Habitat and nest use by hoary-bellied squirrels ( Callosciurus pygerythrus ): preliminary observations in central Nepal
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Tropical Ecology https://doi.org/10.1007/s42965-020-00116-3
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Habitat and nest use by hoary-bellied squirrels (Callosciurus pygerythrus): preliminary observations in central Nepal Tilak Thapamagar1 · Dionisios Youlatos2 · Daya Ram Bhusal3 · Shivish Bhandari4 Received: 28 July 2019 / Revised: 27 September 2020 / Accepted: 29 September 2020 © International Society for Tropical Ecology 2020
Abstract The squirrels are among the least studied small mammals in Nepal. The present study aims to provide baseline information such as number of individuals, habitat and nest use in different time periods for hoary-bellied squirrels in central Nepal. During September–October 2018, we used 24 line transects to record squirrel sightings, nesting sites and environmental parameters. We observed a total of 39 squirrels, and their presence was correlated to low altitude, roads, and to a lesser extent, agriculture land and bodies of water. High use of human-dominated landscapes may increase conflict with humans with negative results to its conservation in future. Moreover, squirrels were mainly active in the morning and used tall bamboo and oak trees with extended crowns for nesting sites. These tree features most likely provide food and safety against predators. Data from the study is valuable to make a better understanding of the species ecology and will help in future management practice. Keywords Agriculture land · Altitude · Community forest · Conservation · Ramechhap · Squirrels Conservation threats to the wildlife in Nepal are believed to be increasing progressively because of anthropogenic impact, which affects both small and large mammals pushing species populations to a decline (Baral and Shah 2008; Bhandari and Chalise 2016; Thapamagar et al. 2019; Bhandari et al. 2020). Large mammals (e.g. tigers, Panthera tigris or leopards, Panthera pardus) usually attract more conservation effort, leaving smaller ones (e.g. pygmy hog, Sus salvinus or Indian spotted chevrotain, Moschiola meminna) to regional declines (Baral and Shah 2008; Bhandari et al. 2019). This is also the case of most rodents and lagomorphs, which suffer from extended use of pesticides on agriculture lands (Baral and Shah 2008; Aktar et al. 2009).
* Shivish Bhandari [email protected] 1
Himalayan Biodiversity Network-Nepal, Bharatpur 11, Chitwan, Nepal
2
Department of Zoology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloníki, Greece
3
Central Department of Zoology, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal
4
Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN, USA
Among rodents, the hoary-bellied squirrel (Callosciurus pygerythrus) is distributed in the Indian subcontinent (Karki 2013; Moore and Tate 1965; Thorington et al. 2012; Karki 2013; Thapa et al. 2016) and is currently classified as least concerned (LC: IUCN Red List). In Nepal, C. pygerythrus found from lowland (~ 300 m a.s.l.) to temperate regions (~ 2500 m a.s.l.) (Baral and Shah 2008; Thapa et al. 2016), where it mostly inhabits hig
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