Goral Naemorhedus Research Articles

Long-Term Isotope Evidence on the Diet and Habitat Breadth of Pleistocene to Holocene Caprines in Thailand: Implications for the Extirpation and Conservation of Himalayan Gorals

Three taxa within the subfamily Caprinae (Himalayan goral Naemorhedus goral, Chinese goral Naemorhedus griseus, and Sumatran serow Capricornis sumatraensis) live in the mountainous upland forests of Southeast Asia, where they are considered as vulnerable or near threatened species. Co-occurrences between these two recognized genera have been documented from some Pleistocene fossil sites in Thailand, suggesting more widely overlapping distribution in the past than today. However, diet and habitat preferences of these Pleistocene and present-day coexisting species have rarely been investigated so far. For the past three decades, stable carbon and oxygen isotope analyses become more commonplace in ecological investigations, allowing us to explore the diets and habitats of ancient and extant animals as well as to reconstruct environmental conditions in the past. Here we reconstructed diets and habitats of these taxa from five fossil sites in Thailand during the past 400,000 years (from the Middle Pleistocene to the Early Holocene) and from some modern wildlife, using the isotopic analysis of carbonate in tooth enamel in order to test species co-occurrence patterns during the Pleistocene and to examine possible changes of their niche breadths over evolutionary time. Our carbon isotope analysis revealed remarkably different ecological patterns between Naemorhedus and Capricornis. The Pleistocene Sumatran serow has been a greater generalist than both the Himalayan and Chinese gorals that fed on pure C4 or mixed C3 and C4 plants restricted to an open landscape habitat, and than its extant population that occupies a closed-canopy forest. This suggests that the habitat contraction of the modern wildlife is likely due to the Holocene climate change and the human impacts on Thai ecosystems. In addition to the loss or reduction of grasslands after the latest Pleistocene when rainforests became dominant and besides the human hunting and predation pressure, the high interspecific competition likely contributed to the extirpation of Himalayan gorals in Thailand. Developing a strategic plan for the future biodiversity conservation, a long-term historical isotope approach we implemented allowed us to predict the contrasting habitat suitability, a lowland grassland, for these two threatened goral species as testified by their ecological persistence during the Pleistocene.

Tiger reappearance in Bhutan’s Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary: a case for maintaining effective corridors and metapopulations

The tiger Panthera tigris is globally ‘Endangered’ (Goodrich et al., 2015). The Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan is an important stronghold (Tempa et al., 2019) for this ecologically and economically important apex predator (Estes et al., 2011; Thinley et al., 2018). Here, we report the reappearance of the tiger in Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary (BWS) in north-eastern Bhutan (Fig. 1a), after a likely absence of 12 years. Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary is bordered by China in the north and India in the east, and covers 1520 km2 across the districts of Trashiyangtse, Mongar and Lhuentse (Fig. 1a). Altitudes range from 1500 to 6450 m above sea level and the sanctuary contains 745, 42 and 334 species of plants, mammals and birds, respectively (BWS, 2013). Other large predators present in the sanctuary include the snow leopard P. uncia, common leopard P. pardus and dhole Cuon alpinus. They subsist on a diverse ungulate community comprising sambar Rusa unicolor, muntjac Muntiacus muntjac, blue sheep Pseudois nayaur, musk deer Moschus chrysogaster, serow Capricornis thar and goral Naemorhedus goral. There are approximately 800 people who are resident in BWS, predominantly living as subsistence agro-pastoralists (BWS, 2013). Evidence of tiger presence in BWS was initially based on an anecdotal sighting at Thiling village in Sherimuhung Geog in 2001 (subdistrict; Fig. 1b); a claim of 12 yaks predated by tiger between 2003 and 2004 at Rongmateng village in Khoma Geog (Fig. 1b); and sanctuary personnel documenting tiger pugmarks in 2004 at Dongla within Yangtse Geog (Fig. 1b). However, camera trapping in BWS after 2004, including a comprehensive National Tiger Survey (NTS) from 2014 to 2015, failed to capture any tiger images (Thinley et al., 2015). This absence of sightings puzzled local tiger biologists, given the historic presence of tigers in the area, adequate prey availability, minimal hunting and no tiger poaching. Dissatisfied by the poor camera trapping results, sanctuary staff intensified field surveys in 2016 and a tiger pugmark was detected above Rigsumgeonpa monastery in Bumdeling Geog (Fig. 1b). Concurrently, three horses and eight sheep were depredated at Tsango village in Khoma Geog, allegedly by a tiger. Subsequent camera trapping at these livestock predation sites captured 22 tiger images (Fig. 2a,c), confirming at least one individual’s presence within BWS. Opportunistic camera trapping exercises in 2017 yielded nine tiger images (Fig. 2d) near Pangliwog village in Bumdeling Geog, and five images in Sherimuhung Geog. A 2018–2019 study of wildlife in water catchments in BWS and its environs yielded further three tiger images (Fig. 2e) above Gangkardung village in Bumdeling Geog within BWS, and 11 images (Fig. 2b) outside BWS and above Bayling and Bimkhar villages in Yangtse Geog. Analysis of all 50 images revealed a single male tiger, which did not match any of the 68 individual tigers identified in the NTS. This animal could have been an irregular transient not detected in pre-2016 camera trapping, but now resident at BWS. It is unlikely to have ranged from China or India given the functional extinction of the tiger in China (Qin et al., 2015), and no existing tiger records in India adjacent to BWS, due to rampant poaching (Passang Dorji, Forest Ranger, Trashiyangtse Range, Pers. Comm.). The male tiger in BWS is more likely to have originated from populations (Tempa et al., 2019) in either Wangchuck Centennial National Park via Corridor 8, or from Phrumsengla National Park via Corridor 7 (Fig. 1a). The reappearance of the tiger in BWS showcases the effective functionality of Bhutan’s biological corridors. Ensuring this and other tigers’ future survival in BWS entails regular anti-poaching patrols and camera trap monitoring; compensation or insurance programs to offset tiger-related livestock depredation; and designation of a corridor connecting BWS to Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary (SWS; Fig. 1a). SWS is also linked to Jhomotshangkha Wildlife Sanctuary (JWS; Fig. 1a); both sanctuaries recorded tigers during the NTS, potentially harboring important metapopulations. Radio-collaring of tigers in BWS, SWS and JWS will substantiate ecological research on these metapopulations and confirm the functionality of associated corridors.

