First record of Steppe Polecat Mustela eversmanii in Nepal
M. CHETRI1,2, M. ODDEN2, T. McCARTHY3 and P. WEGGE4
Abstract
A photo-documented record of Steppe Polecat Mustela eversmanii in the Trans-Himalayan range of Upper Mustang, Annapurna and, at 5,050 m, is apparently the highest altitude at which this species has ever been recorded. The other southernmost histori- Conservationcal records in Area,Asia lack Nepal, precise is the localities first record. of Steppe Polecat in Nepal; probably the southernmost from anywhere in the world;
Keywords: Annapurna Conservation Area, camera-trap, extension of known range, highest altitude record, Mustelidae, Trans- Himalaya
नेपालमा पहिलो पटक रेक셍ड गरिएको टीप पोल啍याट Mustela eversmanii
सारा車श
नेपालको अꅍनपू셍ण संिक्ष셍 क्षेत्र अꅍतगणत हिमाल पािी मुता敍 जि쥍लामा टीप पोल啍याट Mustela eversmanii को यो तजिि िेक셍ण गरिएको िो । एससयाली क्षेत्रमा िासथानको यककन प्रमाण셍क आधाि नभएको उ啍त प्रिातत उप쥍लो मुता敍को ५,०५० समटि उचाइमा पहिलो पटक फे ल ा पिेको िो । स륍भित, िालस륍म भएका िेक셍णि셂म鵍ये यो नै उ啍त प्रिाततको सबै भꅍदा बढी उचाइमा गरिएको िेक셍ण िो।
Steppe Polecat Mustela eversmanii Lesson, 1827 is a medium 62sc GPS. Three photographs of a medium-sized carnivore sized mustelid occurring in much of central and eastern Eu- rope, central Asia, southern Russia, Georgia, Mongolia and as a Steppe Polecat based on pelage features (i.e. dark on the China (Tikhonov et al. 2008). It inhabits relatively open, dry obtained at 00h49 on 23 June 2014 (Fig. 2) were identified habitats including steppes, semi-deserts, pastures and culti- dark rump, tail and feet; a pale muzzle and hint of a darker et al. 1999, Tikhonov et al. 2008, mask,upper/undersides white fringes and to the clearly ears, paler and no flanks sign contrastingof pale on the with chin a et al. 2013). It is stated to occur at altitudes up to 800 or throat) that collectively rule out all other small carnivores vatedm in Europefields (Mitchell-Jones and to 2,600 m in central Asia (Tikhonov et al. in the region (D. P Mallon, Prof. K. B. Shah and A. V. Abramov 2008).Šálek Steppe Polecat feeds on birds, reptiles, insects, fruit and, in litt. 2014). This is probably the most southerly record of particularly, rodents (Wolsan 1993, Wang et al. 2006, Lanszki Steppe Polecat in the world, although because the potentially & Heltai 2007). The few historical records from the southern southernmost historical records in Asia lack precise localities, margin of its Asian range all lack spatial precision: one from Ladakh in Jammu & Kashmir, India; one from “Himalayas”; and the highest occurrence traced by Tikhonov et al. (2008). two from Utsang, Tibet (Pocock 1941). Utsang was a large prov- this cannotThe habitat be confirmed. of the Dharkeko At 5,050 pass m, isthis mostly is at almosthigh-altitude twice ince occupying most of the current Tibet Autonomous Region Tibetan desert steppe (Fig. 3). The vegetation is dominated by Carex, Kobresia pygmaea, Kobresia felicina, Stipa, Astragalus, in the east (Changdu [probably modern Chamdo; far from Ne- Lagotis kunawurensis, Thymus linearis, Tanasetum nubigenum pal])(Xizang and province). south (Lhasa). For Xizang, No records Wang from (2003) South listed Asia occurrence (i.e. Paki- and Potentilla microphylla stan, India, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka) other than that from of the Dharkeko pass consist mainly of highly broken cliffs. Kashmir were traced by Mudappa (2013). The species is listed The pass is a summer grazing. The pasture southern intersected and northern by livestock flanks as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species trails used by domestic yaks, jhopas (yak–cow hybrids) and (Tikhonov et al. 2008), although European populations have horses. It also links to the vast landscape that adjoins the Ti- et al. 2013). betan Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China. Small mammals present in the area are Woolly Hare Lepus todeclined assess significantly because its overecology, the pastabundance century and (Šálek distribution in oiostolus, Tibetan Dwarf Hamster Cricetulus alticola, Large- The global conservation status of Steppe Polecatet al. 2013). is difficult This eared Pika Ochotona macrotis and various species of mice and voles. Tibetan Dwarf Hamster was also camera-trapped manyAs regions part of remain long-term poorly ecological known research (Šálek into Snow Leop- in the Dharkeko pass, in cliffs and rocky areas: it had not pre- ardnote Panthera reports the uncia first and record Grey of WolfSteppe Canis Polecat lupus in inNepal. the central viously been documented in the upper Mustang of the An- Himalayas, Nepal, a Reconyx HC550 HyperFire camera- napurna Conservation Area, although local people claim that it trap was set for 43 days in the Dharkeko pass (29.17356°N, is quite common in the region. Along the Dharkeko pass trail, 84.13422°E; datum WGS84) at 5,050 m asl (Fig. 1). The loca- we obtained several photographs of Grey Wolf, Red Fox Vulpes tion and altitude were obtained using a Garmin M/N GPSmap vulpes, Brown Bear Ursus arctos and Snow Leopard.
79 Small Carnivore Conservation, Vol. 51: 79–81, December 2014 Chetri et al.
Fig. 1. The location where the Steppe PolecatMustela eversmanii was camera-trapped in the Upper Mustang of Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal, on 23 June 2014.
Fig. 2. Steppe Polecat Mustela eversmanii camera-trapped in the Upper Fig. 3. Habitat where the Steppe Polecat Mustela eversmanii was camera- Mustang of Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal, 23 June 2014. trapped in the Upper Mustang of Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal.
The camera-trap pictures of Steppe Polecat were shown descendants are believed to be cave dwellers that prefer steep to twelve villagers of Lomanthang. People residing in the up- cliffs. They are seen very rarely because of their nocturnal per Mustang region are of Tibetan origin and speak the Lhowa habits. This existence of this myth implies that Steppe Polecat language. Nine were unaware of the presence of the species, is not a vagrant to the region. It is plausible that the species inhabits other mountain protected areas in Nepal. Intensive that kwak was believed to originate from domestic cats left in cavesbut three by lamas identified who itmeditated as a ‘kwak’. there One, in Thokmethe past. Lhowa, These cats’said camera-trapping coupled with genomic studies (reflecting the large distance from the Nepal record to confirmed occurrence Small Carnivore Conservation, Vol. 51, December 2014 80 Steppe Polecat in Nepal elsewhere) in the future might improve the knowledge of the species’s population status, distribution and habitat. Z. 2013. Population status, habitat associations, and distribution Šálek,of M., the Spassov, Steppe Polecat N., Anděra, Mustela M., Enzinger,eversmanii K., in Ottlecz, Europe. B. Acta & Hegyeli, Therio- Acknowledgements logica 58: 233–244. The long-term ecological study of Snow Leopard and Grey Wolf was Tikhonov, A., Cavallini, P., Maran, T., Krantz, A., Stubbe, M., Kryštufek, funded by USAID/Hariyo Ban Nepal Ko Dhan Program, Panthera- B., Abramov, A. & Wozencraft, C. 2008. Mustela eversmanii. In The Kaplan Graduate Awards and Hedmark University College, Norway. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.2.
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