Sloth Bear Research Articles

Predicting the potential habitat of bears under a changing climate in Nepal.

In Nepal, the distributions of three bear species vary: sloth bears (Melursus ursinus) in the lowlands, Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus) in the mid-hills, and brown bears (Ursus arctos) in the high Himalayas. We utilized 179 occurrence points for sloth bears, 199 for Asiatic black bears, and 41 points for brown bears to construct a habitat model incorporating climate and topographic variables. Employing various species distribution modeling algorithms in BIOMOD2, the model predicts suitable habitats spanning 10,971.75 km2 for sloth bears; 29,470.75 km2 for Asiatic black bears; and 6152.97 km2 for brown bears. Within protected areas, the habitat for sloth bears is 4120.56 km2, that for Asiatic black bears is 9688.67 km2, and that for brown bears is 4538.67 km2. Chitwan National Park emerged as the prime sloth bear habitat with a core area of 918.55 km2 and a buffer zone of 726.485 km2. The Annapurna Conservation Area was deemed suitable for Asiatic black bears and brown bears, covering 2802.23 km2 and 2795.91 km2, respectively. The models projected a significant reduction in the habitat of these bear species both inside and outside protected areas. As predicted under the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP)2-4.5 scenario, sloth bears may experience 54.9% (2050) and 44.7% (2070) losses, respectively, of habitat; Asiatic black bears, 11.2% (2050) and 16.8% (2070); and brown bears, 68.41% (2050) and 82.20% (2070) losses. The overlap between sloth bears and black bears spans 38.7 km2, and that between brown bears and black bears is 26.6 km2. Notably, all three bear species exhibited suitability correlations with the intermediate temperature of the driest quarter. Examining current and projected habitats provides essential information for guiding conservation strategies and ensuring the conservation of these bear species in the face of climate change.

Ursids evolved dietary diversity without major alterations in metabolic rates.

The diets of the eight species of ursids range from carnivory (e.g., polar bears, Ursus maritimus) to insectivory (e.g., sloth bears, Melursus ursinus), omnivory (e.g., brown bears, U. arctos), and herbivory (e.g., giant pandas, Ailuropoda melanoleuca). Dietary energy availability ranges from the high-fat, highly digestible, calorically dense diet of polar bears (~ 6.4kcal digestible energy/g fresh weight) to the high-fiber, poorly digestible, calorically restricted diet (~ 0.7) of giant pandas. Thus, ursids provide the opportunity to examine the extent to which dietary energy drives evolution of energy metabolism in a closely related group of animals. We measured the daily energy expenditure (DEE) of captive brown bears in a relatively large, zoo-type enclosure and compared those values to previously published results on captive brown bears, captive and free-ranging polar bears, and captive and free-ranging giant pandas. We found that all three species have similar mass-specific DEE when travel distances and energy intake are normalized even though their diets differ dramatically and phylogenetic lineages are separated by millions of years. For giant pandas, the ability to engage in low-cost stationary foraging relative to more wide-ranging bears likely provided the necessary energy savings to become bamboo specialists without greatly altering their metabolic rate.

The Bear Truth: Analyzing Genetic Variability and Population Structure in Sloth Bear across the Vidarbha Landscape Using Microsatellite Markers

Endemic to the Indian subcontinent, the sloth bear (Melursus ursinus) is a threatened species, present in fragmented habitats across India. Field techniques such as direct observation and camera trapping alone are not sufficient and may not be explicit enough to understand a monomorphic species like the sloth bear at larger spatial scales. In this study, we looked into the genetic structure, variability and population demographics amongst the extant sloth bear populations in the highly fragmented Vidarbha landscape, using a panel of 13 microsatellite markers with a cumulative PID value of 1.48 × 10−5 PIDsibs. Our results revealed genetic clustering (K = 5) and moderate structuring amongst the study populations. Despite being geographically distant and placed in two different genetic clusters, sloth bears from the Melghat Tiger Reserve and Sahyadri Tiger Reserve shared genetic signatures, indicating connectivity, while migration was detected amongst other study areas as well. The findings from this study can serve as baseline assessment for future genetic monitoring of the species in the human-dominated landscape and assist in managerial decisions to step up protection of fragmented forest patches and reduce human–bear conflicts without compromising on the genetic connectivity.

Lack of detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wildlife from Kerala, India in 2020-21.

