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Urbanization induces homogenization and changes the behavioural patterns of various bird species, thereby facilitating coexistence and prompting adaptations to disturbances in urban environments. However, there is limited research on the influence of how urbanization affects bird tolerance towards humans, especially in developing sub-tropical regions such as Nepal, which is undergoing rapid unplanned urbanization. This study identified the flight initiation distance (FID) as a proxy for assessing bird tolerance. We focused on evaluating the human tolerance levels of 33 bird species using their FIDs in urban and rural habitats within Kathmandu Valley, a rapidly urbanizing city in South Asia. We found higher tolerance in urban birds than in their rural conspecifics, which varies mainly with dietary guild and season. The positive impact on FID was associated with time of the day and body size, while a negative association was observed with flock size, mean population density of humans and interaction between body size and elevation. Our study highlights the increased tolerance level of birds in urban areas, probably owing to habituation, and emphasizes the imperative need to investigate the potential adverse effect on urban bird population owing to this increased tolerance level.

Human-wildlife interactions occur where human and wildlife coexist and share common resources including food or shelter. Increasing wildlife populations within protected areas also can increase interactions with humans living adjacent to these areas, resulting in conflicts including human casualty, livestock depredation, crop damage, and property loss. We analyzed six years human-wildlife conflict data from 2016–2021 in the buffer zone of Shuklaphanta National Park and conducted questionnaire survey to investigate factors influencing human-wildlife conflicts. Nineteen people were attacked by wildlife, primarily wild boar ( Sus scrofa ). Ninety-two livestock were killed by leopard ( Panthera pardus ), and among these most were sheep or goats killed near ShNP during summer. Crops were most frequently damaged by Asian elephants ( Elephas maximus ), followed by wild boar. Greatest economic losses were from damage to rice, followed by sugarcane and wheat. Asian elephant was the only reported species to cause structural damage to property (e.g., homes). Majority of respondents (83%) considered that the mitigation techniques that are currently in practice are effective to reduce the conflicts. However, the effectiveness of the mitigation techniques are the species specific, we recommend use of more efficacious deterrents (e.g., electric fencing) for large herbivores and mesh wire fencing with partially buried in the ground. Effective collaboration among different tiers of government, non-governmental organizations, civil societies and affected communities are important to share the best practices and continue to apply innovative methods for impactful mitigation of human-wildlife conflicts in the region.

Understanding the effect of biotic and abiotic factors, including habitat and interspecific competition, is crucial for species conservation. We quantified spatio-temporal patterns of sympatric large Indian civet (LIC; Viverra zibetha ) and small Indian civet (SIC; Viverricula indica ) using remote cameras in Parsa-Koshi Complex, Nepal during December 2022–March 2023. We found low spatial overlap between LIC and SIC (Oij = 0.15) and high diel overlap between LIC and SIC (Dhat1 = 0.759, normo0 CI: 0.670 ‒ 0.847). Large predators, i.e., tigers ( Panthera tigris ) and leopards ( P. pardus ) positively influenced the occurrence of LIC and SIC, respectively. Extent of grassland also positively influenced (0.529 ± 0.193) SIC occurrence. The coexistence of LIC and SIC is governed by complex ecological interactions, including habitat preferences and the influence of predator’s occurrences, and such dynamics are important implications for conservation planning. Effective conservation strategies should be considering for the spatial and temporal overlap of these species, considering the role of large predators and habitat variables such as grasslands to support the coexistence of sympatric carnivores and reduce human-wildlife conflict.

Understanding species distributions and factors influencing them are important for conservation, particularly for species occurring in human-dominated areas. The Indian crested porcupine ( Hystrix indica ; hereafter porcupine) is distributed southeast and central Asia, however, the porcupine occurrence and habitat use is poorly understood in the area. We deployed cameras at 154 sites for 21 days (3234 trap nights) during December 2022–March 2023 in the human-dominated landscape of Parsa-Koshi Complex (PKC), Madesh Province, Nepal. We used single season single species occupancy model to estimate the relationship of selected covariates with porcupine occupancy. We identified moderate occupancy [0.321 ± 0.079 (SD)] and detection probability [0.315 ± 0.076 (SD)] of porcupines. Although porcupine occurrence was greater in protected area than in outside protected areas, occupancy was positively associated with area of farmland (1.531 ± 1.703) and human presence (0.459 ± 0.531), while it declined with increasing forest canopy cover (-0.86 ± 0.363). The positive effects of agricultural areas and human presence demonstrate the adaptability of porcupines to humans and the potential for continued conflicts. Based on these baseline data, policy makers and wildlife managers can gain insight into the pattern of porcupine occurrence and aid targeted conservation strategies to mitigate increasing human-porcupine conflicts in PKC.

