Krishna Acharya

Injury and death from wildlife attacks often result in people feeling violent resentment and hostility against the wildlife involved and, therefore, may undermine public support for conservation. Although Nepal, with rich biodiversity, is doing well in its conservation efforts, human-wildlife conflicts have been a major challenge in recent years. T...

Disaster risk reduction strategies are often accompanied by conventional adaptation approaches, involving high costs and limited flexibility. Conversely, ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) has been advocated as a sustainable approach because it is cost-effective, efficient and provides co-benefits (e.g., ecosystem services). However, there is limited...

Human elephant conflict (HEC) is rapidly increasing throughout the Asian elephant range countries including Nepal. HEC occurs in the form of human deaths and injuries, and crop as well as property losses. We compiled 10,798 incidents of HEC including attacks on humans, crop and property losses caused by elephants in the Chure Terai Madhesh Landscap...

Human elephant conflict (HEC) is rapidly increasing throughout the Asian elephant range countries including Nepal. HEC occurs in the form of human deaths and injuries, and crop as well as property losses. We compiled 10,798 incidents of HEC including attacks on humans, crop and property losses caused by elephants in the Chure Terai Madhesh Landscap...

Human elephant conflict (HEC) is rapidly increasing throughout the Asian elephant range countries including Nepal. HEC occurs in the form of human deaths and injuries, and crop as well as property losses. We compiled 10,798 incidents of HEC including attacks on humans, crop and property losses caused by elephants in the Chure Terai Madhesh Landscap...

Bamboo availability is a central aspect of red panda conservation. However, its diversity, distribution, and species-wise contribution to red panda diet is unknown. This study aimed to list bamboo species, map their distribution and evaluate their contribution in red panda diet. We recorded 13 bamboo species in red panda range of Nepal. Of these, 1...

The Himalayan red panda (Ailurus fulgens), a recently confirmed distinct species in the red panda genus, is distributed in Nepal, India, Bhutan, and south Tibet. Nepal represents the westernmost distribution of the Himalayan red panda. This study aims to determine important habitat features influencing the distribution of red panda and recommend po...

The Himalayan red panda is an endangered mammal endemic to Eastern Himalayan and South Western China. Data deficiency often hinders understanding of their spatial distribution and habitat use, which is critical for species conservation planning. We used sign surveys covering the entire potential red panda habitat over 22,453 km² along the mid-hills...

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...

Karnali province is the largest province in Nepal. No other province in Nepal has topographies as rugged, exhilarating and diverse as Karnali province. Between meandering river south of Birendranagar, dense forests intercepted by a large human settlement in Jajarkot, strikingly beautiful pasturelands in Jumla and insurmountable terrains in Kalikot,...

Nepal almost eliminated poaching of the greater one‐horned rhinoceros Rhinoceros unicornis over the past decade, although poaching of other rhinoceros species remains a major problem in other Asian countries, as well as in Africa. It is important to understand the processes leading to declines in poaching in Nepal that may provide insight into poss...

Illicit wildlife trade may have devastating consequences for Nepal's wildlife populations given its increasing national and global connectivity and proximity with large Indian and Chinese markets. Despite its potential impacts, our understanding about trends, patterns and networks of illicit wildlife trade in Nepal is very limited. Here, we provide...

Background: There is currently very little available research on the habitat suitability, the influence of infrastructure on distribution, and the extent and connectivity of habitat available to the wild Asian elephant (Elephas maximus). Information related to the habitat is crucial for conservation of this species. Methods: In this study, we ident...

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...

This is an area extension report of Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve towards the north.

Red panda Ailurus fulgens, an endangered habitat specialist, inhabits a narrow distribution range in bamboo abundance forests along mountain slopes in the Himalaya and Hengduan Mountains. However, their habitat use may be different in places with different longitudinal environmental gradients, climatic regimes, and microclimate. This study aimed to...

Red pandas (Ailurus fulgens) live in the dense forests of mid-hills of the Himalaya and feed almost exclusively on bamboo. They are vulnerable to extinction due to human induced disturbances. Habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation along with poaching are the most pressing anthropogenic threats to red panda conservation. The extinction risk to...

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...

The main objectives of the Nepal National Mammal Red Data Book (RDB) were to provide comprehensive and up-to-date accounts of 212 mammal species recorded in Nepal, assess their status applying the IUCN Guidelines at Regional Levels, identify threats and recommend the most practical measures for their conservation. It is hoped that the Mammal RDB wi...

