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The rate of hydropower dam construction on rivers is increasing in emerging economies in South Asia, to achieve economic development goals. These large infrastructure projects are likely to have many negative consequences on freshwater species but have not yet received much consideration. Among freshwater small mammalian species, water shrews are seriously impacted by these large structures. This paper aims to determine if water shrews have been considered during the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of these hydro dam project sites, as well as present the sightings of the water shrews from Nepalese rivers with hydropower potential. We reviewed 44 EIA reports of such projects in Nepal using a set of four criteria and 15 questions to analyze the methods of impact assessment for mammals and the reports on the presence of water shrews in each built area. The study found that the number of mammal species reported during the EIA varied from five to 55 species but no relationships between the hydropower structure's size and any water shrew species were considered in the studies. In almost all EIA reports, the term aquatic ecosystem was prioritized over the term aquatic small mammals, and the latter was not considered in the assessment. The major reason for not considering these species is probably due to the lack of robust methods to capture small mammals such as shrews, or due to survey methods focused only on terrestrial mammals. The Aquatic Animal Protection Act was fully reviewed and assured to be followed in a majority of the reports, yet the monitoring parameters and indicators were not available for aquatic small mammals. Ignoring the presence of these mammals while constructing hydropower plants is a serious threat to their persistence. We also reported the Himalayan water shrew in the Barun River and the elegant water shrew in the Upper Tamakoshi River of Nepal. Therefore, a better understanding of these species among hydropower developers, and all concerned agencies, is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Located along the boundary of two zoogeographic provinces, and with the highest peaks and deepest valleys on Earth, Nepal is a center of adaptive radiation for many taxa. Early zoological research was mostly focused on high-profile large mammals due to availability of funding and policy priorities, but knowledge gaps remain for most other vertebrate taxa. Technologies ranging from genetic mapping to GPS, GIS, digital cameras and microtransmitters have advanced with time and greatly expanded research capacities. Here, we present our suggestions of research needs for the lesser terrestrial vertebrate fauna of Nepal and the broader Himalayan region, pointing out knowledge gaps and suggesting where to go from here. The growing numbers of Nepali researchers focusing on small mammalian and avian research is encouraging, but the status of many taxa remains unknown and much of the country remains under-surveyed for breeding and migratory populations. Major knowledge gaps persist for reptiles and amphibians and for the role of local wildlife markets in exploitation. We conclude with suggestions on priorities for research on, and conservation of, Nepal's lesser terrestrial vertebrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nepal moved from unitary system with a three-level federal system of government. As federalism accelerates, the national health system can also speed up its own decentralization process, reduce disparities in access, and improve health outcomes. The turn towards federalism creates several potential opportunities for the national healthcare system. This is because decision making has been devolved to the federal, provincial and local governments, and so they can make decisions that are more representative of their localised health needs. The major challenge during the transition phase is to ensure that there are uninterrupted supplies of medical commodities and services. This requires scaling up the ability of local bodies to manage drug procurement and general logistics and adequate human resource in local healthcare centres. This article documents the efforts made so far in context of health sector federalization and synthesizes the progress and challenges to date and potential ways forward. This paper is written at a time while it is critical to review the federalism initiatives and develop way forward. As Nepal progress towards the federalized health system, we propose that the challenges inherent with the transition are critically analysed and mitigated while unfolding the potential of federal health system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the results of a study of the population of golden jackal in Nepal using camera traps as of December 20, 2013. Topics highlighted include the projected decline in golden jackal population in the region due to human presence, results of interviews with local people to determine the distribution and behaviour of the golden jackal in the area and animals that are the common preys of the golden jackal.

The article reports on the occurrence of clouded leopard in the Doon Valley of Chitwan district in Nepal in February 2007. Topics discussed include video evidence of the sighting of a clouded leopard in February 2007, the incident as an example of how lack of documentation and publications impedes data management and its impact on research and conservation work, and the importance of conservation awareness to make sure that people treat stray wildlife with humanity and caution.

The article discusses a study of the fishing cat Prionailurur viverrinus and reports on the live capture of two fishing cats in Chitwan National Park, Nepal. The park is located in south central Nepal and is made up of a diversity of ecosystems like the Churia hills, Ox-bow lakes and the flood plains of the Rapti River and Narayani River. It notes that aside from the fishing cat, seven other different species of mammals were caught including a house rat Rattus rattus, a little Indian field mouse Mus booduga and Indian crested porcupine Hystrix indica. It indicates that no evidence was found that villagers killed fishing cat although human presence in the wetlands decreases the number of prey for the cat.