Co-occurrence and spatial and temporal overlap of sympatric jungle and leopard cats are influenced by habitat preferences, and interspecific competition. Understanding these factors influence is crucial for developing effective conservation strategies. We conducted a camera survey in Parsa‒Koshi Complex (PKC), Nepal during December 2022–March 2023 to investigate factors influencing occupancy and spatial and temporal overlap between jungle cats ( Felis chaus ) and leopard cats ( Prionailurus bengalensis ). The mean detection probability ( t  = 0.664, p  = 0.507) did not differ between jungle cats ( p  = 0.500 ± 0.289) and leopard cats ( p  = 0.501 ± 0.288); however, occupancy ( t  = 31.008, p  < 0.001) was greater for jungle cats ( ψ  = 0.247 ± 0.020) than leopard cats ( ψ  = 0.178 ± 0.019). Jungle cats and leopard cats were positively associated with large predators, and jungle cats were positively associated with human presence and negatively associated with canopy cover. We observed high diel overlap between leopard cats and jungle cats ( Dhat1  = 0.802, norm0CI: 0.720–0.884), with both species largely nocturnal. Co-existence of jungle cats and leopard cats in PKC appears to be facilitated by spatial segregation. These findings provide valuable insights into the complex ecological dynamics and interactions between sympatric jungle and leopard cats.

ABSTRACT Gaur (Bos gaurus) is a globally vulnerable species with a decline of more than 80% of their global distribution in the past 100 years. Understanding the species distribution pattern and associated factors is essential for developing effective conservation strategies. We examined the effects of forest area, human detections, presence of tiger (Panthera tigris), presence of competing species like Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), and sambar deer (Rusa unicolor), and distance to water, on gaur occupancy in Parsa National Park (PNP), Nepal, using camera traps which were deployed at 67 locations from December 2022 to March 2023. We used single season single species occupancy modeling to estimate the relationship of selected covariates with gaur occupancy. We recorded a total of 54 gaur detections in our study. We found that gaur occupancy had a significant positive association with the distance to water bodies and was negatively associated with forest area and the presence of elephants; however, there was no significant association with number of humans detected, or the presence of tigers, or sambar deers. Gaur had greater detection probabilities in southcentral portions of PNP, i.e., flat plains and areas near the Chure region and the lowest detection probabilities in the eastern and western parts of PNP. These findings highlight the importance of considering eco‐environmental factors in the management and conservation of gaur, particularly in human‐dominated landscapes. We recommend further multi‐seasonal studies to better understand the dynamic interactions between gaur, their environment, and other species, to inform effective conservation strategies. Gaur occupancy was positively influenced by thedistance to waterbodies and negatively influenced by forest area and presence of elephants..

ABSTRACT The striped hyena Hyena hyena, a facultative scavenger inhabiting undulating forest and grassland ecosystems, has experienced significant shifts in its distribution due to human activities, such as land use and climate change. Despite these shifts, the extent and direction of these changes have not been explored to inform site‐specific management and conservation strategies. We assessed current and future potential suitable habitats for striped hyena using species distribution modeling (SDM), considering bioclimatic and land use variables. We obtained striped hyena occurrence data throughout Nepal from field surveys and existing literature. Using ensemble modeling, we predicted 17.01% (25,199 km2) of Nepal's land as suitable habitat for striped hyenas, with 23.15% of suitable habitat occurring inside protected areas. Key environmental factors influencing habitat suitability included temperature, precipitation, and proximity to water sources. We also predicted substantial declines in suitable habitats by 2070, with reductions of 74% and 79.3% under SSP1‐2.6 and SSP5‐8.5 scenarios. Based on these findings, we highlight the importance of extending conservation efforts beyond protected areas to safeguard current and future habitats of striped hyenas. The hyenas suitable habitat will be decreased in the future if the current scenarios continue.

