers across the Terai landscape, Nepal. (TIF)

Optimal number of genetic clusters (kmax) based on DIC (Deviance Information Criteria) for admixture models (CAR and BYM). Both models selected three genetic clusters across the landscape. Error bars represent standard deviations. (TIF)

Primers information for tiger specific species and sex identification. bp: base pair; F: forward; R: reverse. (DOC)

Summary of pair-wise migration rate (immigration and emigration) between three populations estimated in Program BayesAss+[70]. Net migration rates (immigration-emigration) were estimated as 0.02 for CNP, -0.08 for SWR, and +0.10 for BNP; “+” indicate migrant receiving from other population; “-” indicate contributing migrant to other population. (DO...

Results from program Bottleneck showing the expected and actual numbers of loci with heterozygosity excess under the respective mutation models, and significance of heterozygosity excess. IAM: Infinite Allele Model; TPM: Two-Phase Mutation Model; SMM: Stepwise-Mutation Model. Assuming any mutation model, a Wilcoxon test results with P<0.05 signifie...

Century-wide land-use change detected in the Terai Arc using Anthrome 2.0 datasets[36]. (TIF)

Spatial autocorrelogram for Panthera tigris tigris in the Terai Arc Landscape, Nepal. The spatial correlogram for tigers (n = 78) shows the genetic correlation coefficient (r) as a function of geographic distance across defined spatial distance classes. Dashed red lines represent upper (U) and lower (L) bounds of the null hypothesis based on 9,999...

Genetic variability of 17 candidate microsatellite loci screened and “*” indicates loci used in this study. NA, number of alleles; Ho, observed heterozygosity. (DOC)

Magnitude of ∆k± SD (rate of change in the log probability of k; SD: standard deviation) and Ln P(k) ± SD (posterior probability of the data; SD: standard deviation) as a function of k(number of sub-populations) detected three and four genetic clusters in the sampled population following [60]. (TIF)

Despite local, national, and global efforts to mitigate undesirable ecosystem change, anthropogenic impacts on Earth’s systems are intensifying. However, the understanding of coupling of ecological and social sciences is limited. Focusing on Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (KTWR) of Nepal, we assessed biophysical, socio-cultural and economic values to...

Information on density and abundance of globally threatened species such as tigers Panthera tigris is essential for effective conservation as well as to evaluate the success of conservation programmes. We monitored tigers in Parsa Widlife Reserve, Nepal, using camera traps, in 2013, 2014 and 2016. Once believed to be a sink for tigers from adjacent...

Understanding how wide-ranging animals use landscapes in which human use is highly heterogeneous is important for determining patterns of human–wildlife conflict and designing mitigation strategies. Here, we show how biological sign surveys in forested components of a human-dominated landscape can be combined with human interviews in agricultural p...

In Nepal, the Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) occurs across the Middle Hills but not in the lowland Terai of Nepal, which is occupied by the sloth bear ( Melursus ursinus ). A single record exists, from a camera trapping survey in 1999 - 2000, of a Himalayan black bear in the Babai Valley (along the Babai River) of Bardia National Park (Jnawa...

The snow leopard and ecosystem management plan for the Eastern Himalaya Landscape Nepal is prepared in response to the Bishkek declaration (2013) to secure 20 snow leopard landscapes by 2020. The management plan process involved extensive consultation and in-depth analyses of the current bio-climatic and socio-economic situation; an assessment of f...

We analyzed characteristics of the problem-causing tigers in Chitwan National Park (Nepal) to determine if specific groups or individuals in the source population have higher probability to get involved in conflicts with humans. From 2007 to 2016 we identified a total of 22 such tigers including 13 that killed humans, six serial livestock killers a...

The source populations of tigers are mostly confined to protected areas, which are now becoming isolated. A landscape scale conservation strategy should strive to facilitate dispersal and survival of dispersing tigers by managing habitat corridors that enable tigers to traverse the matrix with minimal conflict. We present evidence for tiger dispers...

Human–tiger conflict arises when tigers Panthera tigris attack people or their livestock, and poses a significant threat to both tigers and people. To gain a greater understanding of such conflict we examined spatio-temporal patterns, correlates, causes and contexts of conflict in Chitwan National Park, Nepal, and its buffer zone, during 2007–2014....

Global populations of rhinoceros have declined alarmingly, from about 500,000 at the beginning of the 20(th) century to 29,000 in 2016, largely due to an escalation of poaching for rhinoceros horn (Traffic 2016; Biggs et al. 2013). The current global rhino population is comprised of three Asian Species and two African species, the latter located in...

The Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) and the snow leopard (Panthera uncia) are highly endangered apex predators. These charismatic animals are categorized as flagship and umbrella species, and hence are the focus of many conservation programs. Protecting tiger and snow leopard also safeguards the entire habitat in which they reside, including...

Rusty-spotted cat Prionailurus rubiginosus is the smallest wild cat, believed to be distributed only in India and Sri Lanka. Recently it was discovered from wider areas than previously thought but never recorded from Nepal. During a camera trap survey primarily targeted for tigers Panthera tigris, rusty-spotted cat was photographed multiple times o...

Nepal's plentiful water resources, like other countries across the globe, require careful management to ensure equitable use across the many competing facets of water consumers. These include agricultural production, hydropower generation and human consumption. As Nepal progresses on a water reform journey, it is an opportune time to investigate th...

The taxonomic status of the wolf (Canis lupus) in Nepal's Trans-Himalaya is poorly understood. Recent genetic studies have revealed the existence of three lineages of wolves in the Indian sub-continent. Of these, the Himalayan wolf, Canis lupus chanco, has been reported to be the most ancient lineage historically distributed within the Nepal Himala...

Best model selection for Bayesian analysis

Genebank sequences analysed in this study

Aligned CR sequences of selected samples of wolves and dogs from GenBank, with the obtained scat samples

Median-joining networks of Himalayan wolf and related wolf and dog clades

Blast report of sample D2140

Paper presented during workshop on Connecting flow and ecology in the Koshi Basin (and beyond) to aid integrated water resource management – workshop 4‐5 February 2016, organised by CSIRO, ICIMOD and Bird Conservation Nepal

The taxonomic status of the wolf (Canis lupus) in Nepal's Trans-Himalaya is poorly understood. Recent genetic studies have revealed the existence of three lineages of wolves in the Indian sub-continent. Of these, the Himalayan wolf, Canis lupus chanco, has been reported to be the most ancient lineage historically distributed within the Nepal Himala...

ABSTRACT Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve (DHR) of Nepal, the only hunting reserve in the country, is famous for trophy hunting of bharal or ‘blue sheep’ (Pseudois nayaur) and Himalayan tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus). Although trophy hunting has been occurring in DHR since 1987, its’ ecological consequence is poorly known. We assessed the ecological conseq...