Faunal assemblages and demography during the Late Pleistocene (MIS 2-1) to Early Holocene in Highland Pang Mapha, Northwest Thailand

This paper examines the changes in taxonomic diversity and demography of faunal assemblages hunted by the human inhabitants of the Tham Lod and Ban Rai rockshelters in the Pang Mapha highlands of northwestern Thailand during the Late Pleistocene (MIS 2-1) to Terminal Pleistocene-Early Holocene. Evidence from these excavated sites indicates that environmental changes influenced animal dispersal from high latitudes to the highland region of Pang Mapha. During the Late Pleistocene the taxonomic diversity was dominated by Cervidae and Testudines, with other faunal remains representing Himalayan goral, Suidae and Bovidae. A ternary analysis of the Suidae indicates a mixed pattern, mostly represented by Juveniles-Prime-Old (JPO), with the Prime dominating (Bovinae and Caprinae). By the Terminal Pleistocene-Early Holocene, Cercopithecidae had become dominant and the Himalayan goral absent, and presumably extinct. According to the changes in taxonomic diversity and the paleodemographic data obtained from the Pang Mapha faunal assemblages, we have increased our understanding of paleoenvironments and subsistence strategies during the Late-Terminal Pleistocene and Early Holocene.

Factors affecting the occurrence and activity of clouded leopards, common leopards and leopard cats in the Himalayas

Clouded leopards are one of the least known of larger felids and were believed to be extinct in Nepal until 1987. They are particularly interesting because their Asian range spans a diversity of habitats in the fastest disappearing forests in the world and encompasses a guild which differs in composition from place to place. As a part of a wider camera-trapping study of this guild, involving 2948 camera traps at 45 sites in nine countries, and paralleling a similar study of the Sunda clouded leopard including a further 1544 camera traps spanning 22 sites distributed across two countries, we deployed 84 pairs of camera traps for 107 days in 2014 and 2015 at Langtang National Park, Nepal between 1823 and 3824 m a.s.l. within a grid encompassing c. 120 km2. We documented the presence of clouded leopards for the first time at an altitude as high as 3498 m a.s.l. Naïve occupancy for clouded leopard was 8.6% (correcting for detection, 10.1%). Clouded leopards were least active in the middle of the day, and largely crepuscular and nocturnal, as were the common leopards and leopard cats. The peak of clouded leopard activity overlapped with that of musk deer. Prey species for both clouded leopard and common leopard were available across the elevation range studied although the availability of some prey species declined as elevation increased, whereas Himalayan serow, Himalayan goral, and musk deer showed no association with elevation. Before this study, there was no hard evidence that clouded leopards occurred above 2300 m a.s.l., having documented them at almost 4000 m a.s.l. in the Himalayas, we emphasise the importance of this extreme portion of the species’ range where climate is likely to change more rapidly and with greater consequences, than the global average. The discovery of clouded leopards in Langtang National Park considerably extends their known range, and raises the possibility that they occur from the Terai in southern Nepal up to the Nepal-Tibet (China) border in the north. Insofar as this study has extended the known extreme boundary of the clouded leopard’s geographic range to encompass Langtang National Park in the Nepali Himalayas.

