Abstract:The dholes received little scientifi c attention due to the lower charisma factor than other larger carnivores found in the same areas like Tiger and Snow Leopard. Introduction:The dholes or Asiatic wild dogs (Cuon alpinus) are one of the least studied social carnivores in the world. Dhole range includes central and east Asia, from China (Manchuria) in the north to India and the Malay Peninsula in the South. They are also found on the islands of Sumatra and Java but are absent in Borneo, Srilanka and Japan (Johnsingh 1985). Despite this wide distribution, dholes occur at low densities that warrant international protection. The dhole is listed as an appendix II species by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES 2010) and endangered by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species with the decreasing population trend (IUCN 2010). These dogs are distributed from tropical forests to the high mountains of Nepal's protected areas. These dogs received little conservation efforts due to lower charisma factor than other large carnivores of the same area (eg. Tiger, Snow Leopard).

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Abstract:We interviewed 48 people including local communities, ex hunters and protected area management professionals. The purpose of the interviews was to understand the motivations for, and the nature of, illegal hunting of prey species of iconic predators -tigers and leopards -in the northern section of Bardia National Park. Participants reported that hunting of prey species occurs mostly in spring and autumn and is less common during the summer. In the past, hunting was primarily for the purposes of obtaining meat for household consumption. Since the introduction of a road network in the region, opportunities to sell wild meat at ad-hoc 'highway markets' have developed. The purported medicinal properties of wild meat was also cited as a driver for illegal hunting. Mostly, locally hand-made guns are used for hunting and the use of dogs in hunting was often reported. Protected area managers informed that illegal hunting problems in the study area are associated with a lack of presence of park authorities, remoteness and underdevelopment and poverty of the community. Our study suggested that skills development training for local community members might reduce dependency on wild meat for household consumption and earning thereby reducing illegal hunting.

Abstract:We interviewed 48 people from communities around Bardia National Park in Nepal, including ex-hunters and protected area management professionals. The purpose of the interviews was to understand the motivations for, and the nature of, illegal hunting of prey species of iconic predators-tigers and leopards-in the northern section of the park. Participants reported that hunting of prey species occurs mostly in spring and autumn and is less common during the summer. In the past, hunting was primarily for the purposes of obtaining meat for household consumption. Since the introduction of a road network in the region, opportunities to sell wild meat at ad hoc "highway markets" have developed. The purported medicinal properties of wild meat was also cited as a driver for illegal hunting. Guns (mostly made locally, by hand) and dogs were reported to be commonly used. Protected area managers indicated that illegal hunting problems in the study area are associated with a lack of presence of park authorities, remoteness and underdevelopment and poverty of the community. Our study suggested that skills development training for local community members might reduce dependency of local people on wild meat, for both household consumption and for income, thereby reducing illegal hunting.

Context People and wildlife are coming into greater contact worldwide because of the increasing human footprint. Although some species tolerate certain levels of human activities, others are vulnerable to human disturbance, potentially altering their spatial or temporal patterns of activity in response to disturbance by humans. Aims We evaluated the influence of human activity on burrow activity of the Chinese pangolin, a Critically Endangered species that is heavily persecuted for subsistence and illegal trade. Methods We deployed remotely triggered camera traps at pangolin burrows located at four sites with contrasting levels of human density and infrastructure in Nepal, and estimated burrow-activity patterns of pangolins by using a kernel-density estimator based on the time stamp of camera trap observations. Key results Our findings did not suggest that anthropogenic disturbance affected pangolin burrow activity, but we acknowledge that these findings were based on a limited number of observations. Peak pangolin burrow activity was observed after midnight in three of the study sites, including those with highest and lowest levels of human activity. The fourth area, which had intermediate levels of human activity, had an earlier peak in burrow activity, possibly caused by prey deficiency owing to intense agriculture. Conclusions We suggest that pangolins may tolerate human activity because of their strictly nocturnal temporal niche, but that this tolerance has made them vulnerable to poaching because it allows them to co-exist spatially with humans. Implications Nocturnal species may be particularly prone to non-conflict-related persecution, because they may be easily accessible targets for illegal hunting activities.