Rinzin Phunjok Lama

Third Pole Conservancy · Conservation Biology

Large carnivores play key roles in their ecosystems, but their protection is a major challenge in biodiversity conservation due to conflicts with human interests. The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is the top predator of Asian high-altitude landscapes and faces various threats including wild prey depletion and illegal killings as a consequence of li...

Context. Large carnivores are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic activities, and their protection is among the main goals of biodiversity conservation. The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) inhabits high-mountain landscapes where livestock depredation drives it into conflicts with local people and poses an obstacle for its conservation. Aims. Th...

There is a growing agreement that conservation needs to be proactive and pay increased attention to common species and to the threats they face. The blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur) plays a key ecological role in sensitive high-altitude ecosystems of Central Asia and is among the main prey species for the globally vulnerable snow leopard (Panthera unci...

The Pallas’s cat (Otoclobus manul) has recently been discovered in the Manang valley of Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal by a citizen scientist and a field biologist of Third Pole Conservancy Mr. Tashi R. Ghale. With camera-trapped images and footage evidence, it has been established that the valley is also inhabited by other predators namely sno...

Wildlife is often poorly managed, poaching is part of such a problem. In times of globalization, international demands can easily put huge pressures on endemic species in remote locations and small nations. Nepal faces such a situation and here we present the first study of wildlife poaching, as identified from media reports. Many species were iden...

The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is categorized as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and it is labeled as “Endangered” in the National Red List of Nepal with a subsequent legal protection as a priority species for conservation. Despite Nepal’s continuous, efforts to protect this species, its long-term survival is constantly thr...

Pikas (Ochotona Link, 1795) are high-altitude specialist species making them a useful bioindicator species to warming in high-altitude ecosystem. The Himalayan Mountains are an important part of their range, supporting approximately 23%-25% of total pika species worldwide, yet we lack basic information on the distribution patterns. We combine field...

An individual of cat species having phenotypic appearance of an Asiatic wildcat Felis lybica ornata was photographed in Tanahun district during a bird survey on 3 March 2019 at 14:30 h. The typical features of the Asiatic wildcat were clearly visible, i.e. a spotted coat, horizontal bands on upper part of the leg, medium tail with rings towards the...

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...

The Snow Leopard Panthera uncia is a rare top predator of high-altitude ecosystems and insufficiently surveyed outside of protected areas in Nepal. We conducted a rapid camera-trapping survey to assess the presence of Snow Leopard in the Limi valley of Humla District. Three individuals were recorded in two camera locations offering the first photog...

The presence and distribution of the wolf Canis lupus in the Nyesyang Valley, Manang District, Nepal were unknown until confirmed herein through camera traps. Anecdotal evidence suggested that the wolf was exterminated by herdsmen from the valley around 40-50 years ago, as retaliation for livestock depredation. The wolf's return was first confirmed...

The presence and distribution of the wolf Canis lupus in the Nyesyang Valley, Manang District, Nepal were unknown until confirmed herein through camera traps. Anecdotal evidence suggested that the wolf was exterminated by herdsmen from the valley around 40-50 years ago, as retaliation for livestock depredation. The wolf's return was first confirmed...

Pallas’s cat Otocolobus manul skin was found with local people of Manang district, Nepal in 1987 when two of the co-authors (Paul O’Connor and Kea Andre) travelled there to film snow leopards. This evidence suggests that the Pallas’s cat has historically been living in Nyesyang valley. The specimen was hidden away as a private specimen and was not...

Pallas’s cat Otocolobus manul skin was found with local people of Manang district, Nepal in 1987 when two of the co-authors (Paul O’Connor and Kea Andre) travelled there to film snow leopards. This evidence suggests that the Pallas’s cat has historically been living in Nyesyang valley. The specimen was hidden away as a private specimen and was not...

The Red Panda Ailurus fulgens is a small carnivore that is adapted to a mainly herbivorous diet. The present study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of parasitic infections in a free-ranging population of Red Pandas in a community forest in Nepal. A total of 23 faecal samples were collected and examined. Protozoa infections were the most...