About | Himalayan Wolves Project

‘Dedicated to keep the wild things in the wild and conserve the nature spaces they inhabit.’

Geraldine Werhahn (Director)

Geraldine is a wildlife biologist and conservationist dedicated to every element of the natural world. Her special interests are canids and their function in maintaining healthy ecosystems, their intelligence, and their power to trigger human emotions in various cultures. She completed her DPhil thesis on the phylogeny, ecology, and conservation of Himalayan wolves with WildCRU at the University of Oxford, UK. Geraldine started the Himalayan Wolves Project in 2013 to protect Himalayan wolves and the fauna and flora of their high altitude habitats. As a wildlife biologist she provides solid science as an argument for conservation, and as a human animal she lives the love for nature by a compassionate way of life.

Naresh Kusi (Programme Director)

Naresh is a wildlife biologist and an explorer with a special affinity towards the carnivores of the Himalayas. Currently a PhD scholar studying Himalayan wolves in Nepal at Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, he has a M.Sc. in Environmental Science (Biodiversity Conservation and Wildlife Management) from Tribhuvan University, Nepal and a PGD in International Wildlife Conservation Practice from WildCRU, University of Oxford, UK. A recipient of Young Conservation Leader Award (National Conservation Day 2016, Nepal), he is keen towards finding appropriate ways to ensure an effective coexistence between the wild carnivores and people in the Himalayas. Naresh has been an integral part of the Himalayan Wolves Project since the very beginning.

Antonio Sampedro (Research Officer)

Antonio is wildlife biologist specialising in Animal biology and graduated in Santiago de Compostela University. He has been Tibetan language translator for more than a decade and has been linked to Tibetan-Himalayan culture ever since. His main research topics and interests are carnivores ecology, habitat suitability under Global warming and distribution patterns of Himalayan wolves and other Himalayan species.

Sabita Gurung (Project Officer)

Sabita is a wildlife biologist born in an indigenous Gurung community of Ghanpokhara in Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal. She has an M.Sc. in Zoology (Ecology and Environment) from Tribhuvan University, Nepal, and a PGD in International Wildlife Conservation Practice from WildCRU, University of Oxford, UK. Her special interest is in studying predator-prey dynamics, human-wildlife conflict, and human dimensions in nature conservation and sustainable co-existence.

Pema Rikjin Lama (Local Field Officer, Camp Manager)

Pema is a native of Limatang village in Nyin Valley, Humla, Nepal. Pema is the soul of our research expeditions. He cooks, manages the camp and always keeps his eyes open for interesting wildlife observations. He also plays a crucial role in our conservation endeavors as a moderator as well as a local translator.

Dorjee Tundup Lama (Local Field Staff)

Dorje is a native of Til village in Limi Valley, Upper Humla, Nepal. He is an active member of the Community Conservation Group of Til village and a valuable local resource person for our conservation and research work on the ground. He plays an important role in our field research by coordinating the monitoring of our camera traps around the year.

Anna Katrine Thuesen (Outreach/Communications Specialist)

Anna Katrine is a filmmaker and science communicator with a passion for blending art and science to create engaging content. She completed her MFA in Film Directing at the Universtiy of Edinburgh, specializing in creative documentary. Now working in educational media production as well as visual journalism, she specializes in crafting visually captivating narratives. Anna Katrine has produced documentaries for Swiss television and currently works as a video producer at a Technical University in Switzerland. Via her production company Bella Tola Films, she focuses on personal narratives as well as human intervention and interaction with nature, usually set in mountainous regions.

Publication List

Werhahn G., Senn H., Macdonald D., Sillero C. (2022) The diversity of the Genus Canis challenges Conservation Biology: A Review of the available Data on Asian wolves.
Werhahn G. (2020) DPhil Thesis Geraldine Werhahn
Werhahn G., Liu Y., Yao M.,……. and Senn H. (2020) Himalayan wolf distribution and admixture based on multiple genetic markers in Journal of Biogeography
Werhahn G., Kusi N., Li X., Chen C., Zhi L., Lázaro Martín R., Sillero-Zubiri C., and Macdonald D. W. (2019) Himalayan wolf foraging ecology and the importance of wild prey. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00780
Macdonald D. W., Campbell L. A. D. , Kamler J. F., Marino J., Werhahn G., and Sillero-Zubiri C. (2019) Monogamy: Cause, Consequence, or Corollary of Success in Wild Canids? Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2019.00341
Werhahn, G., Senn, H., Ghazali, M., Karmacharya, D., Sherchan, A.M., Joshi, J., Kusi, N., López-Bao, J.V., Rosen, T., Kachel, S., Sillero-Zubiri, C. & Macdonald, D.W. (2018) The unique genetic adaptation of the Himalayan wolf to high-altitudes and consequences for conservation. Global Ecology and Conservation. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2018.e00455

