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

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bare. Ears are dark, blunt with rounded tip and the
tragus is well developed and around half the height
of the pinna. The nostrils are crescent shaped and
and open laterally.
Species Ecology
Mandelli’s Mouse-eared Bat is found in montane
forests on hill sides and in valleys.
Little is known about the reproductive behaviour of
this species.
Conservation Status
Global: Vulnerable
National: Vulnerable B2ab(iii, iv)
Rationale for assessment: Mandelli’s Mouse-eared
Bat (Myotis sicarius) has been nationally assessed as
Vulnerable under criterion B as it has been recorded
from only seven locations in Nepal and has an area
of occupancy of less than 2,000 km 2 because the
threats to this species, which include habitat loss
and degradation, and disturbance to roosting sites,
continue to cause a decline in the area and quality
of habitat available for this species.
Legal Status
National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 2029
(1973). This species occurs within protected areas.
National Population Size
There is no information available on the population
size of this species in Nepal.
National Distribution
Annapurna Conservation Area, Shivapuri Nagarjun
National Park and districts of Kaski (Sudame),
sections of Kathmandu Valley (Bansbari, Bajrabarahi
Religious Forest, Godavari, Lalitpur). Total extent of
occurrence is estimated to be greater than 20,000
km 2 , however, the area of occupancy has been
estimated as less than 2,000 km 2 based on the
availability of habitat in which locations the species
has been recorded.
Distribution outside Nepal
India.
Main Threats
• Hunting for subsistence
• Habitat loss and degradation mainly outside
protected areas due to clearing for agriculture,
removal of old trees and collection of firewood.
• Disturbance to roosting sites.
Conservation Measures in Place
None.
Conservation recommendations
i) Conduct surveys using bat detector
technology, indirect sign surveys and observations
using standard protocols in current locations and
other suitable habitats to obtain occupancy and
abundance estimates.
ii) Conduct surveys at regular intervals and create
national database to record population size and
distribution, and determine trends over time.
iii) Implement education and awareness
programmes including engaging local communities
and providing incentives to encourage the
protection of this species.
iv) Gate the caves and mines inhabited by bats to
stop human disturbance to caves.
v) Develop management plans for key habitats
where this species occurs.
References
Suwal and Verheugt 1995, Csorba et al. 1999, Molur et al. 2002,
Baral and Shah 2005, Sanjan Thapa (pers.comm.) 2010.