Himalayan musk deer (Moschus Chrysogaster)
Mohamed bin Zayed Species project number 10051480
The PROJECT entitled "Communal pellet deposition sites of Himalayan musk deer (Moschus chrysogaster) and associated vegetation composition", was conducted in Langtang National Park, Nepal. Due to excessive hunting and habitat degradation, population of musk deer has been declining dramatically, which lead them to be endangered or even extinct in some areas. Though Himalayan musk deer is classified as Endangered (EN) in IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List of threatened species; appendix I of CITES (Convention on International Trade of Endangered flora and fauna), only few studies have been done on this species. These studies have only focused on the status, ecology and distribution. It is also necessary to understand the interaction of musk deer and vegetation. This study aims to analyze how the musk deer select their site for defecation and assess if plant species composition, density, richness, diversity and evenness differ among communal pellet sites, adjacent sites (5-10m from a pellet site) and control sites (30 m from pellet site without pellet groups) and finally evaluate the potential role of musk deer in plant seed dispersal. This study revealed that low stature vegetation associated with musk deer pellet deposition was significantly different compared to control sites in a small scale. Forb richness and density at pellet sites were lower than control sites. Similarly, seedlings richness and graminoid diversity also differed at pellet site compared to control sites. But richness and density of trees, shrubs and saplings did not differ between pellet sites and control sites though their diversity and evenness were different. Neither any particular seeds remain viable passing through the digestive tract of musk deer for the germination. Musk deer was influenced by the human and cattle disturbances. Thus, firewood cutting, timber cutting, fodder cutting, litter collection and cattle herding should be minimized at the habitat of musk deer for its conservation.
Project number: 10051480
Awarded amount: $4,000
Awarded date: 07-08-2011
Continent: Asia
Country: Nepal
Bhakta Shrestha
Norwegian University of Life Sciences (UMB), Norway
1432, Pentagovein
Aas
Akershus
1432
Norway
Tel: +4764965000
Mob: +4796839584
Fax: +4764965001
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