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...

Ova of Diphyllobothrium latum

Strongyloides stercoralis

Trophozoite of Entamoeba histolytica

Cysts of Cryptosporidium parvum

Ova of Ancyclostoma duodenale

Ova of Ascaris lumbricoides

GI Parasites detected in fecal samples

Red pandas are known to be highly susceptible to endoparasites, which can have a prominent impact on the population dynamics of this endangered species. There are very limited published reports on prevalence and risk of parasites in wild populations of red panda, especially localized reports. This study attempts to provide an in-depth insight of th...

Protected areas are key to preserving biodiversity and maintaining ecosystem services. However, their ability to ensure long-term survival of threatened andendangered species varies across countries, regions and landscapes. Distribution surveys can beparticularly important for assessing the value of protected areas, and gauging their efficacy incat...

Site-wise detection history (detection/non-detection matrix) of red panda signs and corresponding ecological/anthropogeniccovariates used in the analysis. (XLSX)

The (experimental) research on community management of natural resources focuses on social dilemma situations between individuals. However, in most real-life situations natural resources are not only shared between individuals living in a community, but also between individuals belonging to different subgroups within the same community. For instanc...

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...

The remnant populations of Gharials, Gavialis gangeticus, are now confined to the large, deep rivers of northern India and Nepal. In lowland Nepal, the populations are restricted to a few stretches of the Narayani–Rapti and Karnali–Babai river systems. Periodic censuses of the wild populations have been made over the past 12 yr. Here, we present po...

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...

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...

Poaching and illegal trade of wildlife parts have become key threats to biodiversity conservation all over the world, including Nepal. One-horned rhino, tiger, pangolin, red panda are few animals that are illegally traded.. One-horned rhino population is scattered in limited places of Terai Arc Landscape and its poaching for high valued horn in int...

The presentation reviews biodiversity conservation in Nepal, different approaches, new initiation and lesson learnt.

This book is based on the research experience gained through a feasibility assessment of the Kangchenjunga Landscape (KL) Nepal. It is structured into nine chapters focusing on boundary delineation, physical features, socio-economic features, biodiversity and ecosystem services, resource governance system, and the existing policy and enabling envir...

The Kangchenjunga Complex is an important transboundary landscape in the Hindu Kush Himalaya shared by Bhutan, China, India and Nepal. The Kangchenjunga Landscape (KL) here referring to the southern part of the area around the Mt. Kangchenjunga, spreads across eastern Nepal, Darjeeling Sikkim of India, and western Bhutan. The book is based on the r...

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jfl.v11i2.8623 Journal of Forestry and Livelihood Vol.11(2) 2013 65-68

The Bengal Florican Houbaropsis bengalensis is a Critically Endangered bird species. Populations have been monitored in Nepal since 1982, and the most recent study showed a precipitous decline despite the species being mainly confined to protected areas. A systematic survey was conducted in parts of the Koshi area during April and May 2012 by walki...

Protected Areas offers economic and environmental benefits to surrounding communities. However, only those benefits which are associated with extractive use of forests- like biomass products, fishery, eco-tourisms etc. are generally taken into account. The environmental and economic benefits attached to non-extractive and non-market values are simp...

This article reviews past forest resources assessments, methodologies and findings on forest degradation to identify a way forward in understanding and addressing forest degradation in Nepal. The widespread forest degradation in developing countries remains poorly understood and quantified. In Nepal, the role of forests is particularly evident in r...

ii Sustainably managed forests have multiple environmental and socioeconomic functions which are important at the global, national and local scales, and they play a vital part in sustainable development. Reliable and up-to-date information on the state of forest resources-not only on area and area change, but also on such variables as growing stock...

Community forestry program is re‐greening degraded forests of Nepal in the last three decades. Community forests (CFs) are generating environmental services such as carbon sequestration, hydrological services, biodiversity services and landscape beauty as positive externalities. The rapidly changing socio‐ economic scenario grows human demands and...

The main forest management strategy of Nepal, community forestry, is based on people's participation and was formally introduced in 1978. Under the community forestry structure, local people make decisions regarding forest management, utilization, and distribution of benefits from a forest; they are organized as a Community Forest User Group (CFUG)...

