Chapter-1: introduction 1 Background
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CHAPTER six: Conservation and Management6.1 Conclusions The Asiatic black bear is not included in the protected animals’ species in Nepal under the National Park and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1973 (NPWC Act, 1973). Overall encounter rate for the black bear signs based on line transect (N=33) in Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve was 0.75 0.09 signs/km (range =1.0-3/km). The total respondent (N=165), out of them (34.04%) reported that the status of black bear in DHR was low while (29.97%) reported high, (25.53%) medium and no idea (10.64%). The responded reported that the status of black bear is going to be decreasing since last five to seven years. The seasonal observation of black bear in Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve was higher in summer season than others. It was highly observed in August and September (32.14%) followed by July- August (25.00%), Jun-July (17.86%), May-Jun (10.71%), Sep-Oct (7.14%), Oct-Nov (3.57%) and Nov-Dec (3.57%). During the field survey, we recorded only 6 cases of black bear attacks on humans in DHR during (1998-2007). Of these, 3 cases occurred in the forest areas when people were in search of forest produce or grazing their livestock. Two victims had lost their life. One case of bear attack on woman in the grazing land has been reported. The overall loss (21.29%) of agricultural crops in 2006, the black bear was responsible for (6.53%) and in 2007, out of total loss (22.45%) the black bear was responsible for (8.33%) in DHR. The black bear generally loss the crops from mid July to December. The differential land allocation for each crop cultivation in different altitudinal ranges and preference of local people as food in each season has consecutive effect in the seasonal crop loss to black bear. The total number of livestock loss due to large carnivores from 2006 to 2007 was accounted to 69 livestock. Out of them, black bear was responsible to 4.65% in 2006 and 5.0% in 2007. Black bear accounted for loss of 4.3% of sheep, and 2.9% of goat and 1.4% of cow/ox each. The reports of livestock loss by black bear were least but not most as to leopard. The occasional report of livestock loss such as cow and ox occurred. It was reported that sometime black bear entered in the livestock house and they fight with the big livestock and killed them. The livestock killed by black bear was reported rarely and happened unintentionally. In comparing with summer and winter season, the relative pressure of grazing on forest area (‘using/nearest forest’ and ‘distance forest/grazing land’) was high in summer (43.44%) than in winter (27.82%). It was seen that Rele, Jhim, Syaula forests had more pressure than other forests to collect fuel wood, fodder and timber followed by Ghuri and Chepare forests. Forest encroachment inside the reserve is major problem. The process to capture the area were as first slash and burn the area and clearing of slash and making shelter house for livestock. During survey, most of the respondents (47.62%) indicated that the black bear were most active at mid- night (9PM-3AM) to the crop raiding than early night (6PM-9PM). People of DHR were not practiced more agricultural crops due to high altitudinal ranges. The respondents (N=188) reported that black bear prefers 4 different agricultural crops. Out of them, maize (85.1%) was the relatively highest preference in Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve. Based on the nature of damage and indirect signs during agricultural crop raiding, people explained the eating habits of black bear. They placed five types of eating habits for black bear. They are allocating in one area6, looping7, sweeping, tearing and digging. The respondents (N=142) reported the black bear preferred 8 wild food as follows: Quercus species (30.28%) Himalayacalamus species (24.65%) Berberis species (16.20%), Prunus pashia (11.27%), Rubus species (5.63%), Myrica esculenta (5.63%), “Dummer (4.23%) and Cedrus deodara (2.11%). The respondent (N=165) reported that the Asiatic black bear uses Mixed forest (59%), Hardwood forest (22%) and Coniferous forest (19%) on the basis of their knowledge and sighting reference. The VDC of Gurjakhani and Maikot of Myagdi and Rukum districts respectively were categorized in the high conflicts zone. The Bobang VDC of Baglung districts were categorized in medium and Adhikari Chaur VDC of Baglung was categorized in low conflict zones. In DHR, respondent (N=170) explicated 7 traditional and indigenous techniques/activities of protection measures against black bear that were being used. The practice of ‘Chasing and shouting’, Night Stay” and Bell ringing’ were acknowledged as accustomed practices. 