Spillover of SARS-CoV-2 into a variety of wild and domestic animals has been an ongoing feature of the human pandemic. The establishment of a new reservoir in white-tailed deer in North America and increasing divergence of the viruses circulating in them from those circulating in the human population has highlighted the ongoing risk this poses for global health. Some parts of the world have seen more intensive monitoring of wildlife species for SARS-CoV-2 and related coronaviruses but there are still very large gaps in geographical and species-specific information. This paper reports negative results for SARS-CoV-2 PCR based testing using a pan coronavirus end point RDRP PCR and a Sarbecovirus specific E gene qPCR on lung and or gut tissue from wildlife from the Indian State of Kerala. These animals included: 121 Rhinolophus rouxii (Rufous Horsehoe Bat), six Rhinolophus bedommei (Lesser Woolly Horseshoe Bat), 15 Rossettus leschenaultii (Fulvous Fruit Bat), 47 Macaca radiata (Bonnet macaques), 35 Paradoxurus hermaphroditus (Common Palm Civet), five Viverricula indica (Small Indian Civet), four Herpestes edwardsii (Common Mongoose), ten Panthera tigris (Bengal Tiger), eight Panthera pardus fusca (Indian Leopard), four Prionailurus bengalensis (Leopard cats), two Felis chaus (Jungle cats), two Cuon alpinus (Wild dogs) and one Melursus ursinus (sloth bear).

Factors affecting the occupancy of sloth bear and its detection probability in Parsa-Koshi Complex, Nepal.

Understanding factors associated with coexistence of human and wildlife in human-dominated landscapes is crucial for effective species conservation. Among the wildlife species, the sloth bears Melursus ursinus are found both inside and outside the protected areas of Nepal, and with increasing cases of human and bear conflicts in both areas. This highlights the necessity for a comprehensive understanding of anthropogenic and ecological factors that affect the occurrence of sloth bear. The understanding of these factors is important for its coexistence and conservation in human-dominated areas through establishing management and conservation action plan. We studied the sloth bear's occupancy and their coexistence in human-dominated environments with other large predators in the Parsa-Koshi Complex of Nepal using camera traps from December 2022 to March 2023. We identified the occupancy and detection probability of the sloth bear as 0.12 and 0.31, respectively. Our analysis reveals a positive relationship between sloth bear occurrence and the presence of large predators (βpredators = 3.104 ± 0.968), such as tigers (Panthera tigris) and leopards (Panthera pardus), as well as the number of humans detected (βhuman = 1.428 ± 1.216) and canopy cover percentage (βcc = 1.002 ± 0.737). However, the number of livestock detected shows a negative interaction with the occurrence of sloth bears (βlivestock = -2.240 ± 1.467). There was insignificant interaction between sloth bear occupancy and distance to human settlements, roads, and water bodies. These findings underscore the complex dynamics between sloth bears, humans, large predators, and livestock in human-dominated landscapes. To ensure the long-term survival of sloth bear populations and promote species conservation, comprehensive conservation strategies that account for both ecological and socio-economic factors are essential.

Camera trap surveys reveal a wildlife haven: mammal communities in a tropical forest adjacent to a coal mining landscape in India

Having knowledge of the status and distribution of species in a specific geographic area is crucial for creating efficient conservation strategies. In this study, we evaluated the abundance and diversity of medium to large sized mammals in a tropical forest in India that has been greatly impacted by coal mining. Using camera traps between June 2018 and December 2018, we recorded 27 mammal species over 3432 trap-nights in 81 camera trap stations within the study area. The photo-captured species included both common and high conservation value threatened species, such as tiger Panthera tigris, leopard P. pardus, sloth bear Melursus ursinus, Asian elephant Elephas maximus, Gaur Bos gaurus, Indian pangolin Manis crassicaudata, and four-horned antelope Tetracerus quadricornis. Wild boar Sus scrofa was found to be the most frequently photo-captured and widespread species. Our study provides valuable data on the species inventory and the relative abundance of species in the area, highlighting its significance for mammal conservation. It also emphasizes the need for effective conservation management strategies to protect the remaining forest fragments containing high diversity of mammals, including several threatened species in India.

