Status and ethnobiology of Mountain Weasel Mustela altaica in Humla district, Nepal Yadav GHIMIREY* and Raju ACHARYA Abstract Information on weasels Mustela in the western Himalayas is scarce, so even small numbers of records of them are of high value. Frequent sightings of Mountain Weasel Mustela altaica during May–June 2013 in Humla, Nepal, indicated that it is common there, even around settlements. Ethnobiological observations revealed killing of the species for superstition, but probably not at levels damaging to the population. Keywords: altitude, Limi valley, local beliefs, locality records, natural history, pika, superstition, threat हु륍ला जि쥍लामा पहाडी म쥍्ा車प्रो Mustela altaica को अवथा र मानि्ह셁्ँगको अꅍतर्륍बꅍध ्ारा車श ऩ�चिम हिमाऱयबाट साना मलसाॊप्रा Mustela ि셁को राम्रो जानकारी नभएकोऱ े यिाॉबाट ययनीि셁को सानो जानकारी ऩयन मि配वऩु셍 ण िुꅍछ । नेऩाऱको िु륍ऱा �जलऱामा २०१३ को म े देखि जुन स륍म गररएको अ鵍ययनको क्रममा ऩिाडी मलसाॊप्रो Mustela altaica धेरै ऩटक देखिएकोऱे यसको अवथा सामाꅍय नै िुनुऩन े यककन गन ण सककꅍछ । सामा�जक सवेक्ष셍को ऩरर셍ामऱ े अꅍधववचवासका कार셍 मायनसऱ े यसऱाई मान े गरेको ऩ配तो ऱाग े ऩयन माररन े दरऱ े भन े यसको अवथामा असर नऩान े देखिꅍछ । Introduction (DDC 2004). It lies in north-westernmost Nepal and borders Tibet Autonomous Region, China (Fig. 1). Within Humla, Limi Mountain (= Pale) Weasel Mustela altaica is one of six wea- village development committee (VDC; a VDC is an area, not a sel species reported from Nepal (Baral & Shah 2008, Chetri collection of people) was explored widely in May–June 2013. et al. 2014) although the presence of Stripe-backed Weasel M. Limi is a high, narrow northeast–southwest mountain val- strigidorsa and Stoat M. erminea remains uncertain (Abramov ley, connected to Tibet but cut off from other parts of Nepal et al. 2008, Thapa 2014). In Nepal, Mountain Weasel is report- for winter (Goldstein 1974). It has 2.3% Sub-tropical, 8.9% ed to occur along the Himalayan belt including the protected Temperate, 19.4% Sub-alpine, 58.7% Alpine and 10.7% Nival areas of Annapurna Conservation Area (CA), Api-Nampa CA, vegetation respectively (Lilleso et al. 2005). The River Limi, Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve, Gaurishankar CA, Kanchanjunga its largest river, with its many tributaries, including the Sakya CA, Langtang National Park (NP), Makalu-Barun NP, Manaslu khola (‘khola’ means river or stream in Nepali), Geu khola, CA, Rara NP, Sagarmatha NP and Shey-Phoksundo NP (Jnawa- Ngin khola and Talung khola, all boast exquisite wide valleys li et al - holding many threatened birds and mammals (pers. obs.). The napurna CA, Kanchanjunga CA, Sagarmatha NP and Mugu area remains little explored. district. 2011)(Ghimirey but specificet al. 2014). records The are species, known which from onlyinhabits An mountainous south and central Asia, China, Mongolia and Rus- Methods The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (Abramov et al. 2008). There is little infor- Dadaphaya, Khagalgaon, Muchu and Limi VDCs were visited, sia,mation is classified for assessing as Near its conservation Threatened onstatus in Nepal (Jnawali with more than 75% of survey time spent in Limi VDC. The et al. 2011, Ghimirey et al. 2014). Its presence in Humla dis- standard trekking trail from Simikot to Bhawin was walked trict is suggested by Jnawali et al. (2011) but without explicit daily at around 2 km/hr from 07h00 to 19h00 with one 1-hr documentation. This paper presents observation records and break and 4–5 short breaks of 20–25 minutes. Intervals of ethnobiological information about the species in the district. 15–20 minutes were taken to look for mammals, on aver- age every 500 m. In and around the base camp in Bhawin, Study area multiple trails were walked. Mountain Weasel was observed by both naked eye and binoculars, with photographs taken Humla district stretches over 29°35′–30°70′N, 81°18′– 82°10′E. At 6,134 km², it is Nepal’s second largest district (underpart colour and pattern, paw colour and lack of black whenever opportune. For identification, diagnostic features Small Carnivore Conservation, Vol. 51: 64–67, December 2014 64 Mountain Weasel in Humla district, Nepal Fig. 1. Humla district, Nepal, showing area visited, route walked (white line) and locations where Mountain Weasel Mustela altaica was recorded (white circles). tail tip) were compared to pictures in Menon (2003) and Baral & Shah (2008). No search was made by night. Coordinates and (Fig. 5) and two in the evening. This pattern coincided with altitudes of the records were taken by GPS units (Garmin 60 localthe nine pika observations, Ochotona activity, five were mostly by morning, from after two sunrise by afternoon to late