6.2 Recommendation for ManagementProvision of compensation and support to the black bear victims for medical treatment should be created. This will help in reducing negative attitude and retaliatory killing. Local villagers currently practice many indigenous methods to reduce crop raiding by black bear, of which chasing the bears by making noises were found to be most effective. To reduce crop raiding by black bear and other wild herbivores in the high conflict zones, we propose community based night vigilance by a group of local villagers on a rotational basis. Other measures such as habitat improvement outside the reserve and changes in cropping patterns are proposed for reduction in crop raiding by black bear. People participation should be effective way to conserve the bear in Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve. The long term program can achieve the conservation goal. I would like to recommend the community based conservation program that can support the local people livelihood. ReferencesAustegard, Go and S, Haugland. 1993. Trophy hunting in Nepal: a case study on blue sheep in Dhorpatan Shikar Reserve. M.Sc thesis, Agricultural University of Norway, Baral, A.N. 2001. Problems and prospects of hunting management in Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve. Institute of Forestry, Tribhuvan University, Nepal 52p. Beringer,J.S., Steven, G and Pelton,M.R. 1994. Transmitter drops as a technique for detecting black bear habitat use. International Conference on Bear Research and Management, 9,303-307. BPP, 1995. Biodiversity Project Profile. Biodiversity profile of High Mountains and High Himal Physiographic Zones. Technical Publication Number 14. DNPWC, Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation, HMG of Nepal, Kathmandu. ISBN: 90-7328715-4 DNPWC, 2008. Draft report of Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve, Nepal Ernest, P. W. 1968. Mammals of the world. The Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore. 2 Grizimek, B. 1990. Grizimek’s encyclopedia of mammals. Mc Graw Hill Publication Company. 2 Horino, S and Shingo, M. 2000. population viability analysis of Japanese Black bear population. Forest and Forest Product Research Institute of Japan. Population Ecology, 42, (1), 37-44. Hwang, M., D. Garshelis, and Y. Wang. 2000. Diets of Asiatic black bears in Taiwan, with methodological and geographical comparisons. Ursus 13:111-125. India. London (Taylor and Francis) Publication. Mammalia, 20.197 JBN, 2006. Japan Bear Network (complier). 2006 Understanding Asian Bears to Secure Their Future. Japan Bear Network , Ibaraki , Japan. (page iii). Johnshing, A. J. T. 2003. Bear Conservation in India due to human. Journal of Bombay Natural History Society, 3, (12). NBS, 2002. Nepal Biodiversity Strategy. Published by Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation supported by Global Environmental Facility and UNDP. NPWC, Act, 1973: National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, Act, 1973. Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, Nepal. Pocock, R.I.1932. The Black and Brown bear of Asia and Europe. Journal of Bombay Natural History Society, 36,101-138. Poudel, M. 1995. Feasibility study of buffer zone management in Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve, Dhorpatan, Baglung. Institute of Forestry, Tribhuvan University, Nepal 31p. Schaller, G.B. 1969. Food habits of Himalayan Black bear in Dachigam Natioal Sanctuary, Kashmir. Journal of Bombay Natural history Society, 66, (1). Servheen, C. 1989. The status and conservation of the bear of the World. International Conference on Bear research and Management. Monograph, 2. Servheen, C. 1990. The stuatus and conservation of the bears of the world. Int. Conf. Bear Res. And Manage. Mongor, Series, No.2. 32pp Servheen, C., Herreo, S. & Peyton, B. (compilers). 1999. Bears. Status survey and Consrvation Action Plan. IUCN/SSC Bear & Polar Bear specialist Groups. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland, and Cambridge, UK. X+309 pp. Shrestha, N. 1997. Protected wildlife species of Nepal. An introductory Handbook. The world Conservation Union. IUCN, Nepal. Shrestha, T. K. 1997. Mammals of Nepal.Published by B. Shrestha. R.K. Printers,Teku, Kathmandu, Nepal. Shrestha, TB and RM Joshi 1996. Rare, endemic and endangered plants of Nepal. WWF Nepal program, Kathmandu, Nepal. 244p. Wilson, P. 1981. Ecology and habitat utilization of blue sheep in Nepal. Biological Conservation 21: 55-74. Wilson, R.T. 1997. Animal genetic resources & Domestic animal diversity in Nepal. Biodiversity & Conservation 6:233-251. Yadav, B.P and Sathyakumar, S. 2008. Assessment of Asiatic Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus) -Human Conflicts at Langtang National Park, Nepal, 100 pp. Annex-1: Transect survey data
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