Diet of Bengal Tigers (Panthera tigris tigris) in Chitwan National Park, Nepal

We studied the diet of the Bengal tigers (Panthera tigris tigris) in Chitwan National Park, Nepal, by identifying 109 prey items from 85 tiger scats. Tigers in this region fed upon eight different mammal species. Chital (Axis axis) was the major prey with a frequency of 45% of the Tigers’ diet. The occurrence of other prey species included sambar (Cervus unicolor, 23%), wild pig (Sus scrofa, 15%), hog deer (Axis porcinus, 9%), barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak, 4%), and gaur (Bos gaurus, 2%). Tigers also hunted livestock, but this prey comprised a small component of the relative biomass (buffalo 5% and cow 2%). Our study suggests that the tiger depends mostly upon wild prey for its subsistence in the Chitwan National Park, but will also sporadically hunt livestock

People’s attitudes toward Striped Hyaena (Hyaena hyaena Linnaeus, 1758) (Mammalia: Carnivora: Hyaenidae) conservation in lowland Nepal

This study aimed to explore people’s attitudes toward Striped Hyaena conservation in lowland Nepal.  Structured questionnaire sheets were used to collect information on major threats, human casualties, and people’s perception towards Hyaenas and other carnivores.  People’s perceptions toward Hyaenas and conservation were overall positive.  During the study, 400 people were interviewed and questionnaire sheets were filled.  It was discovered that 63% had a positive attitude toward the Hyaenas.  On the other hand, 37% of the people had a negative attitude regarding the species’ conservation.  It was found that local people had understood various aspects of Hyaena ecology.  Sixty-five percent of the people responded that the Hyaena entered human populated areas due to an absence of food in the natural forests and habitat degradation.  A total of 19% of the respondents reported killing carnivores including the Hyaena due to human-carnivore conflicts.  </div

Leopard preyed on Jungle cat: evidence from the mid-hill of Nepal: Leopard preyed on Jungle cat

In the pictures taken by the camera trap, the photo of a leopard hunting a jungle cat is rare. This type of evidence makes it easier to understand the current status of wildlife and also implement further conservation actions. This study was conducted from November 2020 to December 2020 in the mid-hill regions of Nepal. We installed the camera traps in l*1 km grid cell covering about 60 km2. Out of 36 camera trap locations, 1 leopard preying on a jungle cat was captured in one location. Our study concluded that carnivores could capture another sympatric family because of the lack of natural prey species. Therefore, conservation of the natural prey species including small carnivores or mammals is also essential to conserve the leopard population

Increasing tiger mortality in Nepal: a bump in the road?

Tiger populations in Nepal increased from 121 in 2009 to around 235 in 2018 (Jaznkya 2018). If this trend continues, Nepal could be the first country to double its national tiger population under the T × 2 goal of doubling the world’s tiger population by 2022 set at the World Tiger Submit in 2010 in St Petersburg, Russia. Despite some doubts in the number of tigers estimated and criticism with the questionable census method (Dixit 2018; Karanth et al. 2011), the reported increase brings optimism for the future of this endangered species, and for Nepal’s conservation success. Changes in tiger conservation policies and programmes, the establishment of a new protected area, control of illegal hunting and poaching, and increased private funding and capacity building are regarded as major contributing factors for the increase in the tiger population (Karki et al. 2011; GON 2013; Dixit 2018). Despite this success, the challenges of tiger conservation in Nepal have increased considerably even in the face of increased tiger mortality which exacerbates the problem

Diet of Bengal Tigers (Panthera tigris tigris) in Chitwan National Park, Nepal

We studied the diet of the Bengal tigers (Panthera tigris tigris) in Chitwan National Park, Nepal, by identifying 109 prey items from 85 tiger scats. Tigers in this region fed upon eight different mammal species. Chital (Axis axis) was the major prey with a frequency of 45% of the Tigers’ diet. The occurrence of other prey species included sambar (Cervus unicolor, 23%), wild pig (Sus scrofa, 15%), hog deer (Axis porcinus, 9%), barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak, 4%), and gaur (Bos gaurus, 2%). Tigers also hunted livestock, but this prey comprised a small component of the relative biomass (buffalo 5% and cow 2%). Our study suggests that the tiger depends mostly upon wild prey for its subsistence in the Chitwan National Park, but will also sporadically hunt livestock

Prey selection by leopards (Panthera pardus fusca) in the mid‐hill region of Nepal

Abstract Information on prey selection and the diet of the leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) is essential for leopard conservation. We conducted an investigation into the prey species and the proportion of each species in the leopard's diet in a human‐dominated mid‐hill region of Nepal. The analysis of 96 leopard scats collected between August 2020 and March 2021 revealed that leopards consumed 15 prey species, including small‐ and medium‐sized mammals and livestock. In addition to these prey species, we also found plastic materials, bird feathers, and some unidentified items in the leopard scats. Wild ungulates (such as barking deer, Muntiacus muntjak and wild boar, Sus scrofa) constituted only 10% of the biomass in the scats, while livestock contributed 27%, and other wild prey contributed 50%. Among all species, domestic goats had the highest relative biomass in the scats, followed by the jungle cat (Felis chaus), domestic dog (Canis familiaris), and large Indian civet (Viverra zibetha). Similarly, the Indian hare (Lepus nigricollis) had the highest proportion of relative individuals present in the scat samples, followed by the jungle cat and the large Indian civet. A lower proportion of biomass from wild ungulates in the leopard's diet and a higher dependency of the leopard on domestic prey and other wild prey indicate a shortage of medium‐sized wild prey, such as barking deer and wild boar, in leopard habitats. Therefore, the conservation of wild prey species, especially medium‐sized prey, is crucial for reducing the leopard's dependence on livestock and mitigating human‐leopard conflicts in the future