Escaping Neobiota: Habitat use and avoidance by sloth bears in Jessore Sloth bear Sanctuary India

Global terrestrial ecosystem is threatened by several factors, such as infestation of invasive plants, which influence the habitat use by wildlife. Prosopis juliflora is such a plant species, sprawled over arid and semiarid ecosystems in India. Under this study, we assumed that intensification of P. juliflora negatively affects the habitat used by sloth bears Melursus ursinus, along with geographical, ecological and anthropogenic predictors in Jessore Sloth bear Sanctuary, Gujarat, India. To inquire so, we conducted sign surveys (1 km trail length in each grid) in three seasons, i.e., winter, summer and monsoon. Further, the presence/absence of species’ signs was logistically modelled with elevation, terrain ruggedness, area proportions of dense forest, open scrub, P. juliflora infested area and human encroachment with respect to the seasons. We found that the area proportion of P. juliflora negatively affects habitat use by sloth bears, while elevation, terrain ruggedness, and area proportions of dense forest and open scrub positively trigger. The proportion of encroachment varied between the seasons. Further, we inferred the human-sloth bear encounter probability from the seasonal models. During summer, followed by winter, we evidenced the relatively high probability of bear occurrence around settlements, which can be advocated by the availability of food items around villages. The current study supports the prescribed ecology of sloth bears in semiarid regions in the Indian subcontinent. The study recommends the appropriate urgent management to arrest the conversion of native forest and scrub covers to P. juliflora dominant cover, thereby avoiding probabilistic human-sloth bear encounters.

Community stance towards sloth bear (Melursus ursinus) conservation in Odisha, India

Abstract. Mardaraj PC, Pirie TJ, Sethy J, Behera S. 2023. Community stance towards sloth bear (Melursus ursinus) conservation in Odisha, India. Biodiversitas 24: 2521-2526. The human dimension is an essential component of extensive carnivore management and conservation. People living in bear habitats often fear encounters with these animals, and negative interactions can significantly affect people's livelihoods, attitudes, and tolerance toward the conservation initiatives of bears. To investigate the effect of such interactions on people's attitudes and livelihoods, we surveyed 510 households through semi-structured interviews located around five reserve forests of the Nilgiri wildlife range in a coastal district of Odisha, India. Gender, education, dependency on the forest, and specifics of bear encounters were the parameters taken to know the villagers' attitudes toward bear conservation. The average age of respondents was 46 (17-88) years; 78.8% (n= 402) were male. There are 37.5% of the respondents below the poverty level with annual incomes less than $ 514 USD. The majority of respondents, 85%, showed favorable opinions regarding sloth bears (Melursus ursinus Shaw, 1791), with only 15% expressing a negative perception. Bears were encountered by 87% of the total participants, with 45% encountering a sloth bear weekly. The study identified that 82.9% of villagers were more likely to state sloth bears were problematic rest disagreed with it. The educated interviewer was strongly supporting bear conservation in that landscape. The perspectives of the villagers and their experiences on their adverse feeling toward the bears need to minimize through suggested participatory and community-based mitigation strategies for long time conservation of the sloth bear in the landscape.

Food from the Neighbors: Sloth Bear Savoring the Debris Left by Tourists and Locals in Eco-Sensitive Zone of Chhota Udepur District, Gujarat, India

Food from the Neighbors: Sloth Bear Savoring the Debris Left by Tourists and Locals in Eco-Sensitive Zone of Chhota Udepur District, Gujarat, India

Seasonal Food Habit Variation of Sloth Bear (Melursus ursinus) in Feeding Turtle Eggs in Kasibugga Range of Srikakulam District, of Andhra Pradesh

Seasonal Food Habit Variation of Sloth Bear (Melursus ursinus) in Feeding Turtle Eggs in Kasibugga Range of Srikakulam District, of Andhra Pradesh

Roads to the Hills: Potential Space Use Patterns of Sloth Bears and Leopards in Semiarid Landscape of Western India