Nepal is promoting community-based forest management approach known as Community Forestry (CF) as a promising option to reduce environmental degradation and to fulfill the demands of basic forestry products of rural people. There are emerging concerns that whether community forestry can be used effectively to generate income and employment to help...

The Community Forestry has been the most effective means of managing common forest resources in Nepal. Besides rehabilitating degraded hills, improving environment and contributing to the rural livelihoods, community forestry is claimed to be a major means of biodiversity conservation. It is also argued that the prevalent approach of community fore...

Nepal is promoting community-based forest management approach known as Community Forestry (CF) as a promising option to reduce environmental degradation and to fulfill the demands of basic forestry products of rural people. There are emerging concerns that whether community forestry can be used effectively to generate income and employment to help...

Nepal is promoting community-based forest management approach known as Community Forestry (CF) as a promising option to reduce environmental degradation and to fulfill the demands of basic forestry products of rural people. There are emerging concerns that whether community forestry can be used effectively to generate income and employment to help...

"Nepal is promoting community-based forest management approach known as community forestry as a promising option to fulfill the demands of basic forestry products and to reduce environmental degradation. Presently about 1.2 million hectares of forest is under the control of above 14 thousands forest user groups. Nepal's community forestry program i...

The Kingdom of Nepal extends 800km east to west along the southern slopes of the Himalayas. Because of its biogeographical position, Nepal contains biological elements of both the Indo-Malayan and Palaearctic realms. Beside the trees in forest ecosystems, a large number of tree species are maintained on farms as part of subsistence farming systems....

This paper makes a case for gender equity in the agricultural R&D system. It reviews the evidence on exactly why it is important to pay attention to gender issues in agriculture and why it is necessary to recognize women’s distinct food-security roles throughout the entire value chain—for both food and nonfood crops, marketed and nonmarketed commod...

Forestry research is needed in the development and management of the forest resources in developing countries. However, in most such countries it has failed to provide the information needed by stakeholders and respond to the problems of sustainable forest development. A case study from Nepal suggests that government's low priority for a forest res...

The Community Forests Management approach in Nepal is one of the most cited success stories for managing common property resources. It has been argued that the approach is successful in improving the supply of forest products, improving the environmental situation in the hills, rehabilitating degraded hills and also increasing biodiversity. It is c...

Community forestry was developed in Nepal in the late 1970s to reduce environmental degradation and provide for the basic needs of rural people, but too much emphasis has been placed on developing new participatory institutions (Community Forest Users Groups (CFUGs)) and not enough on providing technical support for forest management. Consequently,...

A system of community forestry was developed during the late 70's to preserve the degraded hills of Nepal and to provide basic needs of forestry products to the rural people. The Community Forestry programme has received the highest priority within the forestry sector in Nepal and is regarded as one of the most successful development programmes in...

Forests provide food, medicine, energy, shelter, wood and non-wood products to sustain life on earth. Dependency on forests to support subsistence-farming systems has been of paramount importance in Nepal. In addition, there have been numerous essential uses of forest plants in the life system of the Nepalese. These are cultural and spiritual dimen...

The Community Forestry programme was formally launched in Nepal in 1978 with the enactment of the Panchayat Forest Rules and the Panchayat Protected Forest Rules. The Community Forestry policy along with Community Forestry legislation has been continuously reformed over time. These reforms have recognised the use rights of the local people in the m...

The main forest management policy in Nepal is community forestry. In community forestry, forest boundary surveying is a mandatory activity required for the formal hand over process of the forest area to the local community. Five different boundary-surveying methods are in practice in community forestry. The most commonly practised surveying system...

"The practice of protection and utilization of common forest resources by rural people in Nepal has a long established history; the active management of such forests is a relatively new concept. The mechanism of community forestry has been developed since 1978 to stimulate active involvement of local people in forest management activities as a mean...

Nepal's community forestry (CF) programme is regarded as a successful example of decentralization in natural resource management that fulfils people's forest product needs and enhances environmental sustainability. However, emerging evidence indicate that community forest user groups (CFUGs) - key institutions in managing community forests - are in...

The economy of Nepal is predominantly characterized by a large rural sector where subsistence farming is main stay of household economy. There is a strong dependency on forest resources for basic need fulfillment and additional income opportunity. Forest decentralization and globalization of market economy has created tremendous opportunities for m...