The Vulnerable Clouded Leopard Neofelis Nebulosa in Nepal: an Update

The Vulnerable clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa in Nepal: an update

Y. GHIMIREY and R . A CHARYA

Abstract The Vulnerable clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa leopards from Kailali district (Jnawali et al., ), is believed to be one of the most threatened felid species in Ghodaghodi Lake (Jnawali et al., ), Khaptad National Nepal. Information on its status and population size in the Park (Khaptad National Park Management Plan, unpub- country mostly comprises crude estimates. We compiled in- lished) and Api-Nampa Conservation Area (DNPWC, formation on the species’ status and distribution from pub- ). However, the reliability of reports west of lished papers, grey literature, camera-trap images, direct Annapurna Conservation Area needs to be verified before observations, pelt, zoo and museum records, wildlife sei- drawing conclusions about the species’ westward zures and verified newspaper reports. All confirmed records distribution. of the species (three museum specimens, one dead speci- The first study of the clouded leopard in Nepal was con- men,  live records (including from camera traps), and  ducted in  but the species was not recorded by camera pelts) were from eastern and mid-central Nepal. Two un- trap for the first time until , in Shivapuri Nagarjun confirmed reports from the western and far-western regions National Park (Ghimirey et al., ; Pandey, ). The of the country need to be verified. Although the status of the species was subsequently recorded by camera trap in species is still uncertain, the frequency of confirmed and un- Annapurna Conservation Area and Chitwan National confirmed reports and the extent of the area of occurrence Park in  and , respectively (Ghimirey et al., ; indicate that it is not as rare as previously assumed. The Lamichhane et al., ). A study conducted in  detected main threats to the species are habitat loss and illegal wildlife the clouded leopard in Langtang National Park, as had been trade. suggested previously (Nowell & Jackson, ). Table  pre- sents all records and unconfirmed reports of the clouded Keywords Camera trap, clouded leopard, habitat loss, leopard in Nepal and Fig.  shows their location. Prior to Nepal, species distribution, wildlife trade these detections the species had not been detected in some previous studies, generating speculation that it might have he clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa, categorized as gone extinct in the country. However, false absences may TVulnerable on the IUCN Red List, occurs from the be attributed to the short duration of the studies and Himalayan foothills in Nepal through mainland small study areas, as the clouded leopard is an elusive spe-  South-east Asia into China (Grassman et al., ). In cies. The species also has a small core area of use, which Nepal the species is believed to occur along the mid-hills could further hinder detection, particularly if camera traps eastwards of Langtang National Park (Nowell & Jackson, are deployed in places outside this core area and the dur-  ). The species has been reported to occur in the pro- ation of study is short. In Thailand the clouded leopard’s tected areas of Annapurna Conservation Area, Chitwan core area of use has been calculated to be .–. ± SD .   National Park, Kanchenjunga Conservation Area, and km , with home ranges of up to  km (Grassman et al., – Langtang, Makalu Barun, Rara and Shivapuri Nagarjun ; Austin et al., ). The species’ core area of use   National Parks (Jnawali et al., ; Pandey, ; could be similar in Nepal, considering the similar moun-   Ghimirey et al., ; Lamichhane et al., ; D.W. tainous terrain. In Nepal only one study of the clouded leop-  Macdonald, pers. comm.). However, the claim that Rara ard has covered an area of .  km (Pandey, ). It is National Park holds a clouded leopard population seems imperative to conduct studies covering larger areas to reduce to be based on a single record of a misidentified leopard the probability of false absences. cat Prionailurus bengalensis pelt and can thus be discounted. The preferred habitat of clouded leopards has long been The record of a clouded leopard in Annapurna Conserva- debated. Although the species is most strongly associated  tion Area at a straight-line distance of km west of Lang- with primary tropical forest (Nowell & Jackson, ;  tang National Park in is the confirmed westernmost Brodie & Giordano, ), clouded leopards have also ’  limit of the species distribution (Nowell & Jackson, ; been recorded in secondary forest, dry tropical forest,  Ghimirey et al., ). There have been reports of clouded scrub and grassland, and mangrove swamps (Davies & Payne, ; Dinerstein & Mehta, ; Rabinowitz & Walker, ). In Nepal, it has been suggested that the YADAV GHIMIREY (Corresponding author) and RAJU ACHARYA Friends of Nature, Nepal. E-mail [email protected] Mahabharat range is the best habitat for the species  Received  April . Revision requested  May . (C. McDougal, , unpubl. data), which may be found Accepted  May . First published online  February . at ,–, m elevation (Upreti, ). However, clouded

Oryx, 2018, 52(1), 166–170 © 2017 Fauna & Flora International doi:10.1017/S0030605316000582 Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IP address: 170.106.33.14, on 29 Sep 2021 at 11:20:12, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605316000582 https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms Downloaded from Oryx TABLE 1 All available confirmed records of the clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa in Nepal (see numbered locations in Fig. ), with year, location, geographical coordinates, altitude, type of 08 21,166 52(1), 2018, ,

https://www.cambridge.org/core evidence, and source of data. Blank cells indicate no data were available.

