Principal investigator: Achyut Aryal – Albert-Ludwigs University, Faculty of Forest and Environment.
The study will investigate habitat use of musk deer with reference to habitat quality and human use. The current status, distribution and possible population of musk deer in the SNP and Buffer Zone will be assessed and differences in diet conditions of Himalayan musk deer in disturbed and undisturbed areas will be analyzed. To do so, biological analysis of vegetation and dung and pellets, and an analysis of pellets/dung distribution will be carried out. Understanding habitat overlap and resource competition of musk deer with other ungulates is another aim of this study and a GIS habitat overlap map will be produced. The general goal of this research is to assist the Government of Nepal in the long-term conservation and management of its endangered animal populations.