Nepal Water Conservation Foundation

BackgroundAdolescent suicidality currently ranks as the third leading cause of death among adolescents, affecting global adolescent population, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) like Nepal. This study explores the assessment of suicidality as an adverse event in adolescent mental health research in Nepal and outlines practical strategies for integrating suicide management protocols into mental health surveys in LMICs. It offers guidance on suicide risk assessment and referral pathways for vulnerable adolescents and contribute to suicide prevention efforts.MethodsThis study, a part of a cross-sectional survey with 490 adolescents aged 13–15 in public secondary schools in Kathmandu valley, used a three step approach of the Suicide Management Protocol (SMP) to identify and manage participants at risk of suicidality. Using the specific item under the measurement of mental health among adolescents and young people at the population level (MMAPP) tool followed by administering the suicide screening tool, those at risk of suicidality were identified by the researchers. Clinical assessments were then conducted by the psychosocial counsellor to categorize risk levels using Beck Suicide Intent Scale (BSIS) and provided appropriate management according to the severity.ResultsOf total 490 participants, while the single item under the MMAPP assessment identified 33 (6.7%) participants at risk, further screening using the suicide screening tool confirmed 25(5.1%) as positives, by the researchers. The psychosocial counsellor clinically assessed the 25 participants screened as suicide risk positive and found that 10 (40%) as high risk, 8 (32%) as moderate, and 7 (28%) as low risk. The clinical management of the cases at a differing level of risk was then managed as per the designated clinical pathways by developing protective behavior and reducing suicide related risk factors. All the participants were found to be safe and functioning normally through the course of clinical management, ranging from 2 to 6 sessions.ConclusionsOverall, integrating suicidality measures in mental health surveys was found to be effective suicide assessment and preventive strategy for adolescents in Nepal. Developing suicide management protocols within mental health surveys is essential and feasible for real-time monitoring and response to suicidal behavior among at-risk populations in LMICs, including Nepal.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-025-24943-y.

The Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs) have recently been recognized as a viable tool for conserving biodiversity beyond protected areas. As a new concept, it is essential to evaluate the current knowledge on OECMs and their prospects for conserving biodiversity resources outside protected areas. We conducted a systematic review of the literature on key concepts, including OECMs, governance, and biodiversity, using the Publish or Perish Software Program in Google Scholar. Out of the total 200 articles identified through the keywords, 54 were shortlisted for a comprehensive full-text review. Based on the closeness of the study objectives to our research questions, 27 articles were selected for detailed analysis. As no journal articles related to the OECM in Nepal were found within the set time frame, contemporary policies and legal documents of Nepal were also reviewed. Additionally, to account for the lengthy publication process, a few more recent journal articles were also reviewed. The review revealed that nearly half of the studies (13) focused on global and regional scales, while eight studies were conducted in eight different countries, and two studies in each of three additional countries. Recent studies on the integration of OECM principles in Nepal’s forestry sector policies and practices were also reviewed. Community-led conservation, supported by coordination and collaboration among multilevel governance systems - including both state and non-state actors-has been found effective in conserving biodiversity resources outside protected areas. However, further studies on natural resources governance beyond protected areas are needed to ensure long-term in-situ conservation of biodiversity through the OECM model.

Understanding fine-scale habitat use dynamics within species home range is crucial for long term conservation planning. We used multi-season occupancy models incorporating field and landscape level covariates to tiger camera trap data collected during the systematic periodic survey from 2013 to 2022. Habitat use probabilities varied across primary sessions, peaking at 0.56 in 2013 and dropping to 0.49 in 2022, indicating negative and positive rate of change in tiger habitat use probabilities (average lambda λ2013-2018 = 0.60, - 40% decline; average lambda λ2018-2022 = 2.28, +128% increase) between survey period 2013–2018 and 2218–2022 respectively. Local colonization probabilities fluctuated between 0.39 (SE = 0.09) during 2013–2018 and 0.48 (SE = 0.04) during 2018–2022, while local extinction remained stable at 0.50 (SE = 0.005), suggesting high site turnover. The effects of covariates on tiger habitat use dynamics varied over time. Tiger habitat use probabilities increased with proximity to waterholes and distance from settlements and decreased with elevation. However, the influence of habitat productivity and prey availability on tiger habitat use was contrary to our expectations. Colonization probability increased with prey availability and proximity to waterholes. Habitat productivity positively influenced local extinction, contrary to a priori expectations. Our findings highlight the critical role of waterhole distribution in shaping tiger habitat use in water-limited landscape. Enhancing water and prey availability can support colonization, promoting long-term persistence of tigers. Tiger habitat use dynamics highlight the importance of targeted, site-specific conservation strategies aimed at enhancing habitat suitability and promoting landscape connectivity. We emphasize the importance of long-term, multi-year camera trap monitoring to track persistence of tigers across the Complex. The study’s combination of estimated tiger habitat use and grid-based approaches offers a valuable framework for implementing targeted conservation interventions.

