New Paper out: First verified evidence of Eurasian lynx and Pallas’s cat in Humla of Nepal

For the first time, camera traps have confirmed the presence of Pallas’s cat and Eurasian lynx in this remote, biodiverse landscape. Even local elders were unaware these elusive cats still roam the area. This discovery sheds new light on the region’s uniquely biodiverse ecosystem and calls for urgent protection efforts.

Find the full paper and abstract below.

Abstract

We present novel evidence of Pallas’s cat Otocolobus manul and Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx in Upper Humla, Nepal, through camera trap images. The IUCN distribution range for the two cat species indicates that both occur in northwestern Nepal, however no specific evidence for either species’ presence in the region has been available to date. We covered a study area of 336 km² with 61 camera traps run for 3145 camera trap nights from July to October 2021 and 61 camera traps run for 3139 camera trap nights from May to August 2022. For the year 2021 this resulted in two independent captures for Pallas’s cat (of which one captured two adults with a cub) and three independent captures for Eurasian lynx, and for the year 2022 in one independent capture of Eurasian lynx. These findings provide distribution updates for the Pallas’s cat and Eurasian lynx in Nepal and indicate the need for more focused research into the population status and ecology of these cats in the country. The findings further underline the importance to rapidly implement gripping protection to the biodiverse and unique Upper Humla landscape in close collaboration with local communities.