Large carnivores utilize human areas, resulting in frequent conflict with humans. We aimed to identify the factors affecting the habitat use of leopards and sloth bears in human-dominated areas of the proposed Jawai Leopard Community Conservation Reserve, Rajasthan, western India. Within the 1 km2 grid framework, the presence of species was recorded (84 events - leopards and 71- sloth bears) and modeled using the maximum entropy algorithm concerning terrain and land-use pattern-related covariates. Also, we modeled the potential movement areas using the least-cost pathway approach. Outcomes informed that suitable habitats for leopards (126.1 km2; 40.8% of study area) were more widely distributed than sloth bears (103.7 km2; 33.5%). Models suggested that elevated-rugged hillocks were positively related to both species' habitat use, followed by scrub and water resources. Leopards showed more adaptability towards human settlements than sloth bears. Thirty potential movement pathways (between 15 core habitats) for leopards and 19 for sloth bears (between 11 core habitat nodes) were identified; out of these, 45% and 48% of pathways for leopards and sloth bears, respectively, are facing threats by the movement barriers such as railway tracks and human settlements. Conserving highly and moderately centralized pathways can be a better approach for sustainable landscape conservation in parallel.

Sloth Bear (Melursus ursinus) Maternity Denning Behavior Observations at Indira Gandhi Zoological Park, Visakhapatnam, India

The Sloth bear is an average-sized black bear with a long, shaggy coat. a long ruff of hair around the back, and a white V- or Y-shaped mark on the breast. Males that are considered to be "large" often top out around 145 kg and 170 centimeters. An endangered species, the sloth bear (Melursus ursinus) is extensively spread over the Indian subcontinent, including India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and perhaps Bangladesh. It is found in wooded regions from the Indian peninsula to the foothills of the Himalayas. Despite the species' widespread occurrence, nothing is known about its ecology or behavior. We studied den characteristics and maternity denning behavior in captivity. The den use was more from June to August, possibly to take shelter against heavy rains from the southwest monsoon. (June - September). Breeding observed based on the association of adult females and males as well as the birth of cubs revealed that mating is likely to occur during late summer or early monsoon and cubs are born mostly during November-December. This study presents observations on den site characteristics and maternal denning behavior patterns of sloth bears in captivity at Indira Gandhi Zoological Park, Visakhapatnam.

STUDY OF FECAL GLUCOCORTICOID METABOLITE IN BEARS: A REVIEW

Fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) analysis is a non-invasive method to monitor animals' welfare in captivity and wild environments. Glucocorticoid also known as cortisol is a hormone that indicates the level of stress in animals and humans. This paper reviews the use of FGM analysis on bears and the methodologies used to study this hormone in every species of bear. The review method used was descriptive review. The bears that were included in this review are the brown bear (Ursus arctos), Polar bear (Ursus maritimus), Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus), American black bear (Ursus americanus), Malayan sun bear (Helarctos malayanus), sloth bear (Melursus ursinus), Andean spectacled bear (Tremactos ornatus), and giant panda (Ailuropodia melanoleuca). Studies of FGM on polar bears showed that zoo-to-zoo transportation could cause an increase in FGM level during transportation and FGM is not suitable to be used to differentiate between pseudo-pregnancy and true pregnancy. In Malayan sun bear, FGM level is high in female bears that show agonistic behavior and is associated with low progesterone levels. In addition, studies on Malayan sun bear show that not only FGM can be analyzed from fecal samples, but also the reproductive hormones of estrogen and progesterone. In Asiatic black bears, FGM is higher in bears that live in a bile farm than forage outside the forest reserve. High parasite load in giant pandas is associated with a high level of FGM since parasite infection is considered a stressor that can elicit a stress response. Also both male and female panda have high FGM during the breeding season to increase metabolism to generate energy required for reproductive activities. The Alopecia syndrome in Andean spectacled bear has no significant relation to FGM level. Brown bears with several types of food in their diet have lower FGM than those with only one type of food. There is no specific study of FGM that focused on sloth bear and American black bear, but there were several studies on glucocorticoid in black bears that are not extracted from fecal samples. FGM can be analyzed using both enzyme-immunoassay (EIA) and radioimmunoassay (RIA) but, EIA is preferable due to safety reasons.