Geographical ID Year Location coordinates Altitude (m) Type of evidence Source –

170 Museum specimens ©

. 1853 Kathmandu One pelt Hodgson (1853) https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605316000582 07Fua&FoaItrainldoi:10.1017/S0030605316000582 International Flora & Fauna 2017 1858 Nepal One pelt in BMNH Kitchener et al. (2006) 1930 Nepal One pelt in BMNH Kitchener et al. (2006) Live individuals . IPaddress: 1 1977 Langtang 28°1’21.58″N, Direct observation of one Borradaile et al. (1977) 85°35’35.79″E individual 1994 Tribhuvan Three cubs seized alive from Shakya et al. (1999) 170.106.33.14 International Airport, trader Kathmandu 1996 Baghbazar Three cubs seized alive from Shakya (2004)

, on trader ’ ″

29 Sep2021 at11:20:12 2 1987 Janakpur 26°59 19.08 N, Two cubs captured alive by Dinerstein & Mehta (1989) 86°3’5.98″E local people 3 1988 Nawalparasi 27°38’33.81″N, One individual captured alive Dinerstein & Mehta (1989) 83°44’43.88″E by local people 4 1988 Pokhara 28°15’50″N, 83° 900 Direct observation; stoned to Dinerstein & Mehta (1989) 58’20″E death 5 2001 Dillibazar, Kathmandu 27°42’25.4″N, 1,315 One individual captured alive Sarita Jnawali, Central Zoo, , subjectto theCambridgeCore termsofuse,available at 85°19’40.2″E by zoo officials Kathmandu (pers. comm.) 6 2002 Jorpati, Kathmandu 27°43’39.9″N, 1,344 One individual captured alive Sarita Jnawali, Central Zoo, 85°22’41.6″E by zoo officials Kathmandu (pers. comm.) 7 2007 Dhamaura, Chitwan 27°36’44.8″N, 229 One individual captured alive Ghimirey et al. (2014) 84°38’4.3″E by local people and brought to National Park office 8 2010 Shivapuri Nagarjuna 27°48’53.1″N, 1,985 Camera-trap image of one Pandey (2012) National Park 85°16’47.7″E individual 9 2012 Annapurna 28°22’52.2″N, 2,274 Camera-trap image of one Ghimirey et al. (2013) Conservation Area 84°7’21.8″E individual h lue epr nNpl167 Nepal in leopard clouded The 10 2013 Chitwan 27°28’57.2″N, 301 Camera-trap images of three Lamichhane et al. (2014) 84°12’46.4″E individuals 11 2014 Langtang NP Camera-trap image of one E. Can & D. Macdonald (pers. individual comm.) Pelt records 1988 Kathmandu Four pelts for sale Barnes (1989) 12 1991 Sunumla, 27°11’37.01″N, 1,200 One pelt from hunter Karan Bdr. Shah (pers. Sankhuwasava 87°23’41.03″E comm.)*, Natural History Museum, Kathmandu 1992 Kathmandu Two pelts for sale Van Gruisen & Sinclair (1992) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms Downloaded from 6 .Giie n .Acharya R. and Ghimirey Y. 168 https://www.cambridge.org/core

Table 1 (Cont.) . https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605316000582 Geographical ID Year Location coordinates Altitude (m) Type of evidence Source 13 2006 Zhongim, Taplejung 27°29’23.92″N 2,400–2,600 One pelt from hunter Badri Vinod Dahal (pers. . IPaddress: 87°46’17.48″E comm.)* 2008 Kathmandu One pelt seized from a WCN (2008) poacher

170.106.33.14 14 2009 Chyamtang, 27°46’20.82″N, 2,267 One pelt photographed in a Ghimirey et al. (2012) Sankhuwasava 87°26’22.14″E house 15 2009 Hatiya, Sankhuwasava 27°44’11.64″N, 1,600 One pelt photographed in a Ghimirey et al. (2012) 87°20’15.84″E house , on 2011 Shuklaphanta, One pelt seized from a SAWEN (2011) 29 Sep2021 at11:20:12 Kanchanpur poacher 2011 Kathmandu One pelt seized from a Shrestha (2012)

Oryx poacher

08 21,166 52(1), 2018, , 2012 Manamaiju, One pelt seized from a WCN (2012) Kathmandu poacher 2013 Khadbari, One pelt seized from poachers Prabhat Pal, , subjectto theCambridgeCore termsofuse,available at Sankhuwasava District Soil Conservation Office, Sankhuwasava (pers. – 170 comm.)*

