Aims & Objectives
Aims:
- To compare the abundance of Apodemus gurkha in natural habitats to that of the abundance in anthropogenically influenced areas in the Kali Gandaki Valley in the Mustang District, Dhawalagiri Zone, Nepal.
Objectives:
- To compare the abundance of Apodemus gurkha in natural habitats to that of the distribution in anthropogenically influenced areas
- To assess the impact of human activities on the Apodemus gurkha by acknowledging the effect of expanding agriculture on their habitat
Further Expedition Objectives
- To communicate with local people in order to collect some information on hunting pressure on A. gurkha. This may be used as backup and background information for the analysis of our results.
- To forge links between the academic institutions and students/researches of the University of Aberdeen in Scotland and the National Institute of Natural Sciences in Nepal.
- For team members to broaden their understanding of each other's cultures and conservation methods and to further their communication skills.
Justifications
Apodemus gurkha is one of two mammals endemic to Nepal and is currently classed as endangered on the IUCN Red List, however it is not under legislative protection in Nepal (Molur et al. 2005). Its habitat is under threat from the expansion of agriculture and consumption by humans is a direct threat (Molur et al. 2005). Its total distribution is less than 5,000 km², and the population is thought to be extremely fragmented (Molur et al. 2005). Its habitat is experiencing continued deterioration as a result of increased agriculture and use as a fuel source.
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