Using an ensemble modelling approach to predict the potential distribution of Himalayan gray goral (Naemorhedus goral bedfordi) in Pakistan

Global warming has negative impacts on the distribution of large ungulates, particularly for species occupying narrow distributional ranges. Knowledge of how climate change will affect future distributions is imperative for designing effective conservation action plans for at risk species such as the Himalayan gray goral (HGG), a cliff-dwelling mountainous goat. We sought to evaluate the potential distribution of Himalayan gray goral (HGG) under future climate change scenarios using ensemble modeling approaches. HGG data were obtained from previous published surveys, publications, and occurrence records ranging from 1985 to 2018. we also conducted survey in 2017–2018 using double observer method based on capture mark recapture. (Suryawanshi et al., 2012; Tumursukh et al., 2015). Later on we double check the record and remove double observation. After quality control screening, 139 records remained for analysis. Resulting species distribution models (SDMs) results showed sufficient internal evaluation metrics, with all TSS values being > 0.7. The random forest (RF) modelling technique had on average the lowest true skill statistics (TSS) value, However the multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS) modelling technique had the highest. The ensemble modelling internal evaluation metrics indicated adequate results with values ranging from 0.827 to 0.843. Annual mean temperature (Bio1) and annual precipitation (Bio12) were found to be the most important climatic variables impacting the potential distribution of HGG. HGG habitat determined to be suitable in both current and future climate scenarios decreased in all Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) scenarios with the exception of RCPs 2.6. Suitable habitat in both current and future climate scenarios remained consistent in the time periods of 2050 and 2070 under RCP4.5 while fluctuating in 2030, 2050 and 2070 under RCP 2.6. However, the suitable habitat under current and future scenarios declined in 2030 under RCPs 4.5 and in 2030, 2050, and 2070 in scenarios RCPs 8.5. Currently suitable HGG habitat was located in an area where the species is known to be locally extinct. Further work is necessary to determine the key drivers of local extinction events in an effort to mitigate population crashes. Our work will assist in formulating conservation actions for the HGG in the context of climate change, and provide a platform for continued monitoring efforts of the species.

Reclassification of the serows and gorals: the end of a neverending story?

Abstract Taxonomy is partly a subjective matter, but it is instrumental for ecological, behavioural and especially conservation studies. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, goat‐antelopes (Bovidae: Rupicaprini tribe) number 13 species, 62% of which are ‘Threatened’ or ‘Near Threatened’ with extinction. During recent decades, the number of extant species of goat‐antelopes – especially in endemic Asian genera (goral: six species Naemorhedus spp.; serow: seven species Capricornis spp.) – has been inflated. We have revised the taxonomy and phylogeny of the gorals and serows, for the first time using the total mitochondrial genome of all taxa. We confirm the existence of three goral and four serow species. We can find no justification for the existence of Naemorhedus griseus (Chinese goral), Naemorhedus bedfordi (Himalayan goral) and Naemorhedus evansi (Burmese goral), which should be pooled together within Naemorhedus goral (brown goral). Two species of mainland serow are also recognised: Capricornis rubidus (red serow) and Capricornis sumatraensis (Sumatran serow). Capricornis rubidus and Naemorhedus baileyi (red goral) are the forms more closely related to the common Pliocenic, still‐unknown ancestor. Among serows, Capricornis crispus is sister to all remaining species. Capricornis rubidus and Capricornis swinhoei (Formosan serow) are sister species, probably the remnants of an older radiation of mainland serows.