CSx, datum WGS 84). Informal discussions with local herders, morning (pers. obs.). Plateau Pika O. curzoniae was seen only hunters and village elders sought ethnobiological information above 4,000 m while Royle’s Pika O. roylei was frequently ob- about the species in the area: local name, relation with local served below this. culture and people’s perception of the species. - wards a makeshift shed of stones, used for domestic goats. Results It climbedThe first atop Mountain a wall and Weasel looked wasat the sighted study runningteam, about to 20 m away, with curiosity (Fig. 2). As the team approached, Observations the Weasel climbed down the wall, entered a crevice on an- Mountain Weasel was observed nine times (Table 1), in- other wall and then peeped out apparently to check whether sightings were of singletons. Excepting one at 3,970 m, all from that wall into Caragana bushes. The second Weasel ob- sightingsvolving (based were aboveon location; 4,000 mFig. even 1) atthough least searchfive animals. effort beAll- servedthe people (Fig. were 3) was still carrying there. Aftersomething, around probably five minutes, a rat Rattus it ran, low and above 4,000 m was 15 and 18 days respectively. Of in its mouth. On seeing us nearby, it went behind a house. The Table 1. Mountain Weasel Mustela altaica sightings in Humla district, Nepal, May–June 2013. Location Coordinates; altitude (m) Date; time Habitat Thadodhunga 30°07′20″N, 81°24′23″E; 3,970 25 May; 08h00 Caragana bushes Tungling 30°15′20″N, 81°39′18″E; 4,100 4 June; 07h00 Settlement with Caragana Tungling 30°15′20″N, 81°39′18″E; 4,100 5 June; 05h45 Settlement with Caragana Takche pass 30°18′04″N, 81°40′24″E; 4,600 5 June; 09h00 Alpine steppe Bhawin 30°23′05″N, 81°37′37″E; 4,890 5 June; 19h30 Alpine steppe Sakya khola 30°20′22″N, 81°39′32″E; 4,700 9 June; 11h00 Alpine steppe, river bank Bhawin 30°23′05″N, 81°37′37″E; 4,890 14 June; morning Alpine steppe Bhawin 30°23′05″N, 81°37′37″E; 4,890 15 June; 18h00 Alpine steppe Bhawin 30°23′05″N, 81°37′37″E; 4,890 21 June; 14h00 Alpine steppe 65 Small Carnivore Conservation, Vol. 51, December 2014 Ghimirey & Acharya fourth individual, at 4,600 m, was basking on the sun; it ran khola was running, jumping, entering and emerging from burrows, but ran away when we approached within 5–8 m and seek’ it crossed a small creek and climbed a nearby hill. (Fig. 4). It seemed as if it liked being observed by people when it noticed us taking pictures. After five minutes of ‘hide provided they kept a distance. looking for prey. Upon observing the team, it reached the next sideIn the of fifth the valley.sighting, After the 10animal minutes’ was nearobservation our camp, it vanished possibly Ethnobiology over the top of the hill. The individual observed at Sakya Discussion with locals while watching live Mountain Weasels and with dead ones in view (see below) showed that the spe- cies is known as Dheularkya in Limi VDC. This name might apply to all weasel species in the area, although discussions with local people suggested that no others occur. Mountain Weasel generates mixed responses: perceived useful because it kills rodent pests, people fear that these little predators eat dried meat stored in houses. Overall, it is unpopular in Humla, where dried meat is the most important protein source, re- believe that hanging a dried Mountain Weasel above the main entranceflecting the (Fig. lack 6) willof readily stop the available death of fresh new-born meat. children. Local people This belief reportedly becomes very important if more than one new-born child dies in a house. Two dried Mountain Weasels were seen in the village of Halji. This belief might apply to all weasel species in Nepal because weasel species seem to lack Fig. 2. Mountain Weasel Mustela altaica, Thadodhunga, Humla district, specific local names. Nepal, 25 May 2013 (Photo: Yadav Ghimirey). Fig. 3. Mountain Weasel Mustela altaica, Takche pass, Humla district, Nepal, 5 June 2013 (Photos: Yadav Ghimirey). Fig. 4. Mountain Weasel Mustela altaica, Sakya khola, Humla district, Fig. 5. Mountain Weasel Mustela altaica, Bhawin, Humla district, Nepal, Nepal, 9 June 2013 (Photo: Yadav Ghimirey and Bidhan Adhikary). 21 June 2013 (Photo: Raju Acharya). Small Carnivore Conservation, Vol. 51, December 2014 66 Mountain Weasel in Humla district, Nepal Acknowledgements We gratefully thank all those who supported our work: Mohammad bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund and UK Wolf Conservation Mangal Lama and Chhakka Bahadur Lama for logistic help before and Trust for the financial support; Rinzin Phunzok Lama, Palzor Lama,- during the fieldmanuscript work; Bidhan preparation.