Eurasian lynx and Pallas’s cat in Dolpa district of Nepal: genetics, distribution and diet

Journal article

The Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx and the Pallas’s cat Otocolobus manul are elusive felids which are little studied in the Himalayas of Nepal where they seem to occur at low densities. We present mtDNA genomic and dietary data of six Eurasian lynx scats and one Pallas’s cat scat collected in Dolpa district of Nepal. The Eurasian lynx scats were found in alpine shrub lands at elevations from 4,738 - 4,818 m. Dietary analysis based on microscopic frequency of occurrence revealed that the six Eurasian lynx scats contained 56 % woolly hare Lepus oiostolus, 17.7 % pika Ochotona sp. and rodent Alticola sp., 9.7 % Himalayan marmot Marmota himalayana, 7 % vegetation and 3.3 % domestic goat Capra aegagrus hircus. The Pallas’s cat scat found in a rocky boulder field contained 76 % pika hair, 18 % woolly hare hair and 4 % vegetation. This study provides the first scientific record of Eurasian lynx in Shey-Phoksundo National Park SPNP. The finding on Pallas's cat represents an expansion of the IUCN distribution range in Nepal, presents the second locality record of the species in the country, and with the sample collected at 5,539 m is the highest elevation record for the species to date. Further researches into population status, ecology, genetics and conservation of these elusive felids in the Himalayas are recommended.

Authors: Werhahn, G; Kusi, N; Karmacharya, D; Man Sherchan, A; Manandhar, P

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group
• Journal: Cat News
• Volume: 67
• Pages: 34-36
• Publication date: 2018-06-08
• Acceptance date: 2018-03-20
• ISSN: 1027-2992