Werhahn G, Kusi N, Sillero-Zubiri C, Macdonald DW. (2017) Conservation implications for the Himalayan wolf Canis (lupus) himalayensis based on observations of packs and home sites in Nepal. Oryx

Werhahn G, Senn H, Kaden J, Joshi J, Bhattarai S, Kusi N, Sillero-Zubiri C, Macdonald DW. (2017). Phylogenetic evidence for the ancient Himalayan wolf: towards a clarification of its taxonomic status based on genetic sampling from western Nepal. Royal Society Open Science. 4: 170186. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.170186

Werhahn G., Kusi N., Karmarcharya D., Sherchan A.M., Manandhar P., Manandhar S., Bhatta T.R., Joshi J., Bhattarai S., Sharma A.N., Kaden J., Ghazali M. & Senn H. (2018) Eurasian lynx and Pallas’s cat in Dolpa district of Nepal: genetics, distribution and diet. CATnews 67. Pp 34-36.

Kusi, N., Manandhar, P., Subba, S.A., Thapa, K., Thapa, K., Shrestha, B., Pradhan, N.M.B., Dhakal, M., Aryal, N. & Werhahn, G. (2018). Shadowed by the ghost: the Eurasian lynx in Nepal. CATnews 68. 16-19 pp.

Kusi, N., Acharya, R., Ghimirey, Y., Adhikary, B. & Werhahn, G. (2018) An update on the Tibetan argali Ovis ammon hodgsoni in Nepal. Mammalia. https://doi.org/10.1515/mammalia-2017-0167

Werhahn G., Kusi N., Man Sherchan A., Karmacharya D., Senn H. (2016). Distribution update for Tibetan fox in western Nepal. Canid Biology & Conservation.

Kusi, N. & Werhahn, G. (2016) HUMLA-Journey into the hidden Shangri-la. Himalayan Map House, Kathmandu, Nepal. 128 pp (Book)

Kusi, N., Subba, S.A. & Shah, K.B. (2017) Prey for the ghosts. In Tracking the mountain ghost. WWF Nepal. pp: 44-50 (Book chapter)

Kusi, N. 2018. The God in disguise. Resources Himalaya Foundation, Nepal, The Rufford Foundation, UK and WWF Nepal (Fable)
Kusi, N. 2018. The helpful dong. Resources Himalaya Foundation, Nepal, The Rufford Foundation, UK and WWF Nepal (Fable)

Kusi, N., Werhahn, G. and Poudyal, L.P. (2018) Birds of Dolpa: Shey-Phoksundo National Park and Adjoining Areas. Nepalese Ornithological Union and Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, Kathmandu, Nepal. (Book)

Kusi, N. & Werhahn, G. (2018) The first breeding record of Common Redshank Tringa totanus for Nepal. Indian BIRDS Vol. 14 No. 2. Pp 56.

Kusi N., Lama T. L, Lama P. R. and Werhahn G. (2017). The first record of Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush Monticola saxatilis for Nepal. Birding Asia 27: 116-124.

Kusi N. & Werhahn G. (2016) The first documented record of Tibetan Lark Melanocorypha maxima for Nepal. Birding Asia.

Werhahn G., Acharya R., Ghimirey Y., Kusi N., Adhikary D., Kunwar B. (2015). The Ungulate Community of upper Humla, North-Western Nepal. Gnusletter, Vol 32. N°2.

Acharya R., Ghimirey Y., Werhahn G., Kusi N., Adhikary B., Kunwar B. (2015). Wild yak Bos mutus in Nepal: rediscovery of a flagship species. Mammalia.

Appel A., Werhahn G., , Acharya R., Ghimirey Y., Adhikary B. (2013). Small carnivores in the Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal. Vertebrate Zoology.

Ghimirey Y., Acharya R., Adhikary B., Werhahn G., Appel A. (2013). Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) camera trapped in the Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal. IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group-Cat News N°58.

Kusi, N. & Aryal, M. (2016) Livestock depredation and human casualties by leopard Panthera pardus in Bhaktapur. Journal of Environment Science, Vol 2. Department of Environment. Kathmandu, Nepal. 135-141 pp.

Thapa, S., Katuwal, H.B., Gurung, R., Kusi, N., Devkota, B., Shrestha, B., & Suwal, T.L. (2018) Pikas in Nepal. Small Mammals Conservation and Research Foundation, Kathmandu, Nepal, x+51pp.

Werhahn G., Virányi Z., Barrera G., Sommese A., Range F. (2016). Wolves (Canis lupus) and dogs (Canis familiaris) differ in following human gaze but respond similar to their packmates’ gaze. Journal of Comparative Psychology.

Social survey with a school teacher to explore human-wolf interactions (Photo courtesy Naresh Kusi).

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