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The Panchthar–Ilam–Taplejung Corridor in Eastern Nepal, managed through community forestry, is a crucial habitat for the Himalayan red panda, an endangered carnivore threatened by forest degradation and illegal trade. We deployed the altitude line intercept and ten-tree plotless methods to evaluate the distribution of Himalayan red pandas and the environmental factors affecting them within four community forests, namely Singhadevi, Chitre-Hile, Chhipchhipe, and Kalikhop-Dadehli, of the corridor. We established a total of 23 transects and 92 plots, identifying 41 plots with evidence of the Himalayan red panda's presence. The sign occurrence revealed a clumped distribution of the species across all four community forests. The Himalayan red panda signs were observed between 2200 m and 2700 m above sea level (asl) and the majority of them were from habitats with a moderate slope within elevations of 2400 m to 2500 m asl. The primary sites for the defecation were large horizontal tree branches (78.12%), followed by forest ground (15.62%) and rocks (6.25%). The dominant tree species in their habitats included Lithocarpus pachyphylla (Importance value index, IVI = 45.05), Symplocus theifolia (IVI = 37.19), Symplocos pyrifolia (IVI = 20.99), Quercus lamellosa (IVI = 19.25), and Magnolia campbellii (IVI = 17.25). Among the thirteen environmental variables examined, proximity to water, distance to road, bamboo density, and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index were identified as the major factors influencing the Himalayan red panda's distribution. This research provides crucial insights to develop site-specific habitat management plans for community forestry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) is a resident species in Nepal, and breeds in the lower mountains in the southern plains of Nepal. Nest-site availability is an important factor that determines the population growth of vultures; however, such information is lacking in South Asia. We here describe the characteristics and spatial distribution patterns of Egyptian Vultures' nest sites in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains in central-west Nepal, and the factors that influence their nest-site selection. From 2012 through 2018, we surveyed all the known and potential nesting cliffs of the Egyptian Vulture located in the Pokhara Valley and its periphery during the nest building and nestling-rearing periods. In addition, we used generalized linear models to analyze the influence of landscape configuration, topography, and human disturbance factors on nest-site selection. We found a total of 21 occupied nests in a sampled area of 346 km2. Nests were not uniformly distributed, and the nearest neighbor distance between nests averaged 8.8 ± 6.1 km. Nests were located at an elevation of 523–1644 masl on cliffs with a mean height of 20.1 ± 12.2 m; 76% were in caves and 24% were on open ledges. Our models suggested that cliff height, anthropogenic trophic resources, and altitudinal variation around the cliff were the main determinants of the nesting cliff selection. Selection of small cliffs closer to food sources could minimize energy expenditure during food delivery and interspecific competition for nesting sites. The high altitudinal variation around the nest sites suggest that Egyptian Vultures preferred heterogeneous habitat, which might also be relatively difficult for humans to access and use easily. Neophron percnopterus es una especie residente en Nepal, que se reproduce en las montañas más bajas de las llanuras del sur de Nepal. La disponibilidad de sitios de nidificación es un factor importante que determina el crecimiento de la población de buitres; sin embargo, dicha información falta en el sur de Asia. Aquí describimos las características y los patrones de distribución espacial de los sitios de nidificación de N. percnopterus en las estribaciones de las montañas del Himalaya en el centro-oeste de Nepal, y los factores que influyen en la selección de sus sitios de nidificación. Desde 2012 hasta 2018 inspeccionamos todos los roquedos de cría conocidos y potenciales de N. percnopterus ubicados en el valle de Pokhara y áreas periféricas durante los períodos de construcción de nidos y cría de polluelos. Además, usamos modelos lineales generalizados para analizar la influencia de la configuración del paisaje, la topografía y los factores relacionados con los disturbios humanos en la selección del lugar de cría. Encontramos un total de 21 nidos ocupados en un área muestreada de 346 km2. Los nidos no se distribuyeron uniformemente y la distancia entre nidos vecinos más cercanos promedió 8.8 ± 6.1 km. Los nidos se ubicaron en roquedos a una altitud de 523–1644 msnm y con una altura media de 20.1 ± 12.2 m; 76% estuvo en cuevas y 24% en repisas abiertas. Nuestros modelos sugieren que la altura del roquedo, los recursos tróficos antropogénicos y la variación altitudinal alrededor del roquedo fueron los principales determinantes de la selección del roquedo de cría. La selección de pequeños roquedos, más cercanos a las fuentes de alimentos, podría minimizar tanto el gasto de energía durante la entrega de alimentos como la competencia interespecífica por los sitios de cría. La gran variación altitudinal alrededor de los lugares de cría sugiere que N. percnopterus prefirió un hábitat heterogéneo, que también podría ser relativamente difícil de acceder y de fácil utilización por parte de los seres humanos. [Traducción del equipo editorial] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addresses for the first time the movement patterns of the globally near‐threatened Bearded Vulture Gypaetus barbatus in its most important stronghold, the high‐altitude mountain ranges of Asia. Tracked individuals (n = 8) in the Annapurna Himalayan range (Nepal) foraged over a vast range of 60 715.9 km2 and our results indicated age‐class differences in the use of space. Territorial adults showed very small annual home‐ranges (K90 = 150.3 km2), whereas immatures wandered extensively and covered vast ranges of the mountains (K90 = 23 930.8 km2). For adults and immatures, these values are notably larger than the other two studied populations in the world (Pyrenees and South Africa). This suggests that the studied Annapurna population might exhibit lower breeding density than in the Pyrenees or South Africa, possibly due to lower food availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article investigates the foraging behavior, feeding ecology, and diet of the Egyptian Vulture in a landfill site in central-west Nepal, emphasizing age-specific behaviors and the need for proper landfill management to support conservation efforts.

The article investigates the foraging behavior, feeding ecology, and diet of the Egyptian Vulture (EV) at a landfill site in central-west Nepal. Topics discussed include the varying time spent on foraging, feeding, and alert behaviors among adults, subadults, and juveniles; the correlation between feeding time and pecking behavior; and the dietary composition, with birds being the most frequent food source followed by mammals.