Maheshwar Dhakal, PhD
Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation
Bishwa Nath Oli
Department of Forests
Diwakar Chapagain
WWF Nepal
Implications of Mega-species Monitoring
to Sustainable Protected Area Management:
A Case of Tiger and Prey-base Monitoring
in Nepal
Sub-alpine
forest
Alpine scrubs &
meadows
Temperate
needle-leaved forest
Temperate
broad-leaved forest
Subtropical
needle-leaved forest
Floral Biodiversity 8,848m
60m 200 km 60m from MSL
Faunal Biodiversity
8,848m
60m 200 km 60m from MSL
Protected Area System in Nepal
• National Parks = 10
• Wildlife Reserve = 3
• Conservation Area = 6
• Hunting Reserve = 1
932
4376
8430
10948
20077
27631
28780
34186
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
40,000
19
70
-75
19
76
-80
19
81
-85
19
86
-90
19
91
-95
19
96
-00
20
01
-05
20
05
-10
Are
a km
²
Year
Aichi target
Protected Area Distribution in Nepal
Terai Arc Landscape
Tiger Protected Areas in TAL
SN
Protected Area Core Area
(km2)
Buffer Zone (Km2)
Major Mega species
1 Chitwan National Park 932 751 Tiger, Elephant, Rhino, Crocodiles, Bison
2 Bardia National Park 968 507 Tiger, Elephant, Rhino, Crocodiles
3 Banke National Park 550 343 Tiger
4 Parsa Wildlfie Reserve 499 298 Tiger, Elephant, Rhino, Bison
5 Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve 305 244 Tiger, Elephant, Rhino
Managing the protected areas
Buffer Zone Area Core Area
What will be the implications if both human and wildlife population constantly increased?
Rhino Count Method
Ap
ril 5, 2
01
1
Ap
ril 23
, 20
11
Data-sheet Collection
+
= Total Rhino
Data-sheet Collection Data-sheet
Collection +
)
= Nepal =534 SWR=7 BNP=24 CNP=503
Trend of rhino Population in Nepal
800
400
300
100 108147
310
358
147
446
534
435409
484
612
503
408372
100 108
544
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1950
1957
1959
1966
1968
1972
1978
1988
1994
2000
2005
2008
2011
Fiscal year
Rhi
no N
umbe
r
Population Nepal Population CNP
Tiger and Prey-base monitoring
• Camera trapping
• Line transect
• Occupancy survey
Camera trapping
Facial Marking
Body stripes
Same Individuals in Different Camera
• A male tiger (CNP13_MBB_18) recorded from 10 different locations
(Map below)
Results - SPACECAP
SN Protected area Estimated Population Density/100 km2
Mean SD 95% CI Density SD
1 Parsa WR 7 2.9 4-13 0.65 0.3
2 Chitwan NP 120 10.6 98 - 139 3.84 0.3
3 Banke NP 4 1.2 3-7 0.16 0.1
4 Bardia NP 50 2.85 45-55 3.38 0.2
5 Shuklaphanta WR 17 2.27 13-21 3.4 0.4
TOTAL 198 163 - 235
Trend of Tiger Population in Nepal
98 109
126 121
198
0
50
100
150
200
250
1995 2000 2005 2009 2013
Tige
r N
um
be
r
Year
Prey Monitoring (Transect Method)
Perpendicular
Sighting Distance
Prey Species
Result – Prey
SN Protected area
Estimated Details Density/ km2
Effort
(km)
Transects
Number
Observation
Number Density SE
1 Parsa WR 286 147 133 25.33 3.9
2 Chitwan NP 498 261 376 73.63 9.08
3 Banke NP 334 75 55 10.27 6.34
4 Bardia NP 398 219 571 92.6 8.8
5 Shuklaphanta
WR 154 82 114 78.62 16.44
Mega Species Population increase
Time
Human and
Wildlife Population
Hu
man
po
pu
lati
on
Elephant population
Implication of mega-species increase
People
Wildlife
Co-existence
People
Wildlife
Conflicts
1. Space: constant
2. Wildlife: increase
3. Human population: Increase
What will be the next?
Low High
Low
High
Wildlife (mega-
species)
Human population
Sustainable Protected Area Management (mega species)
Regular wildlife monitoring and carrying capacity
Adequate and in time relief and compensation schemes
Establishment of sub-population in potential habitats
Establishment of sub-population in potential habitats
Engagem
ent o
f local co
mm
un
ities and
C
apacity b
uild
ing
Main
tain h
abitat w
ith co
rrido
r and
co
nn
ectivity