Study Area
The study was carried out in the Chure range (18,982
km2) of Nepal. Chure is the young mountain range and
consists of fragile sedimentary rocks such as mudstones, shale,
sandstones, siltstones and conglomerates (Pokharel, 2013). It extends
from east to west in southern Nepal touching all the seven provinces
(Fig 1). Chure has monsoon dominated sub-tropical climate. The average
maximum and minimum temperature of this range lie between
15.80C to 31.80C. The mean annual
precipitation is between 1400mm to 2000mm (GoN-RCTM, 2017; FRA/DFRS,
2014). The Chure range has highly rugged terrain and the altitudinal
variation ranges from 120m to ~2000m. There are over 160
river systems with a different origin that flows through this range
(Chaudhary & Subedi 2019; GoN-RCTM, 2017; FRA/DFRS, 2014).
A large part of the Chure range (>70%) is forested. The
Chure range consists of 23.4% of the forest and 3.5% of other woodland
covers of Nepal (FRA/DFRS, 2014). This range is important for
biodiversity and represents 3 ecoregions, 9 forest types, 8 Important
Plant Areas (IPAs), 14 Important Bird Areas (IBAs), and six protected
areas (FRA/DFRS, 2014). This range acts as a water reservoir for the
Terai region towards the south. The government of Nepal has initiated
the conservation of this range via President Chure-Terai Madhesh
Conservation Development Board. The central and western part of Chure
falls in the Terai Arc Landscape (TAL) which is a globally significant
the landscape for biodiversity (MoFSC, 2015) and serves as an important
habitat for endangered and threatened wildlife including tiger, greater
one-horned rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis ), Asian elephant
(Elephas maximus ), leopard, gaur (Bos gaurus ), sloth bear
(Melursus ursinus ), pangolins (Manis crussicaudata andM. pentadactyla ), and hyaena (Hyaena hyaena ). Ungulates
such as wild boar (Sus scrofa ), barking deer (Muntiacus
vaginalis ), sambar (Rusa unicolar ), chital (Axis axis )
and three primates rhesus monkey (Macaca mulata ), Asamese monkey
(Macaca assamensis ) and Terai grey langur (Semnopithecus
hector ) serve as prey species for a range of carnivores including the
leopards.
Chure is the home for 14% of Nepal’s human population and only 14% of
the Chure area is suitable for cultivation (SAWTEE, 2016). The majority
of the people depend on subsistence farming for food crops and animal
husbandry is an integral part of their farm. Livestock grazing is
widespread across the Chure forests. Deforestation, unplanned road
construction, agricultural practices on the steep slopes, drying of the
water resources, lowering of the water table and climate change are
affecting this range (Chaudhary & Subedi, 2019; GoN-RCTM, 2017;
Bhandari et al., 2016; FRA/DFRS, 2014; Pokharel, 2013).