The Status of Nepal's Mammals: The National Red List Series - IUCN

eing the predominant practice. The capital city Kathmandu lies at 1,300 m.The High Mountains zone
rises up to altitudes of 4,000 m and has a cool subalpine climate with an average temperature of 10
to 15 o C (Agrawala et al. 2003). It consists of temperate and subalpine forest and shrubland with both
coniferous and hardwood species including oak (Quercus spp.), fir (Abies spectabilis), birch (Betula spp.) and
mixed broadleaved and rhododendron forests. This region has some of the least disturbed forests, probably
as a result of relatively low human population and general inaccessibility (UNEP 1993). Species such as the
Himalayan Pika (Ochotona himalayana) occurs here and, along with other small mammals of the region, is
associated with increased plant diversity as a result of the soil disturbance caused (Bagchi et al. 2006).
Along the northern border of Nepal neighbouring China, is the High Himalayas region with seven of the
top ten highest peaks in the world, including the highest point: the summit of Sagarmatha at 8,848 m. The
landscape comprises subalpine forests and alpine vegetation, permanent snow and glaciers. It includes the
Trans-Himalayan area in the north west which is virtually treeless with a dominant vegetation of shrubs,
grasses and alpine flora (Grimmett 2009). The High Himalaya is one of the most vulnerable global regions
to the impacts of climate change. Himalayan glaciers are shrinking and have major implications for drinking
water supplies, biodiversity, hydropower, local industry, agriculture and threat of Tsunami and glacial lake
outbursts (Bajracharya et al. 2007). Species that occur in this landscape include the Snow Leopard (Panthera
uncia), Himalayan Tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus), Tibetan Gazelle (Procapra picticaudata) and Grey Wolf (Canis
lupus).
Whilst Nepal is rich in biodiversity, it is one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world,
ranked 138 th in Human Development Index and in the 10 least developed countries in Asia and Oceania
(UNDP 2010, IMF 2010). The country’s rapidly increasing human population is putting huge pressure on
natural resources and wildlife and even basic human needs struggle to be met with shortages of water
and electricity. In addition to the direct anthropogenic pressures, invasive alien plant species are rapidly
destroying prime habitat and the increasing temperatures of climate change are likely to exert severe effects
on the world’s highest mountain habitats. These combined pressures are pushing many species towards
extinction. Although the declines of many species, such as the Royal Bengal Tiger and Greater One-horned
Rhino are well known, it has been a challenge to address them with expanding human settlements
compounded with inadequate human and financial resources. However for the majority of species in Nepal,
baseline information is still lacking, including information on Nepal’s two endemic mammal species, the
Himalayan Field Mouse (Apodemus gurkha) and Csorba’s Mouse-eared Myotis (Myotis csorbai).
The main objectives of the Status of Nepal’s Mammals were to form a comprehensive list of mammals that
occur in Nepal, to evaluate the status of each species and to identify specific threats to the species and make
conservation recommendations. As part of this process, the species list was reviewed in accordance with the
international rules of zoological nomenclature. A Nepal biodiversity databank was established with
information on point localities and corresponding dates, species names, synonyms, potential threats,
conservation measures, habitat preferences and other fields which were deemed useful for conservation
assessments. This data was taken from published reports and past museum records, unpublished project
reports and field surveys, as well as expert opinion. This databank provides a baseline for future Red List
assessments.
National Red List assessments were carried out in 2010 in accordance with the IUCN Regional Red List
Categories and Criteria. It is the first time species conservation status assessments for Nepal have been
carried out at a national level using the IUCN Categories and Criteria, which is internationally recognised as
the world’s most authoritative and objective method for classifying extinction risk. Status of Nepal’s
Mammals has highlighted those species most at threat, under-represented and under-researched.
Through a network of field technicians, scientists and government officials conservation recommendations
have been made to further secure the future of Nepal’s mammal species.
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