The Lumbini Crane Sanctuary (LCS) within the New Lumbini Village located in the north block of the Lumbini Master Plan Area (LMPA) under the jurisdiction of the Lumbini Development Trust (LDT), is a vital ecological site harboring diverse mammal and herpetofauna species. This study, conducted in the Lumbini Crane Sanctuary during September and October 2022, documented mammals, reptiles, and amphibians, and analyzed mammal activity patterns in relation to human and livestock activity. The study documented 16 mammalian species and 12 herpetofaunal species (8 reptiles and 4 amphibians), utilizing both direct methods, such as camera traps, and line transects and indirect approaches such as sign surveys and key informant interviews. Five mammal species- Blue Bull (Boselaphus tragocamelus), Golden Jackal (Canis aureus), Indian Hare (Lepus nigricollis), Indian Grey Mongoose (Herpestes edwardsi), and Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) exhibited distinct activity patterns. The Blue Bull displayed consistent daytime activity, peaking in the late afternoon, while the Golden Jackal and Wild Boar showed bimodal patterns, avoiding peak human activity hours. The Indian Hare and Wild Boar were most active in the early morning when human and livestock presence was minimum. These activity patterns suggest possible behavioral adaptations to human pressures, highlighting conservation challenges such as habitat destruction, pollution, and impacts from feral livestock in the area. Promoting sustainable tourism is crucial and future research should prioritize long-term studies to better understand the biodiversity and behavior of mammals and herpetofauna in the Lumbini Crane Sanctuary.

Abstract Southern Thailand has experienced significant shifts in precipitation patterns in recent years, exerting substantial impacts on regional water resources and infrastructure systems. This study aims to elucidate these changes and underlying factors based on daily precipitation observations from Nakhon Si Thammarat Province spanning 1980 to 2022. Additionally, data from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) is utilized to investigate projected changes in precipitation for 2015-2100 relative to the historical period (1980-2014), employing a comprehensive analysis considering two emissions scenarios (SSP245 and SSP585) across six models. Various precipitation indices are selected to assess trends and statistical significance using the Mann-Kendall test. Both observed and climate model data indicate an increasing precipitation trend in Southern Thailand, with a reduced association with the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) under warming conditions. Extreme precipitation indices also exhibit an increasing trend, with total precipitation and the 95th percentile of daily precipitation (R95p) revealing very wet conditions in recent years, projected to continue increasing. Contrastingly, the number of dry days is also mounting, suggesting that both dry and wet extremes will impact Southern Thailand under a warmer climate. The findings from this study provide an early indication of future precipitation and extreme event scenarios, which can inform the development of measures to mitigate climate change-related hazards in the region.

Endemic to India and Nepal, the swamp deer (Rucervus duvaucelii) is crucial for restoring and sustaining populations of top predators like tigers. Despite recent signs of species recovery in protected areas, the species remains vulnerable to extinction due to increasing anthropogenic activities. Information on factors influencing the occurrence of swamp deer is essential to formulate suitable management plans that can help to maintain their viable population and protect their habitats. We recorded swamp deer presence via direct sightings and indirect signs (pellets and footprints) through line transect surveys. Two ecological drivers i.e., habitat variables and disturbance variables that included eleven predictor variables were measured in the field where swamp deer was present (“used plots”) and absent (“habitat availability plot”). Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the factors associated with the probability of detecting the swamp deer. The model's outcomes showed that an increase in road/path/fireline distance and settlement distance, mixed forest habitat, and depth of leaf litter were positively correlated with the probability of locating swamp deer, while the other significant predictor variables (canopy cover, distance from water source, and presence of predator) had inverse relationships. In summary, our study has provided crucial insights into the factors influencing the presence of swamp deer in their habitat. These findings are useful for local governments and protected area authorities by providing fine-scale field-based scientific information, that can benefit swamp deer and its habitat. We also recommend similar studies in species range locations considering other influencing factors such as season, climate, interaction with other herbivore species, and predators that might affect the habitat use of swamp deer.

Healthy natural forests maintain and/or enhances carbon stock while also providing potential habitat and an array of services to wildlife including large carnivores such as the tiger. This study is the first of its kind in assessing relationships between above-ground biomass carbon stock, tiger density and occupancy probability and its status in protected areas, corridors, and forest connectivity blocks. The dataset used to assess the relationship were: (1) Converged posterior tiger density estimates from camera trap data derived from Bayesian- Spatially Explicit Capture-Recapture model from Chitwan National Park; (2) Site wise probability of tiger occupancy estimated across the Terai Arc Landscape and (3) Habitat wise above-ground biomass carbon stock estimated across the Terai Arc Landscape. Carbon stock maps were derived based on eight habitat classes and conservation units linking satellite (Landsat 7 ETM+) images and field collected sampling data. A significant negative relationship (r = -0.20, p<0.01) was observed between above-ground biomass carbon stock and tiger density in Chitwan National Park and with tiger occupancy (r = -0.24, p = 0.023) in the landscape. Within protected areas, we found highest mean above-ground biomass carbon stock in high density mixed forest (~223 tC/ha) and low in degraded scrubland (~73.2 tC/ha). Similarly, we found: (1) highest tiger density ~ 0.06 individuals per 0.33 km2 in the riverine forest and lowest estimates (~0.00) in degraded scrubland; and (2) predictive tiger density of 0.0135 individuals per 0.33 km2 is equivalent to mean total of 43.7 tC/ha in Chitwan National Park. Comparatively, we found similar above-ground biomass carbon stock among corridors, large forest connectivity blocks (~117 tC/ha), and within in tiger bearing protected areas (~119 tC/ha). Carbon conservation through forest restoration particularly in riverine habitats (forest and grassland) and low transitional state forests (degraded scrubland) provides immense opportunities to generate win-win solutions, sequester more carbon and maintain habitat integrity for tigers and other large predators.