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Two Sheep

Anautho Aath(The Incredible Eight)

Recognized as keystone species by two entities working together for environmental conservation, The Jane Goodall Institute Nepal and People's Alliance for Nature Nepal, these animals represent the urgent need for mindful interventions for animal habitat conservation and restoration, thus endangered animal conservation.

Who are The Incredible Eight?

Pangolins

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  •  A shy creature known for its hard scales.

  • Two species found in Nepal: the Chinese pangolin (Manis  pentadactyla) and Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata).

  • Location: Taplejung, Panchthar, Illam, Ramechapp, Sindhuli and

  • Importance: Pangolins are known as the guardians of the forest, protect forests from termite destruction, and maintain a balanced ecosystem.

  •  Threats:
    1. Hunting and poaching(for their scales)

  • 2. Habitat loss

  • 3. Forest Destruction

  • Photo Credit: The Pangolin Reporters)

Vultures

  • Predators and known as scavengers to most people

  • Vultures play a vital role in keeping the forests and the humans in balance.

  • Out of 23 species found across the world, Nepal plays host to 9 of them.

  • Location: Vultures are recorded from 63 districts across the country

  • Importance: clean up after death, helping to keep ecosystems healthy and prevent the spread of disease.

  • Threats:

  • 1. Human encroachment and urbanization.

  • 2. Exposure to diclofenac-contaminated tissues 

(Photo Credit: Ankit Bishal Joshi)

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Spinny Babbler

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  • Locally known as 'Kade Vyakur'

  • Endemic to Nepal.

  • Location: Middle Hills of Nepal, specifically in the Godavari and Phulchoki area.

  • Importance: controls different harmful insects, and crop pests, and helps in cross-pollination and seed dispersal 

  • Threats:

  • 1. Destruction of habitats

(Photo Credit: Sagar Giri) 

Brown bears

  • Largest predator(mammal) in the hills of Nepal.

  • Three of the eight bear species: the Asiatic Black Bear (Ursus tibetanus), Brown Bear (Ursus arctos), and Sloth Bear (Melursus ursinus).

  • Location: Brown Bears are found above the treeline (4000-6000 m).

  • Importance:  Indicators for several other wildlife species. Predators who keep other animal populations in check. 

  • Threats:

  • 1. Increasing urbanization. 

  • 2. Climate change

  • 3. Forest degradation

  • 4. loss of prey

  • 5. hunting.

(Photo Credit: Shanzaib Damn Cruze)

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Ganges River Dolphins

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  • The Ganges river dolphin (Platanista gangetica) is a species of toothed whale.

  • Location: Koshi, Narayani and Karnali Rivers and Mahakali.(Barely 50 seen during mating season)

  • Importance: Indicators of the health of the rivers where they live.

  • Threats:

  • 1.River mining

  • 2. dumping of waste water

  • 3. Fishing and hunting

(Photo credit: Arun M.)

Bumblebees

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  • Generally plump and densely furry insects. Among 2,762 species worldwide, a total of 34 species are recorded in Nepal.

  • Live in organized groups. Each nest has a queen, drones (males), and workers.

  • Importance: A crucial insect group for pollinating vegetables, fruit, oilseeds, legumes, and fodder crops.

  • Usually, they make their nests in the ground, under the fallen branches and foliage.

  • Threats:

  • 1. Habitat destruction

  • 2. Habitat alteration due to climate change

  • 3. changing land use pattern

  • 4. rapid urbanization increasing trends of pesticide use destruction of flowering plants.

(Photo Credit: FLPA/Rex Shutterstock)

Asiatic Elephants

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  • (Elephas maximus)-largest of all mammals in Nepal.

  • Location: Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent from India and Nepal in the west to Burneo in the south.

  • Importance: Ecosystem engineers to increase habitat complexity. Their activity produces new habitat for smaller animals like lizards, which show a strong preference for elephant-damaged trees, using the crevices created by broken tree limbs and torn bark to find refuge.

  • Threats:

  • 1. illegal trade for its tusks,

  • 2. Exploitation for human entertainment 

  • 3. Habitat destruction

(Photo source:  WWF-Thailand / Wayuphong Jitvijak)

Leopards

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  • Leopard (Panthera pardus) is known for its spotted pattern on its fur.

  • The short legs are powerful enough to leap and jump as far as 50 feet.

  • Location:

  • 1. Lowland terai region and hilly regions. 

  • 2. Protected area( Chitwan N.P, Suklaphanta N.P, Bardiya N.P, and Shivapuri N.P)

  • Importance: Control the population of herbivores 

  • Threats:

  • Hunting for its skin 

  • Rapid, unorganized, unconcerned urbanization.  

(Photo Credit: Srikaanth sekar). 

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