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Showing 6 results for Sharma
Research trends, conservation issues and approaches for the endangered Red panda (Ailurus fulgens): a systematic review of literatures across their home-range
Bijaya Dhami, Sachin Timilsina, Amit Adhikari, Bijaya Neupane, Nar Bhadur Chhetri, Alisha Sharma, Aakash Paudel, Mahamad Sayab Miya, Byanjana Sharma, Apeksha Chhetri,
Volume 3, Issue 2 (6-2021)
Abstract
The red panda (Ailurus fulgens), an arboreal mammal belonging to the family Ailuridae, and order Carnivora with herbivorous tendencies is distributed across the mountains of Nepal, Bhutan, China, India, and Myanmar. Due to different anthropogenic activities, the wild populations of A. fulgens have declined by 50% across these range countries. There are many gaps in the current knowledge concerning this endangered, elusive, and charismatic animal. We applied a systematic review process to better understand the research trends, conservation threats, and approaches and identified research gaps that potentially impact the long-term conservation of A. fulgens. Altogether, we analyzed 168 published papers over 33 years and in different thematic areas. Our study revealed that studies on A. fulgens are not evenly distributed across the range of the species, with the majority of them being from China, then Nepal, and very few from Bhutan, India, and Myanmar. The majority of the literature concerning captive and free-ranging populations of A. fulgens is skewed toward different aspects of biology including anatomy, general behavior, reproduction, nutrition, and different aspects of habitat including distribution patterns, and habitat use. There is limited information on A. fulgens genetics and it is confined to Chinese populations. Studies on diseases, the impact of anthropogenic activities like tourism, infrastructure development, movement ecology, interaction with other associated species, and studies addressing the impact of climate change on this species are very sparse. Hence, for the conservation success of A. fulgens understanding, these issues are critical.

Annotated checklist with distribution summary of Snakes of Jawai Community Conservation Reserve, Rajasthan, India
Ashish Kumar Jangid, Ravi Kumar Sharma, Dr. Abhijit Das,
Volume 3, Issue 4 (12-2021)
Abstract
We present the first-ever annotated checklist on snakes of the proposed Jawai Community Conservation Reserve of southwestern Rajasthan, India. We opportunistically encountered 26 species of snakes from the study area during the years 2015 to 2017. We have also collated a distribution synopsis for all the observed species with respect to the state of Rajasthan.

The biodiverse rotifers (Rotifera: Eurotatoria) of Majuli River Island – an alluvial floodplain of Assam state (northeast India) and the largest river island
Bhushan Kumar Sharma, Sumita Sharma,
Volume 3, Issue 4 (12-2021)
Abstract
Our assessment of Rotifera biodiversity of the floodplain wetlands of the Majuli River Island of the Brahmaputra basin in Assam state, northeast India (NEI) reveals a total of 175 species belonging to 39 genera and 19 families. The rich and diverse assemblages of the phylum categorize the Majuli as one of the megadiverse Rotifera region of India. The observed biodiversity of  Rotifera is hypothesized to be associated with the habitat diversity of the Majuli wetlands, including its varied aquatic macrophytes, the location of the study areas in the ‘Indo-Burmese biodiversity hotspot’ and the ‘Rotiferologist effect’, and merits conservation interest in light of the extinction threat to this alluvial floodplain. We record one rotifer species as new to the Indian sub-region and NEI, and 29 species as new records from the Majuli. We also consider various newly recorded species to be of global and regional biogeography interest, with some hypothesized to have a biogeographic role linked to the ‘Assam gateway’. High richness of Lecane > Lepadella ≥ Trichocerca, the richness of Testudinella, and the paucity of Brachionus species are noteworthy features. Reports of 175 species from floodplain lakes and 148 species from small wetlands indicate biodiverse rotifer assemblages in these two categories of wetlands and present a useful contribution to Rotifera ecological diversity of the Indian and the tropical floodplains.

