Numbers, Distribution and Facts Limiting the Abundance of Tigers (Panthera tigris) in the Bardia National Park Extension Area

AbstractThe non-uniformity of the distribution of biodiversity makes allocation of the limited resources available for conservation of biodiversity a difficult task. Approaches such as biodiversity hotspot identification, endemic bird areas, crisis ecoregions, global 200 ecoregions, and the Last of the Wild are used by scientists and international conservation agencies to prioritize conservation efforts. As part of the biodiverse Eastern Himalayan region, Bhutan has been identified as a conservation priority area by all these different approaches, yet data validating these assessments are limited. To examine whether Bhutan is a biodiversity hot spot for a key taxonomic group, we conducted camera trapping in the lower foothills of Bhutan, in Royal Manas National Park, from November 2010 to February 2011. We recorded six species of wild felids of which five are listed on the IUCN Red List: tiger Panthera tigris, golden cat Pardofelis temminckii, marbled cat Pardofelis marmorata, leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis, clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa and common leopard Panthera pardus. Our study area of 74 km2 has c. 16% of felid species, confirming Bhutan as a biodiversity hot spot for this group.

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First photographic evidence of Fishing Cat Prionailurus viverrinus Bennett, 1833 and Clouded Leopard Neofelis nebulosa Griffith, 1821 (Carnivora: Felidae) in Parsa National Park, Nepal

Journal of Threatened Taxa ◽

10.11609/jott.4549.11.4.13497-13501 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 13497-13501 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Shashank Poudel ◽

Babu Ram Lamichhane ◽

Santosh Bhattarai ◽

Dipendra Adhikari ◽

Chiranjibi Prasad Pokheral ◽

...

Keyword(s):

National Park ◽

Conservation Status ◽

Panthera Tigris ◽

Clouded Leopard ◽

Central Nepal ◽

Photographic Evidence ◽

Neofelis Nebulosa ◽

Southern Central ◽

Distribution And Ecology ◽

Wild Cats

Twelve cat species were recorded in Nepal including the largest, Tiger Panthera tigris, and the smallest, Rusty-spotted Cat Prionailurus rubiginosus. There is more research on the Panthera species than on small wild cats; consequently, the conservation status, distribution, and ecology of small cat species are poorly known. In this article, we report on the first photographic evidence of Clouded Leopard Neofelis nebulosa and Fishing Cat Prionailurus viverrinus in Parsa National Park in southern central Nepal during a camera trap survey targeted at the tiger between 2014 and 2016. There were only single detections of each species; this does not give enough information to establish distribution or conservation status of either of the species in Parsa National Park. Further targeted surveys are needed to establish the significance of this protected area for the conservation of these two species.

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Fine-scale spatio-temporal variation in tiger Panthera tigris diet: effect of study duration and extent on estimates of tiger diet in Chitwan National Park, Nepal

Wildlife Biology ◽

10.2981/10-127 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 17 (3) ◽

pp. 277-285 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Paul M. Kapfer ◽

Henry M. Streby ◽

Bhim Gurung ◽

Achara Simcharoen ◽

Charles C. McDougal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Temporal Variation ◽

National Park ◽

Panthera Tigris ◽

Fine Scale ◽

Study Duration ◽

Chitwan National Park ◽

Spatio Temporal

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Are corridors good for tigers Panthera tigris but bad for people? An assessment of the Khata corridor in lowland Nepal

Oryx ◽

10.1017/s0030605316000661 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 52 (1) ◽

pp. 35-45 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Per Wegge ◽

Shailendra Kumar Yadav ◽

Babu Ram Lamichhane

Keyword(s):

