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Biodiversity of Nepal

Nepal has a complex biogeography due to its past geological history and its presence at the crossroads of two biogeographic realms, the Palaearctic and the Palaeotropic (Udvardy 1975), and two major zoogeographical Kingdoms: Palaearctic in the north and Indo-Malayan in the south.

Furthermore, Nepal lies at the crossroad of six floristic regions namely Central Asiatic in the north, Sino-Japanese in the east, South East Asia-Malaysia in the southeast, Indian in the south, Sudano- Zambian southwest, and Irano-Turanian in the west.

Adam Stainton (1972) used six climatic and vegetation divisions in his classification of forest types in Nepal and recognized 35 forest types classified into ten major groups which have been widely adopted in later work. Jean-Franc? Ois Dobremez (1972, 1976) recognized four domains (western; northwestern; central; and eastern); six levels and 11 sublevels of bioclimatic zones, and 75 vegetation types.

According to the ecoregional classifications made by the Conservation Science Program of WWF US, Nepal’s landmass includes nine land-based ecoregions defined by ecological features, climate, and plant and animal communities. Of them, three each are in three different conservation statuses as Critical/Endangered, Vulnerable, and Stable/Intact.

The vegetation types described by Dobremez and his Nepalese colleagues totaled 198 categories. The Biodiversity Profiles Project 1995 attempted to synthesize them into 118 categories. During 1998- 99, IUCN revised the vegetation types and devised 59 vegetation types for the use of the Tree Improvement and Silvicultural Component/Natural Resource Management Sector Assistance Programme (TISC/NARMSAP). The 59 types have been further reduced to 36 in order to give a simplified ecological picture of Nepal’s vegetation based on climax or near-climax vegetation types spread over potential areas of ecological homogeneity.

The monsoon climate and huge altitudinal range found in Nepal create a wide array of habitats, from the lowland (as low as 67m above mean sea level) evergreen tropical forests in the Terai and low hills (below 1000m) through temperate broadleaved and coniferous forests to the tree line. Above this, Rhododendron scrubland extends up to the high alpine meadows before plant life gives way to the frozen and biologically barren snow-capped peaks including Mount Sagarmatha (8848m). The highest-recorded flowering plants like Ermania himalayansis of the Brassicaceae family are found at around 6000m. The deep river valleys and gorges create their own microclimates. Dramatic vegetation changes can be seen in relatively small areas with different aspects and altitudes.

Nepal comprises only 0.1% of land area on a global scale, but it possesses a disproportionately rich diversity of flora and fauna at genetic, species, and ecosystem levels. These species are found in the dense tropical monsoon forests of the Terai, in the deciduous and coniferous forests of the subtropical and

temperate regions, and in the subalpine and alpine pastures and snow-covered Himalayan peaks. Nepal falls within two biogeographical realms – the Indo- Malayan and the Palaearctic realms – which add to the high biodiversity level.

There has been comparatively much work carried out on the higher groups of plants (angiosperms and gymnosperms), but research on the lower groups has not been extensive or systematic.

Lichenologists estimate about 2,000 lichen species in Nepal of which 48 species are reported to be endemic to Nepal. There are 1,822 species of fungi, 687 species of algae, 853 species of bryophytes, and 534 species of ferns and fern allies in Nepal. Similarly, there is 6,391 angiosperm flora of which 25 species of gymnosperms have been listed in Nepal.

Nepal has a relatively high number of fauna species. Higher fauna groups have been relatively well studied; however, the taxonomy and distribution of lower fauna groups except for butterflies, and to some extent spiders, have yet to be studied. A comprehensive Fauna of Nepal guide is essential to understand the status of species for their conservation.

A checklist of 168 species of helminth parasites, 33 species of trematodes, 67 species of nematodes, 36 species of cestodes, and 32 species of plant nematodes has been recorded. There are 144 species of spiders and approximately 5,052 species of insects.

So far, 2,253 species of moths (excluding Microlepidoptera) have been recorded in Nepal. The current list includes 651 species of butterflies and 785 species of moths.

There are 187 species of fish and 195 species of herpetofauna (117 amphibians and 78 reptiles) in Nepal. The number of bird species is 874, and mammals, are 185.

Of the total 874 species of birds, 62% are resident birds, 14% are winter visitors, 12% are passage migrants, 6% are summer visitors, 5% are residents and migrants, and 1% are summer and winter visitors. The four new additions to the mammal checklist are the Binturong (Arctictis binturong), Indian Mongoose (Herpestes nyula), Himalayan marmot (Marmota Himalayan), and Tibetan gazelle (Procapra Picticaudata). Mammals are well represented in the protected areas of Nepal.

Species distributions are viewed from two perspectives: confinement, and richness.