© 2014 Bhakundebesi, One pelt with bones seized Press note from Nepal Police* 07Fua&FoaItrainldoi:10.1017/S0030605316000582 International Flora & Fauna 2017 Kavrepalanchowk from two poachers 2014 Kathmandu One pelt seized from two Wildlife Conservation Nepal poachers official (pers. comm.)* 2014 Kathmandu One pelt & teeth seized from a Onlinekhabar (2015) poacher Unconfirmed reports 16 Unknown Khaptad National Park 29°19’33.07″N, (Khaptad National Park 81°8’31.98″E Management Plan, unpublished) 17 2012 Api-Nampa 29°48’34.7″N, DNPWC (2012) Conservation Area, 80°32’45.87″E

*Verified from photographic evidence The clouded leopard in Nepal 169

FIG. 1 Records (Numbers refer to Table ) of the clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa in Nepal.

leopards have also been reported from marginal scrub forest and Shivapuri Nagarjuna National Park (Pandey, ; in the Eastern Terai, subtropical broad-leaved forest in cen- Ghimirey et al., ; Lamichhane et al., ). These find- tral Nepal and tropical broad-leaved forest in the lowlands ings, in particular the recent camera-trap records, indicate (Dinerstein & Mehta, ; Ghimirey et al., ; Lamichhane that further research is required to clarify the distribution et al., ). Prey availability has been reported as a major fac- and status of the clouded leopard in Nepal, and that there tor influencing the occurrence of clouded leopards is potential for research on the metapopulation dynamics (Rabinowitz et al., ; Mohamad et al., ). The species of the species and its interactions with other felid species. has been shown to use a wider range of habitats than previously thought (Mohamad et al., ), and has been recorded in forests close to highly populated areas such as Kathmandu, Acknowledgements Chitwan and Pokhara. Although the species appears to toler- We thank Panthera, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Point ate some degree of disturbance, it is important that well- Defiance Zoo Society, and the Clouded Leopard Project for connected habitat patches remain for use and dispersal. funding our field research, the Department of National Little is yet known of the species’ ecology in lower quality Parks and Wildlife Conservation and the National Trust habitats. for Nature Conservation/Annapurna Conservation Area Illegal trade in the clouded leopard is prevalent in Nepal, Project for helping with permits during our visits to various but there are fewer cases than in South-east Asian countries protected areas, Karan Bahadur Shah, Roshan Chaudhary, (Nowell, ), although the number of cases has increased Andrew Kitchener, Anil Prajapati, Prabhat Pal, Sarita since  (Table ). Official data on wildlife trade can be Jnawali, Ganesh Koirala, Badri Vinod Dahal, David misleading (Niraj, ); for example, many cases of illegal Macdonald and Sabita Malla for providing information wildlife trade in Nepal go unrecorded because of the porous about clouded leopard records, Igor Khorozyan, Will international border with India (Das, ). Even the com- Duckworth, Andreas Wilting, Christos Astaras and Nabin paratively more regulated border with China has army sta- Baral for comments, and Kashmira Kakoti, Yam Bahadur tions at onlyafewlocations because of the harsh geographical Gurung, Ram Lama and Prem Raj Neupane for their sup- conditions. Although retaliatory killings have been reported port at various stages. to be one of the primary threats to the clouded leopard (Jnawali et al., ), we found onlyone case of retaliatory killing of the species. We therefore suggest that retaliatory killing Author contributions is probably not the most important threat to the species, as it is to the leopard Panthera pardus in Nepal. YG and RA both contributed to collecting the data and writ- The clouded leopard is perceived to be rare in Nepal, ing the article. where it is considered to be threatened by habitat loss and degradation, and illegal wildlife trade. However, camera trapping results indicate that its frequency of occurrence References  and range may be increasing (Sanderson et al., ;   AUSTIN, S.C., TEWES, M.E., GRASSMAN, L.I. & SILVY, N.J. ( ) Ghimirey et al., ). The species has also been confirmed Ecology and conservation of the leopard cat Prionailurus in areas where its presence was previously unknown, includ- bengalensis and clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa in Khao Yai ing Annapurna Conservation Area, Chitwan National Park National Park, Thailand. Acta Zoologica Sinica, , –.

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MOHAMAD, S.W., RAYAN, D.M., CHRISTOPHER, W.C.T., HAMIRUL,M., YADAV GHIMIREY has been involved in research and conservation of MOHAMAD, A., LAU, C.F. & SIWAN, E.S. () The first description small felids in Nepal since . He is interested in interspecific inter- of population density and habitat use of the mainland clouded action among felids, particularly between clouded leopards and leopards. leopard Neofelis nebulosa within a logged-primary forest in South RAJU ACHARYA hasbeeninvolvedinwildlifeconservationforoverdec- East Asia. Population Ecology, , –. ades. His interests include ethno-zoology of big cats, wolves and owls.