Safe space in the woods: Mechanistic spatial models for predicting risks of human–bear conflicts in India

AbstractHuman–wildlife interactions can have negative consequences when they involve large carnivores. Spatial risk modelling could serve as a useful management approach for predicting and pre‐emptively mitigating negative interactions. We present a mechanistic modelling framework and examine interactions between humans and sloth bears (Melursus ursinus) in a multi‐use forest landscape of central India. We first assessed patterns and determinants of bear distribution across the landscape using indirect sign surveys. At the same spatial scale, we then estimated spatial probabilities of bear attacks on people using information from 675 interviews with local residents, incorporating estimates of distribution probabilities from the previous step. We found the average occupancy probability across 128 grid‐cells to be 0.77 (SE = 0.03). Bear occupancy was influenced by terrain ruggedness, forest composition and configuration, vegetation productivity and size of human settlements. The average probability of a bear attack in any given grid‐cell was 0.61 (SE = 0.03), mostly determined by bear occurrence patterns, forest cover, terrain ruggedness, and size of human settlements. Using spatial information on people's dependence on forest resources, we identified locations with the highest risk of bear attacks. Our study demonstrates that human attacks by bears—generally believed to be random or incidental—in fact showed deterministic patterns. Our framework can be applied to other scenarios involving human–wildlife conflicts. Based on our findings, we propose that a proactive co‐management approach which involves collaboration between wildlife managers and local residents could help better manage human–bear conflicts in central India and elsewhere across the species' range.

Sloth bear maternal and resting den locations in eastern Karnataka

AbstractSloth bears (Melursus ursinus) use resting and maternal dens. Resting dens are used by both sexes, usually during the mid‐day when sloth bears are least active. Maternal dens are used by female bears to give birth and raise cubs. The purpose of our study was to better understand the denning ecology of sloth bears in eastern Karnataka so that important denning habitat can be delineated and protected. We documented resting and maternal dens from 2014 to 2018 in 5 different study areas surrounded by agriculture and orchards in eastern Karnataka, India. We used landscape and site‐specific variables to model the probability of den occurrence. The best fit model for approximating maternal den site selection included distance to forest border, protection level, aspect, slope, and elevation. The best fit model for approximating resting den site selection included distance to forest border, aspect, slope, protection level and ruggedness. Maternal dens were closer to forest borders than resting dens. We postulate that areas near the forest border are chosen for access to resources and that mothers choose dens closer to edges because of the constraints and needs of cubs. In poorly protected, resource‐deficient areas, selection of maternal dens near habitat edges presents a tradeoff between higher resource availability closer to human habitation, reduced risk of cub predation, and higher risk of human‐caused mortality compared to areas farther from forest borders. Resting and maternal dens were farther from forest borders in better‐protected areas, suggesting that if resources are prevalent in the habitat, bears would use locations farther from the forest borders.

A systematic review on the feeding ecology of Sloth Bear Melursus ursinus Shaw, 1791 in its distribution range in the Indian subcontinent

The Sloth Bear being myrmecophagous is specialized to feed on ants, termites, and fleshy food; however, no discernible comparison exists on a diet, seasonal feeding pattern, and factor influence in a different habitat of an Indian sub-continent. A review of available literature suggested the dominance of plant matter in the Sloth Bear diet during the summer season, while an equal quantum of plant & animal matter was recorded in the monsoon & winter seasons. Fleshy fruits, flowers, flower buds, delicate leaves, and sometimes roots are considered plant food items in different studies, while ants, termites, honey, honey wax, and carrion feed are recorded as animal food items. Availability and accessibility of food materials in the different seasons, energy requirements, geographical variations, and human interference are notable factors influencing the feeding strategy of Sloth Bears. Cumulative data on food & feeding behavior of Sloth Bears helps to understand the pivotal role of species across various habitats. A systematic review of all the available studies to understand the diet of Sloth Bears in different seasons across its distribution range is presented in this paper, which can be a holistic approach to know the habitat selection with reference to the availability of food. A better understanding of such behavior also provides a key strategy for the management of large mammals in different geographical areas.

N-mixture model-based estimate of relative abundance of sloth bear (Melursus ursinus) in response to biotic and abiotic factors in a human-dominated landscape of central India.