Of the total number of mammal species, the Terai-Siwaliks region harbors the highest number of confined species (35 mammal species, 111 bird species, 46 Herpeto species, and 106 fish species). The central phytogeographical region harbors the highest number of confined species (28 mammal species, 24 bird species, 40 Herpeto species, and 31 fish species). Both the regions combined, the central Terai- Siwaliks region, hold the highest number of species.

Based on phytogeographical and altitudinal zoning, Nepal’s landmass can be divided into nine blocks. The Mid Hills Centre block harbors the highest number of mammals (55%) and bird species (77%), whereas Terai-Siwaliks Centre harbors the highest number of hereto (45%) and Fish species (74%). Overall, the Mid Hills Centre has the highest species richness followed by the Terai Siwaliks Centre.

There are 399 endemic flowering plants in Nepal of which about 63% are from the High Mountains, 38% from the Mid Hills, and only 5% from the Terai and Siwaliks. Similarly, the central region contains 66% of the total endemic species followed by the western (32%) and eastern regions (29%).

The Himalayan field mouse (Apodemus Gurkha) which is found in central Nepal between 2200- 3600m, is the endemic mammal species of Nepal. The Spiny Babbler (Turdoides nipalensis) and the Nepal Kalij (Lophura leucomelanos leucomelanos) are endemic to Nepal. There are 14 species of herpetofauna and six species of fish that are endemic to Nepal. Similarly, one hundred and eight species of spiders are reported to be endemic to Nepal.

The updated version of the National Red Data Book of Nepal includes 59 mammal species, 279 bird species, 35 Herpeto species, and 34 fish species. Of these, two species namely the Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) and Black musk deer (Moschus Fuscus) have not probably been recorded in Nepal, and the pygmy hog (Sus salvation) and the Indian Chevrotain (Moschiola meminna), have probably become extinct in Nepal.

Of the 11 bird species that were listed as Extinct in Nepal in the BPN, the presence of three species has been recently reported.

Thirty-four species of plants have been included in the IUCN Red List. Of them, two species (Andrew Dianthus ferruginous and Diplocolea Sikkimensis) are considered Endangered, five Vulnerable (Cycas, Dalbergia latifolia, Cephalophyllum Speciosum, Takakia Ceratophylla, and Ulmus Wallichiana), two Near Threatened (Aglaia cucullate and Cupressus torulose), 24 of Least Concern, and one Data deficient (Taxus wallichiana).

Altogether, 173 mammal species are listed as Threatened by IUCN: one as Critically Endangered (pygmy hog, Sus Salvanius), eleven as Endangered, 21 as Vulnerable, 19 as Near Threatened, 120 of Least Concern, and one as Data deficient (Csorba Mouse-Eared Bat Myotis csorbai).

Of the total number of bird species (874), three species are critically endangered (Slender-Billed Vulture Gyps Tenuirostris, Pink-Headed Duck Rhodonessa Caryophyllacea, and White-Rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis), six Endangered, 23 Vulnerable, 25 Near Threatened and 813 are of Least Concern.

Under the Forest Act 1993, the Government of Nepal has banned the collection use, sale, distribution, transportation, and export of three species effective from February 12, 2001. They are the Pancha ounce (Dactylorhiza hatagirea), Okhar ko bokara (Juglans regia bark), and ‘Kutki’ (Neopicrorhiza scrophulariiflora). The government has also banned the export of eight species of plants and rock exudes (shilajit), except for their processed product, upon the permission of the Department of Forests. Likewise, the government has banned the transportation, export, and felling of seven tree species for commercial purposes.

In addition, 26 mammal species, nine bird species, and three reptile species have been listed as protected under the 1973 NPWC Act. However, 10 species of fish and 12 species of butterflies are in need of protection.

In 2003, the Government of Nepal approved the Working Policy on Wild Animal Farming, Breeding, and Research. Under its provision, seven species of mammals, one species of amphibian (Gharial crocodile Gavialis gangeticus), all snakes (77 species in total), and all species of birds (874 species) including three protected ones.

Nepal is a signatory of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) since 1975; a number of Nepali species are listed under various CITES Appendices, such as 139 species of plants, 66 species of mammals, 128 species of birds and 26 species of fish.

Of the total 181 mammal species excluding four extinct species, 28 species are found only outside the protected sites. Fifteen of these species are bats, 10 species are rats, shrews, and Pikas, and three others are Large-toothed ferret badgers (Melogale personal), Malayan porcupines (Hystrix brachyura), and Tibetan antelopes (Pantholops hodgsonii).

Of the total 867 bird species found in Nepal excluding seven extinct species, only 37 species (5%) are found outside protected sites. Of them, 14 species are migrants, four species are summer/winter visitors, and 19 species are resident birds.

One-third of the total number of Herpeto species (65) and only 25 species of fish are found outside protected sites.