Sacred Groves in Western Himalaya, India: Community-Managed Nature Refuges for Conservation of Biodiversity and Culture

Background: Dedication of forests to a god or goddess is a potent example of an indigenous conservation practice, devised by native inhabitants to put an end to the unrestricted utilization of community forests. The present paper describes a case study of three little known Sacred Groves (SGs) from the Western Himalayas. SGs are communally protected forest fragments with significant religious connotations.Methods: A preliminary survey was conducted in and around these SGs to evaluate the status of biodiversity, different myths and beliefs associated with them and their role in the biodiversity conservation. After establishing oral prior informed consent, data was gathered from the local participants especially from elderly people through semi-structured questionnaires. Approximately 30% of the total households in each SG were interviewed. Two different sampling methods (random sampling and snowball sampling) were used for selection of informants from two different communities. The information collected included the general information regarding the SGs and the associated deity, nearby human occupancy, floral and faunal diversity and the ethnomedicinal property of different plants.Results: A total of 78 plant species (including 37 trees, 27 shrubs and 14 herbs) belonging to 58 genera and 41 families were reported from the three sacred groves. About 91% of these plant species had ethno-medicinal importance. A few rare and threatened animal species were also reported that included Naemorhedus gora (Himalayan goral, near threatened, NT) reported from SG2 and SG3; Panthera pardus (leopard, vulnerable, Vu) and Ursus thibetanus (black bear, critically endangered, CR) both reported from all the three SGs.Conclusion: SGs are not only the important repositories of ethno-medicinal plant species, but also act as corridors for animal migration in anthropogenic landscapes. However, in recent times, the SGs are threatened by uncontrolled and unplanned developmental activities, as well as invasive species, land use change, population growth and sociocultural change. Therefore, the specific guidelines to protect these sacred areas and promote traditional knowledge about conservation are pressing.Keywords: Sacred Grove, Ethnobotany, Traditional Beliefs, Biodiversity Conservation, Deity, Western Himalaya.

Unveiling a wildlife haven: occupancy and activity patterns of mammals at a Tibetan sacred mountain

Here, we present a camera trap survey at a Tibetan sacred mountain to ascertain the status and activity patterns of medium- to large-sized ground-dwelling mammalian fauna. We recorded 15 medium- to large-sized mammal species including 9 carnivores, 4 ungulates, 1 primate, and 1 rodent. Six of the species were categorized by IUCN as globally threatened. The results suggested that the sacred mountain was particularly important for alpine ungulates. The mean occupancy probabilities of blue sheep Pseudois nayaur, Chinese goral Naemorhedus griseus, Chinese serow Capricornis milneedwardsii, and alpine musk deer Moschus chrysogaster were 0.93, 0.91, 0.87, and 0.44 respectively. Domestic dog Canis familiaris also occurs widely across the mountain, with a mean occupancy of 0.60. Temporal activity patterns showed that alpine musk deer were mostly nocturnal, with most captures occurring at night. Chinese serow were active at all periods, with an activity peak at dawn. Blue sheep were strictly diurnal, without any captures at night. Although Chinese goral were predominantly diurnal, captures also frequently occurred at night. Our study not only unveiled a wildlife haven benefiting from religious beliefs about sacred mountains but also pointed to the critical situation of the fauna in the sacred site. The fauna in such sacred sites are diverse but poorly studied, and are subject to threats from domestic dogs, garbage pollution, and population isolation. Future conservation and management efforts in such areas should evaluate the population genetic diversity and assess the impact of non-lethal human disturbance on the wildlife communities.

Late Pleistocene Caprinae assemblages of Tham Lod Rockshelter (Mae Hong Son Province, Northwest Thailand)

The Late Pleistocene archeological site of Tham Lod Rockshelter has yielded a large number of animal remains associated with a rich lithic assemblage with a Hoabinian facies. The well-preserved collection of Caprinae dental material was analyzed and attributed to three Caprinae species. The morphological and metrical analysis allowed the identification of the Sumatran serow (Capricornis sumatraensis), the Chinese goral (Naemorhedus griseus), and the Himalayan goral (N. goral). To understand the relation between the Caprinae and the prehistoric hunter-gatherers, the paleodemography of the three species was reconstructed using age estimation at the death based on tooth wear. The mortality profile revealed that the Homo sapiens hunter-gatherers adopt a generalized subsistence strategy for these preys. This new data contribute to our knowledge on the mammalian biodiversity during the Late Pleistocene in Southeast Asia and add new information about the subsistence behavior of prehistoric hunter-gatherers in northern Thailand.