National Parks ◽

National Park ◽

Diet Analysis ◽

Panthera Tigris ◽

Wildlife Sanctuary ◽

Buffer Zones ◽

Northern India ◽

Positive Attitudes ◽

Human Conflict ◽

The Government

AbstractAs part of a landscape-scale programme for conserving tigers Panthera tigris the Khata corridor was established between Bardia National Park in Nepal and Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary in India in early 2000. We examined its functionality by comparing the status of tigers and prey in the corridor and in the adjacent National Park, using camera trapping, transect sampling and diet analysis of scats. Tiger movement was inferred from the photographs, and tiger–human conflict was assessed by means of questionnaires and interviews. The corridor harboured transient individuals as well as resident, breeding tigers. Tigers with core areas in the corridor were also recorded in the two protected areas, and vice versa. Wild prey was 3–4 times more abundant in the area of the National Park bordering the corridor than in the corridor itself, and domestic livestock constituted 12–15% of the tigers’ food in the corridor. Livestock losses and human fatalities or injuries were relatively low compared to within the buffer zones of the National Parks. Despite such problems and restrictions on grazing and extraction of natural resources, local residents were generally positive towards tigers and the corridor. The successful establishment of the corridor and the positive attitudes of local people were attributable to community development programmes initiated to compensate for the imposed restrictions, financed by the government and national and international organizations. By linking Bardia National Park and Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary via the Khata corridor, a protected tiger landscape of c. 3,000 km2 was established in west-central Nepal and northern India.

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Prey selection by Bengal Tiger Panthera tigris tigris (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) of Chitwan National Park, Nepal

Journal of Threatened Taxa ◽

10.11609/jott.2424.7.14.8081-8088 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 7 (14) ◽

pp. 8081 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Saneer Lamichhane ◽

Bibhuti Ranjan Jha

Keyword(s):

Wild Boar ◽

National Park ◽

Prey Species ◽

Prey Selection ◽

Average Weight ◽

Panthera Tigris ◽

Prey Composition ◽

The Status ◽

Panthera Tigris Tigris ◽

Chitwan National Park

<p>Prey selection by tiger in Chitwan National Park, Nepal was studied from 77 tiger scats that contained the remains of principal prey species. The scats were collected from January to March 2010. Government reports on herbivore population in Chitwan provided the base data on density of principal prey species. In order to understand prey selectivity, the observed proportion of prey species in the scats were compared with the expected proportion derived from density estimates. The observed scat frequency of Sambar, Hog Deer and Wild Boar was found to be greater than the estimated frequency, and the reverse was true for Chital and Muntjac. The average weight of the principal prey species killed was 84 kg. According to our results, Chital and Sambar constituted the bulk (82.07%), and Hog Deer, Wild Boar, and Muntjac constituted 17.93% of the tiger diet. Sambar contributed the largest bulk (43.75%) of prey composition, but Chital constituted the relatively most killed (50.36%) prey species. The present study makes a contribution to an understanding of the status of prey composition in tiger scat in Chitwan during the year 2010. The study also highlights that both large and medium sized prey are important for the conservation of tiger in Chitwan National Park.</p><div> </div>

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Rainforest to Reef: A Landscape-scale Approach to Coastal Ecotourism in Malaysia

10.20944/preprints201708.0078.v1 ◽

2017 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Lincoln Garland ◽

Mike Wells ◽

Keith French ◽

John Dawkins

Keyword(s):

Coastal Plain ◽

National Park ◽

National Development ◽

Landscape Scale ◽

Panthera Tigris ◽

Vision 2020 ◽

Economic Region ◽

Developed Country ◽

Development Goals ◽

The Rich

In 1990 the Malaysian Government launched Vision 2020 with the goal of Malaysia becoming a ‘fully developed country’ by the year 2020. In this drive for development the country has been examining many of its key natural assets, exploring how to both preserve them whilst ensuring that they make the maximum possible contribution to national development goals. Endau Rompin is one of these assets, being the second largest National Park in Peninsula Malaysia. The rich tropical rainforest flora and fauna of the Park and its hinterland, however, are threatened by various anthropogenic forces, most notably deforestation and poaching; both of which have taken the Park’s flagship species - the Tiger Panthera tigris jacksoni – towards the brink of local extinction. Malaysia’s statutory East Coast Economic Region Development Council commissioned a study to consider ways of increasing tourism revenues from the Park while at the same time reversing these threats. The key conclusion drawn is that a more holistic, landscape-scale approach should be adopted, with Endau Rompin forming part of a wider strategic economic zone based around sustainable tourism and land management. The proposed expanded zone extends eastwards beyond the confines of the Park, across the coastal plain to the South China Sea, and onwards to the neighbouring Mersing Islands. This expanded zone is referred to as Malaysia’s new ‘Rainforest to Reef Region’.

