Conservation Strategy for Brown Bear and Its Habitat in Nepal

Diversity

Achyut Aryal⁶  David Raubenheimer¹  Sambandam Sathyakumar⁷  Buddi Sagar Poudel⁵  Weihong Ji²  Kamal Jung Kunwar⁴  Jose Kok⁸  Shiro Kohshima³ 

[1] Nutritional Ecology Research Group, Institute of Natural Sciences, Massey University, Building 5 Oteha Rohe Precinct Gate 4, Albany Highway, Auckland, Albany 1311, New Zealand;Human-Wildlife Interactions Research Group, Institute of Natural Sciences, Massey University, Building 5 Oteha Rohe Precinct Gate 4, Albany Highway, Auckland, Albany 1311, New Zealand;Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University; 2-24 Tanaka-Sekiden-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8203, Japan;Department of National Park and Wildlife Conservation, Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, Kathamandu, Nepal;Department of Forest Research and Survey, Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, P.O. Box 3339, Kathmandu, Nepal;Ecology and Conservation Group, Institute of Natural Sciences, Massey University, Building 5 Oteha Rohe Precinct Gate 4, Albany Highway, Auckland, Albany 1311, New Zealand;Wildlife Institute of India, P.O. Box 18, Chandrabani, Dehradun 248001, India;Alertis-Fund for bear and Nature Conservation, P.O. Box 9, Rhenen 3910 AA, The Netherlands;

关键词: brown bear;    Nepal;    Annapurna;    habitat overlap;    livestock;    blue sheep;   

DOI  :  10.3390/d4030301

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

The Himalaya region of Nepal encompasses significant habitats for several endangered species, among them the brown bear (Ursus arctos pruinosus). However, owing to the remoteness of the region and a dearth of research, knowledge on the conservation status, habitat and population size of this species is lacking. Our aim in this paper is to report a habitat survey designed to assess the distribution and habitat characteristics of the brown bear in the Nepalese Himalaya, and to summarize a conservation action plan for the species devised at a pair of recent workshops held in Nepal. Results of our survey showed that brown bear were potentially distributed between 3800 m and 5500 m in the high mountainous region of Nepal, across an area of 4037 km² between the eastern border of Shey Phoksundo National Park (SPNP) and the Manasalu Conservation Area (MCA). Of that area, 2066 km² lie inside the protected area (350 km² in the MCA; 1716 km² in the Annapurna Conservation Area) and 48% (1917 km²) lies outside the protected area in the Dolpa district. Furthermore, 37% of brown bear habitat also forms a potential habitat for blue sheep (or bharal, Pseudois nayaur), and 17% of these habitats is used by livestock, suggesting a significant potential for resource competition. Several plant species continue to be uprooted by local people for fuel wood. Based on the results of our field survey combined with consultations with local communities and scientists, we propose that government and non-government organizations should implement a three-stage program of conservation activities for the brown bear. This program should: (a) Detail research activities in and outside the protected area of Nepal; (b) support livelihood and conservation awareness at local and national levels; and (c) strengthen local capacity and reduce human-wildlife conflict in the region.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2012 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.