Does one size fit all? A multispecies approach to regional landscape corridor planning

AbstractAimThe practical value of the single‐species approach to conserve biodiversity could be minimal or negligible when sympatric species are limited by factors that are not relevant to the proposed umbrella species. In this study, we quantitatively evaluated as follows: (1) habitat suitability and potential movement corridors of a single umbrella species, giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca); (2) habitat suitability of sympatric mammals; and (3) the potential effectiveness of the single‐species corridor planning to preserve suitable habitat and its connectivity of other focal species.LocationQinling Mountains, central part of China (15,000 km2).MethodsWe collected species distribution, environmental and anthropogenic data and conducted species occupancy modelling for giant panda and six other sympatric species (i.e., takin Budorcas taxicolor, tufted deer Elaphodus cephalophus, Chinese goral Naemorhedus griseus, Reeve's muntjac Muntiacus reevesi, leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis and yellow‐throated marten Martes flavigula). We then conducted circuit models to identify potential corridors for each species and evaluated the effectiveness of giant panda corridors to restore the habitat connectivity for these sympatric mammals.ResultsOccupancy modelling revealed that each species had a unique set of environmental variables associated with its distribution in the Qinling Mountains. We found that giant panda and all other focal species had some degree of fragmentation to their suitable habitat that required restoring habitat connectivity. Among the eight potential giant panda corridors, conservation efforts to reduce anthropogenic impacts would significantly improve the effectiveness of six corridors, while the other two corridors would require altering the vegetation. Five proposed giant panda corridors had remarkable overlap with corridors proposed for other species. We suggest two giant panda corridors as a priority due to their potential to maximize the benefits to both giant panda and a broader suite of mammals.Main conclusionsCorridor planning in this region of China will likely continue using the single‐species policy, but our results highlight that not all potential giant panda corridors have equal effectiveness for other wildlife species. When offered multiple alternative actions, conservation planners can prioritize corridor development based on a multispecies perspective without loss of connectivity for the priority species. This approach has strong implications to the conservation of wildlife communities in China, and elsewhere, where conservation plans developed for a single‐species garner most available funding and institutional support.

Complete mitochondrial genome of Naemorhedus goral (Caprinae), a threatened species from the Himalayan and Hindu Kush regions

We sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome of the threatened goat Naemorhedus goral from North China. The mitogenome of N. goral was 16,559 bp in length with the base composition of 33.6% A, 27.2% T, 26.0% C, and 13.2% G. We successfully annotated 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes, one non-coding control region (D-loop) and one L-strand replication region. Most protein-coding genes started with a typical ATG and terminated with a TAA codon. However, ND2 and ND3, ND5, and ND6 separately started with an ATA, ATT and TTA codon. Cytb and ND6 respectively terminated with a codon of AGA and CAT, and ND1-ND4 and COX3 terminated with a single T. The phylogenetic trees constructed using 13 protein-coding genes showed that Naemorhedus species formed a monophyletic group, and N. goral from North China was grouped into N. griseus, and then clustered with N. goral from Himalayan with well support.

Seasonal habitat use in three species of wild ungulates in Sikkim Himalaya

Ungulates face increasing seasonal fluctuations in climate and forage availability with increasing latitude. While ungulates in the temperate regions address this by migrating across latitude and elevation, the strategies used by ungulates in the sub-tropical mountains is very little studied. We examined the influence of season, elevation, aspect and slope on the use of habitat by three species of ungulates in the Himalaya. The study area, Kyongnosla Alpine Sanctuary in Sikkim in India, covered 31km2. We deployed camera traps in 16 trails in an elevation range of 3000m to 4200m and used photo-captures in weeklong sessions as indicator of habitat use during the winter and post-winter during 2011–12. We used zero-inflated negative binomial regression in a model selection approach and model averaged parameter estimates to examine the relative influence of covariates on photo-captures. Zero captures or species absence was closely associated with winter and more northern aspects in the Himalayan musk deer (Moschus chrysogaster), higher elevation in the Himalayan goral (Naemorhedus goral) and both winter and more northern aspects in the Himalayan serow (Capricornis thar). The non-zero photo-captures increased with elevation and decreased with northerly aspects in musk deer, decreased with increasing elevation in goral, while no pattern was evident in serow. Thus, the three species have different strategies to deal with drastic seasonal changes: goral is a resident at low elevations, musk deer is a commuter between aspects at higher elevations, and serow is probably a migrant between high and low elevations. The lack of sampling ≪3000m, might have been the reason for low photo-captures of serow, especially in winter. Overall, we had few captures for all species due to the use of a limited number of cameras. This probably accounts for large standard errors of parameter estimates in the count models.