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Human–tiger Panthera tigris conflict and its perception in Bardia National Park, Nepal

Oryx ◽

10.1017/s0030605313000483 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 48 (4) ◽

pp. 522-528 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

Babu R. Bhattarai ◽

Klaus Fischer

Keyword(s):

National Park ◽

Positive Attitude ◽

Buffer Zone ◽

Local Communities ◽

Mitigation Strategies ◽

Panthera Tigris ◽

Annual Loss ◽

Monetary Compensation ◽

Tiger Conservation ◽

Human Wildlife Conflict

AbstractHuman–wildlife conflict is a significant problem that often results in retaliatory killing of predators. Such conflict is particularly pronounced between humans and tigers Panthera tigris because of fatal attacks by tigers on humans. We investigated the incidence and perception of human–tiger conflict in the buffer zone of Bardia National Park, Nepal, by interviewing 273 local householders and 27 key persons (e.g. representatives of local communities, Park officials). Further information was compiled from the Park's archives. The annual loss of livestock attributable to tigers was 0.26 animals per household, amounting to an annual loss of 2% of livestock. Livestock predation rates were particularly high in areas with low abundance of natural prey. During 1994–2007 12 people were killed and a further four injured in tiger attacks. Nevertheless, local people generally had a positive attitude towards tiger conservation and were willing to tolerate some loss of livestock but not human casualties. This positive attitude indicates the potential for implementation of appropriate conservation measures and we propose mitigation strategies such as education, monetary compensation and monitoring of tigers.

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

European Journal of Ecology ◽

10.1515/eje-2017-0008 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 80-84 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Shivish Bhandari ◽

Mukesh Kumar Chalise ◽

Chiranjibi Prasad Pokharel

Keyword(s):

National Park ◽

Panthera Tigris ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Small Component ◽

Axis Axis ◽

Panthera Tigris Tigris ◽

Chitwan National Park ◽

Muntiacus Muntjak ◽

Cervus Unicolor ◽

Wild Pig

AbstractWe 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.

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Living with tigers Panthera tigris: patterns, correlates, and contexts of human–tiger conflict in Chitwan National Park, Nepal

Oryx ◽

10.1017/s0030605316001587 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 52 (1) ◽

pp. 55-65 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Rajendra Dhungana ◽

Tommaso Savini ◽

Jhamak Bahadur Karki ◽

Maheshwar Dhakal ◽

Babu Ram Lamichhane ◽

...

Keyword(s):

National Park ◽

Preventive Measures ◽

Buffer Zone ◽

Panthera Tigris ◽

Insurance Scheme ◽

Livestock Depredation ◽

Development Committee ◽

Chitwan National Park ◽

Village Development Committee ◽

Spatio Temporal

AbstractHuman–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. Data, mostly from compensation applications, were collected from the Park office. Fifty-four human casualties (32 fatalities, 22 injuries) and 351 incidents of livestock depredation were recorded, clustered in defined areas, with 75.9% of human casualties occurring in the buffer zone and 66.7% within 1 km of the Park boundary. A linear model indicated there was a significant increase in human casualties during 2007–2014. Livestock were killed in proportion to their relative availability, with goats suffering the highest depredation (55%). There was a positive correlation between livestock depredation and National Park frontage (the length of Village Development Committee/municipality boundary abutting the National Park), but not human population, livestock population, forest area in the buffer zone, rainfall or temperature. There was no relationship between tiger attacks on people and any of the correlates examined. Wild prey density was not correlated with conflict. Of the tigers removed because of conflict, 73.3% were male. The majority of attacks on people occurred during accidental meetings (77.8%), mostly while people were collecting fodder or fuelwood (53.7%), and almost half (48.2%) occurred in the buffer zone forests. We recommend the use of the conflict map developed here in the prioritization of preventive measures, and that strategies to reduce conflict should include zoning enforcement, improvement of livestock husbandry, participatory tiger monitoring, an insurance scheme, and community awareness.

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