Reliable estimation of abundance is a prerequisite for a species' conservation planning in human-dominated landscapes, especially if the species is elusive and involved in conflicts. As a means of population estimation, the importance of camera traps has been recognized globally, although estimating the abundance of unmarked, cryptic species has always been a challenge to conservation biologists. This study explores the use of the N-mixture model with three probability distributions, i.e., Poisson, negative binomial (NB) and zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP), to estimate the relative abundance of sloth bears (Melursus ursinus) based on a camera trapping exercise in Sanjay Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh from December 2016 to April 2017. We used environmental and anthropogenic covariates to model the variation in the abundance of sloth bears. We also compared null model estimates (mean site abundance) obtained from the N-mixture model to those of the Royle-Nichols abundance-induced heterogeneity model (RN model) to assess the application of similar site-structured models. Models with Poisson distributions produced ecologically realistic and more precise estimates of mean site abundance (λ = 2.60 ± 0.64) compared with other distributions, despite the relatively high Akaike Information Criterion value. Area of mixed and sal forest, the photographic capture rate of humans and distance to the nearest village predicted a higher relative abundance of sloth bears. Mean site abundance estimates of sloth bears obtained from the N-mixture model (Poisson distribution) and the RN model were comparable, indicating the overall utility of these models in this field. However, density estimates of sloth bears based on spatially explicit methods are essential for evaluating the efficacy of the relatively more cost-effective N-mixture model. Compared to commonly used index/encounter-based methods, the N-mixture model equipped with knowledge on governing biotic and abiotic factors provides better relative abundance estimates for a species like the sloth bear. In the absence of absolute abundance estimates, the present study could be insightful for the long-term conservation and management of sloth bears.

Sri Lankan Sloth Bear (Melursus ursinus inornatus) Attacks on Humans.

The sloth bear (Melursus ursinus) is an omnivore that has been reported around most parts of South Asia. Although rare, sloth bear attacks can inflict potentially life-threatening injuries. This cross-sectional study analyzed 10 patients who had been mauled by sloth bears and who presented to rural hospitals in the Anuradhapura district of Sri Lanka between 2015 and 2019. All of the patients were male farmers. The human-bear encounters occurred in the jungle during the daytime. Ten victims sustained multiple soft tissue and bone injuries, mainly to the face and arms. The injuries ranged from minor abrasions to extensive deep lacerations and bone fractures. All of the patients were managed in the tertiary care hospital by multidisciplinary surgical teams. Sloth bear-inflicted wounds must be treated as major trauma. There is a need to formulate guidelines and train medical officers in managing animal-inflicted injuries in Sri Lanka.

Ampullary carcinoma in a sloth bear (Melursus ursinus)

AbstractA 26‐year‐old, 126‐kg (277‐lb), entire, female sloth bear (Melursus ursinus) was evaluated following a 2‐week history of hyporexia and lethargy. Diagnostic work‐up revealed peritoneal effusion and elevated liver enzymes. Abdominal exploratory surgery revealed a firm omental mass, a focal lesion within the wall of the pyloric outflow tract and a uniformly thickened gall bladder. Biopsy results were indicative of carcinomatosis with an undetermined primary. These results along with the patient's quick deterioration led to humane euthanasia. Postmortem histopathological examination supported the diagnosis of ampullary carcinoma with carcinomatosis, extensive lymphatic invasion and lymph node, hepatic and pulmonary metastasis. Further investigation is needed to determine best diagnostic modalities and treatment options in ursids diagnosed with ampullary carcinoma. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first documented report of carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater in an ursid.

Wild Animals Maintained in Jamunkhadi Mini Zoo, Conservation Status, and their Occurrence in Jhapa District, Nepal

The Jamunkhadi Mini Zoo has been in operation for 15 years and has maintained various species of wild animals, although the majority of them are either unidentified or misidentified on their species labels. Publications revealing the occurrence of wild animals in the Jhapa District are scanty. This study identifies wild animals maintained at the Jamunkhadi Mini Zoo and surveys its place of collection. A wild animal survey form was filled with the officials of the Jamunbari Community Forest and its zookeepers. High-resolution photographs of all the wild animals in the mini zoo were taken and identified with the help of relevant species identification guide books and experts in the various wildlife disciplines. A field survey was carried out by a team of 3-5 researchers to confirm the occurrence of indigenous wild animals in the forests of Jhapa. A total of 28 species of wild animals comprised of six reptile species, seven bird species, and 15 mammal species are identified and listed at the Jamunkhadi Mini Zoo. Of the 28 species maintained at the zoo, 9 (32.14%) are listed as globally threatened; whereas 15 species (53.57%) are listed as nationally threatened, and of those 28 species, 26 are confirmed to occur in the Jhapa. The Leopard Cat, Prionailurus bengalensis has probable habitat in the northern forests that connect with Ilam District in the south. The Sloth Bear, Melursus ursinus has not been recorded in Jhapa.