Diversity and activity patterns of sympatric animals among four types of forest habitat in Guanyinshan Nature Reserve in the Qinling Mountains, China.

Environmental heterogeneity contributes to various habitats and may influence the diversity and activity patterns of wildlife among habitats. We used camera traps to assess wildlife habitat use in Guanyinshan Nature Reserve from 2009 to 2012. We focused on four types of habitat including open areas with gentle slope (<15°) (Type1), low elevation areas (about 1500-1700m) with high bamboo coverage (Type2), high elevation areas (about 2100-2300m) with high canopy coverage (Type3), and wildlife migration passages (Type4). We analyzed the differences in species richness, relative abundance index (RAI), species diversity, and animals' activity pattern among habitats. Total six species were analyzed on activity pattern, which are Takin (Budorcas taxicolor), tufted deer (Elaphodus cephalophus), Himalayan goral (Naemorhedus goral), wild boar (Sus scrofa), golden pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus), and porcupine (Hystrix hodgsoni). The results are (1) that there were significant differences in richness and RAIt among habitats; (2) Type4 habitat had the highest richness and RAIt while Type2 had the highest species diversity; giant pandas were found in these two habitats; (3) there were significant differences in species' activity during daytime and nighttime; and (4) differences appeared in habitat preference of the most abundant species. Takin and tufted deer preferred Type1, Himalayan goral preferred Type2, and golden pheasant preferred Type3. Type4 habitat was used by most animals. All these revealed that habitat heterogeneity plays an important role in species diversity and the importance for conservation.

Seasonal variation in the diet of the grey goral (Naemorhedus goral) in Machiara National Park (MNP), Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan

Abstract Understanding food habits of wild ungulates is of paramount importance to ecology and wildlife management. We studied the food habits of grey gorals (Naemorhedus goral) using microhistological techniques at two sites (Machiara and Serli Sacha) that differed in livestock grazing pressure in the Machiara National Park (MNP), Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan during 2012–2013. Serli Sacha had 53 livestock units/km2 while Machiara had 27 livestock units/km2 in the habitat of grey gorals. Dietary diversity was higher in Machiara (21 plant species) than at Serli Sacha (15 plant species) but the frequency of plant species consumed by grey goral varied seasonally (p&lt;0.05). Grey gorals consumed mostly forbs (75.57%) during summer (dominated by Poa annua, Geranium wallichianum and Rheum australe) and mostly browse (38.19%) during winter (dominated by Berberis vulgaris, Skimmia laureola and Viburnum nervosum). Grey gorals strongly preferred G. wallichianum in both sites during summer season. Wildlife managers at MNP should focus on increasing diversity of plant species and on reducing livestock grazing as it generally reduces plant diversity and also directly compete with N. goral for limited forage.

Habitat use of Himalayan grey goral in relation to livestock grazing in Machiara National Park, Pakistan

AbstractThe Himalayan grey goral (

The complete mitochondrial genome sequence of the Himalayan goral, Naemorhedus goral (Cetartiodactyla: Caprinae)

The Himalayan goral (Naemorhedus goral) belongs to the subfamily Caprinae, which is distributed across the Himalayas including Bhutan, northern India including Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, Nepal, southern Tibet, and possibly western Myanmar. In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome of N. goral was sequenced. The mitogenome was 16 533 bp in length, consisting of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, 2 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, and a non-coding control region. As in other mammals, most mitochondrial genes are encoded on the heavy strand, except for ND6 and eight tRNA genes which are encoded on the light strand. The overall base composition of the N. goral is 33.7% A, 27.2% T, 26.0% C, and 13.1% G. Phylogenetic analysis based on the mitogenome sequences using the Bayesian inferences method showed that Naemorhedus and Capricornis formed a monophyletic group and the N. goral was closely related to N. griseus. We expect that the present results will facilitate further investigation of the phylogenetic relationships and population genetics of genus Naemorhedus.