Habitat suitability modelling of Melursus ursinus (Shaw, 1791) (Mammalia: Carnivora) in the Chitwan National Park, Nepal
Bharat Sharma, Rajeev Joshi, Sambandam Sathyakumar,
Volume 4, Issue 3 (9-2022)
Abstract
Sloth bear (Melursus ursinus Shaw), one of four species of bear found on the Indian sub-continent, has a geographical distribution across Nepal, India, and Sri Lanka. It is listed as Vulnerable under the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species due to the rapid decline of the global population. This decrease in Melursus ursinus presents a need for comprehensive research to predict and understand the distribution pattern. The present study predicts the habitat suitability and distribution pattern of M. ursinus in the Chitwan National Park, Nepal and its buffer areas. The entire study area was divided into 4 X 4 km grids. Within each grid, 10-meter radius plots were sampled for bear signs and habitat evaluation occurred at every 250 meters along a transect (1–1.5 km). Data on direct and indirect signs (diggings, pugmarks, scrapes, and scats) and other habitat use parameters of M. ursinus were collected. The study was carried out during the dry season (January to March 2019) in almost 57 grids of the study area. The calculated habitat suitability for M. ursinus determined that 25% of the total area was suitable, and the remaining 75% was less suitable habitat. Drainage, followed by slope and elevation, were found to be the important variables affecting the distribution of species in the study area and this model was found to be 88.5% accurate in terms of explaining the dependent variables. The findings of the present research will be useful for park managers, researchers, and academicians in the formulation of an appropriate conservation plan for this charismatic mammal species.

Bears on the edge: the occurrence of the Himalayan Brown bear, Ursus arctos isabellinus (Horsfield, 1826) (Mammalia: Carnivora: Ursidae) in the high altitude protected areas of the lesser Himalayas, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Ajaz Ansari, Nitika Khullar, Neeraj Sharma,
Volume 6, Issue 1 (3-2024)
Abstract
This communication reports the presence of the Himalayan brown bear in the twin mountainous protected areas of Bani Wildlife Sanctuary and Sudhmahadev Conservation Reserve in the Jammu division of Jammu and Kashmir, India. With the established presence of Himalayan brown bear in the region, systematic surveys are needed to gain a better understanding of its behavior and population dynamics, as well as to make management decisions linked to its conservation in the region.

Distribution and conservation of the Red panda Ailurus fulgens Cuvier (Carnivora: Ailuridae) in the Rara National Park, Nepal
Aastha Sharma, Kamal Adhikari, Kamal Regmi,
Volume 6, Issue 3 (In Press 2024)
Abstract
The Red panda is an Endangered species in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is also listed as a protected mammal by Nepal's National Park and Wildlife Conservation Act of 1973. The present study was conducted in the Rara National Park (RNP), in mid-western Nepal (the Himalayas of Karnali Region), to explore the current distributional status and conservation of the red panda between September to December, 2023, we conducted visual surveys along line transects (n= 13) to record species presence, measured habitat variables (vegetation types, waterholes, slopes/aspects, etc.) in 10x10 m2 quadrate around the species sign to characterize habitat associations, and interviewed 13 key informants to assess the conservation threats. We recorded 5 red panda signs, mostly fecal pellets, within an encounter rate of 1 sign per km. The majority of signs were associated with upper temperate mixed broad-leaf forest with bamboo cover >20%, tree stump presence, fallen logs of birch trees. The Himalayan Birch Betula utilis and Oak Quercus semecarpifolia are the two most common tree species near red panda signs. The distribution ranged from 2988 m to 3291 meters above mean sea level. The interview with key informants revealed that the main conservation threats to red pandas include excessive livestock grazing and the unsustainable extraction of bamboo by local communities. Overall, our results corroborate the presence of red pandas in this national park and highlight the immediate need for further research on its population abundance and conservation actions to conserve its prime habitat.

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