Setting Conservation and Research Priorities for Threatened Mammals of the Eastern Himalayas

Title
Setting Conservation and Research Priorities for Threatened Mammals of the Eastern Himalayas
Publication Date
2017
Author(s)
Dorji, Sangay
Vernes, Karl
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1635-9950
Email: kvernes@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:kvernes
Rajaratnam, Rajanathan
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5932-7935
Email: rrajarat@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:rrajarat
Sinha, Priyakant
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0278-6866
Email: psinha2@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:psinha2
Type of document
Conference Publication
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
International Federation of Mammalogists
Place of publication
Perth, Australia
UNE publication id
une:1959.11/52468
Abstract

High species diversity and endemism within a vast area of intact and unexplored landscapes makes the eastern Himalayas a global biodiversity hotspot. It houses 75 globally threatened mammal species including the iconic tiger Panthera tigris and snow leopard Uncia uncia. We mapped priority areas for 255 native terrestrial mammal species in the Eastern Himalayas using current IUCN Red List spatial data, and identified centres of species richness at a spatial scale of 1×1 km using a GIS framework and the R-package 'LetsR'. To assess the degree of protection to priority areas, we calculated the percentage of a threatened species’ range that fell within protected areas, and developed a comparison index to conduct gap analysis and representativeness of geophysical features (physiography, altitude, and eco-regions). Although the extent of protected areas in the eastern Himalayas has increased significantly over the last four decades, the regions' threatened mammal species are still under represented in protected areas and facing substantial anthropogenic threats from habitat loss and illegal hunting. Our results indicate skewedness in the pattern of mammal diversity, afforded level of protection, and distribution of protected areas among range countries. Despite this, Bhutan's network of protected areas and biological corridors is effective in conserving several threatened Eastern Himalayan mammal species at a finer scale. As the Eastern Himalayan landscape is shared by five countries, regional cooperation for effective transboundary research and management through collaborative efforts is necessary, and regional prioritisation of areas for biodiversity conservation is essential for preventing species extinctions.

Link
Citation
Oral Presentation - Symposium: 12th International Mammalogical Congress, p. 1-2
Start page
1
End page
2

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