Globally, biodiversity is declining due to habitat loss and degradation, over‐exploitation, climate change, invasive species, pollution, and infrastructure development. These threats affect the populations of large waterbird species, such as Sarus crane (Grus antigone), which inhabits agricultural–wetland ecosystems. Despite the burgeoning built‐up areas and diminishing agricultural and wetland spaces, scant research investigates the impact of these changing land uses on the globally vulnerable Sarus crane in Nepal. During the pre‐breeding season from April to June 2023, our comprehensive study meticulously scrutinized Sarus crane population status and factors associated with the occurrences and conservation challenges across 10 specific districts of Nepal. Our study documented a total of 690 individuals of Sarus cranes in five districts. The Lumbini Province has 685 individuals, occupying 11 roosting sites. Conversely, the remaining five districts have no Sarus cranes presence during this period. Wetland, farmland and built‐up areas exhibited a significantly positive influence on Sarus crane occurrences in the Lumbini Province. Additionally, we recorded 47 fatalities of Sarus cranes over the past 13 years in the Lumbini Province due to electrocution and collisions. Our study provides a baseline dataset crucial for developing conservation policies, particularly during the dry season when Sarus crane populations tend to congregate in larger flocks. The adaptation of the Sarus crane to urbanized landscapes exposes them to several anthropogenic threats in the coming days. Therefore, protecting wetlands and farmland areas and adopting transboundary conservation approaches are imperative for the long‐term conservation of the Sarus crane and its habitat. The first record of the population status of Sarus crane can be used as a baseline data for developing a management plan.

Understanding factors associated with coexistence of human and wildlife in human‐dominated landscapes is crucial for effective species conservation. Among the wildlife species, the sloth bears Melursus ursinus are found both inside and outside the protected areas of Nepal, and with increasing cases of human and bear conflicts in both areas. This highlights the necessity for a comprehensive understanding of anthropogenic and ecological factors that affect the occurrence of sloth bear. The understanding of these factors is important for its coexistence and conservation in human‐dominated areas through establishing management and conservation action plan. We studied the sloth bear's occupancy and their coexistence in human‐dominated environments with other large predators in the Parsa–Koshi Complex of Nepal using camera traps from December 2022 to March 2023. We identified the occupancy and detection probability of the sloth bear as 0.12 and 0.31, respectively. Our analysis reveals a positive relationship between sloth bear occurrence and the presence of large predators ( βpredators  = 3.104 ± 0.968), such as tigers ( Panthera tigris ) and leopards ( Panthera pardus ), as well as the number of humans detected ( βhuman  = 1.428 ± 1.216) and canopy cover percentage ( βcc  = 1.002 ± 0.737). However, the number of livestock detected shows a negative interaction with the occurrence of sloth bears ( βlivestock  = −2.240 ± 1.467). There was insignificant interaction between sloth bear occupancy and distance to human settlements, roads, and water bodies. These findings underscore the complex dynamics between sloth bears, humans, large predators, and livestock in human‐dominated landscapes. To ensure the long‐term survival of sloth bear populations and promote species conservation, comprehensive conservation strategies that account for both ecological and socio‐economic factors are essential.

Understanding people’s knowledge and attitudes is essential for evaluating and assessing the distribution and threats confronted by wildlife, including bird species. However, research and data are limited, particularly on large waterbirds like the globally threatened Sarus Crane (Grus antigone) that inhabit human-altered wetland-agricultural landscapes. To address this gap, we interviewed 459 respondents across four districts in Lumbini Province, Nepal, in April–June 2023 to assess knowledge, attitudes, and conservation threats related to the Sarus Crane. Ninety-nine percent of the respondents correctly identified the Sarus Crane, though only one-third had observed its nests, almost 50% perceived a decline in nesting sites, and 59% perceived distribution range contraction in the past decade. Respondents identified habitat loss and degradation (44%), hunting (19%), and wetland deterioration (16%) as the most prominent threats to the species. Overall, 95% of respondents were unaware of the national and global conservation status of the Sarus Crane and 90% were unaware of local education and awareness initiatives. Nonetheless, 96% of respondents advocated controlling hunting, improving wetland management, enhancing awareness programs, and protecting habitats as measures for Sarus Crane conservation. Our study underscores the need for intensified community engagement for monitoring the species, and wetland restorations to safeguard this iconic species outside the protected areas system.