Vegetation shifts in the Terai Arc Landscape (TAL), in which wetlands are transitioning to grasslands and grasslands are transitioning to forests with invasive species, are threatening tiger habitat, and these transitions may be exacerbated by future climate change.  If habitat is degrading due to climate change, prey base will change, and tigers may be forced to move to new habitat.

Tiger and common leopard share their habitat, including its prey base. Current trends show that the number of adult tigers is increasing, on its way to meet the target of doubling the tiger population in Nepal by 2022. Further, recent data shows that forest coverage in Nepal is increasing. Meanwhile, common leopard population and conflict with human is also increasing. This project assesses the interaction of tiger and leopard in Chitwan and Shuklaphanta National Parks of Nepal.

In partnership with the Mongolian Academy of Sciences (MAS) we are assessing the wildland-urban interface between wolves and feral dogs in The Bogd Khan Mountain Strictly Protected Area (BMSPA) in Mongolia. Almost half the population of Mongolia lives in the country’s capital of Ulaanbaatar, which is located near the boundary of BMSPA.