Status and Future Management of Grey Goral (Naemorhedus goral bedfordi) in Pakistan

Himalayan grey goral (HGG: Naemorhedus goral bedfordi) is endemic to Himalyas and regarded as Endangered/ Threatened. Study was designed to collect information on population biology, habitat, food and behaviour of population of HGG distributed in Pakistan, trying to understand its present status and conservational potentials. Our data suggest that the population, habitat and the species has sufficient potentials for its survival in the area, if protection from human predation is afforded to the species. HGG population is isolated into 7-8 subpopulations and is facing male-biased mortality, therefore is likely to face bottleneck effects and subsequent population crash ascribed to loss of males and genetic diversity. HGG population has a slow growth rate, attributable to internal species potentials and the natural predation of fawns/ sub-adults, which is difficult to be enhanced therefore range management strategy is suggested as management solution, with emphasis on protection from hunting, habitat management, mass awareness and supportive research. International cooperation is suggested as part of HGG population extends into Indian part of Himalayas, including Indian Kashmir.

Habitat suitability models of mountain ungulates: identifying potential areas for conservation

Determining the distribution of species and of suitable habitats is a fundamental part of conservation planning. We used slope and ruggedness of the terrain, forest type and distance to the nearest village to construct habitat suitability maps for three mountain ungulates (barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak), Himalayan goral (Naemorhedus goral) and Himalayan serow (Capricornis thar)) inthe midhills of western Nepal. We used locations of sightings and signs of presence of these mountain ungulates collected during surveys along transect to derive a suitability value for each variable using Jacob's index. A multiplication approach was used to combine environmental variables andproduce a habitat suitability map for each of the three species. An independent dataset was used to evaluate the maps using Boyce's index. This approach provides an overview of the probable distributions of the species in question. We predict that of the total area studied, 57% is suitable for M. muntjak, 67% for N. goral and 41% for C. thar. Although there are suitable habitats for all three species throughout the study area, the availability of high-quality habitats for these species varied considerably. Suitable habitats for N. goral and C. thar were fragmented and mostly confined to the southern and northern parts of the study area. This study provides important baseline information for conservation biologists concerned with maintaining biodiversity in the midhills of Nepal.

Migratory status of the goral, Naemorhedus goral (Hardwicke) (Artiodactyla: Bovidae) in Kohistan, Pakistan

The Himalayan goral, Naemorhedus goral (Hardwicke) (Artiodactyla: Bovidae) is classified as endangered internationally and vulnerable in Pakistan. Its migratory status was determined from 24thMay to 10th July, 2010 in the Pattan and Keyal Valleys, Kohistan, Pakistan. The 165 questionnaires were filled in 15 study sites (Pattan, eight study sites; Keyal, seven study sites). It is very common in the two valleys and almost everyone has seen it more often. In both Pattan and Keyal valleys, N. goralmigrates during winter season to lower areas (populated areas), in search of food and water, due to cold temperature and threats from predators and hunters. If it migrates due to predators and hunters, then it will never return to its native habitat. Its main predators are wolf, jackal and others; its hunter is man. Its life-span is 10 to 20 years. It gives birth throughout the year. Some others wildlife, such as sparrow, Passer domesticus Linnaeus, chukor, Alectoris chukar (Gray); koklass pheasant, Pucrasia macrolopha (Lesson), jackal, Canis aureus Linnaeus, monkey, Macaca mulatta Zimmermann andwolf, Canis lupus Linnaeus etc. were also found during the present survey. Its native habitat and migratory areas should be protected. Key words: Keyal valley, Kohistan, migration, Naemorhedus goral, native habitat, Pattan valleys, vantage point.

Habitat associations of four ungulates in mountain forests of southwest China, based on camera trapping and dung counts data

AbstractThe present study aimed to assess abundance indices and habitat associations of four sympatric ungulate species (alpine musk deer Moschus chrysogaster, tufted deer Elaphodus cephalophus, Chinese serow Capricornis milneedwardsii, and Chinese goral Naemorhedus griseus) in Baima Xueshan Nature Reserve of southwest China, using camera trapping and dung counts data. Camera traps were set along six dung transects in different habitats and explored habitat use of the sympatric ungulates using trapping rates. The results obtained revealed that Chinese serow showed a negative association with open canopy cover and low canopy cover. Alpine musk deer were associated with oak shrubs, oak forests and open canopy cover, while tufted deer avoided oak shrubs. Goral showed no significant associations with habitat variables. Alpine musk deer and tufted deer had considerable habitat overlap with Chinese serow. By finding a high correlation between indices, the study indicates that camera trapping may represent a valid index of relative abundance, matching results from other studies.