Human, Wildlife and Climate Change Interaction in Upper Mustang, a Himalayan Region

The global climate is changing. The impacts of climate change are being felt everywhere in a number of ways, but the most critical are likely to be those impacts that are threatening the life of flora and fauna. Fast receding glaciers in the Himalayas of Nepal have been a major concern, as they have been the prime source of water to more than a billion of people living in the Indo-Gangatic region. The aim of this study is to understand and assess the interactions of human and wildlife with respect to climate change and to explore the adaptation strategies of local communities and wildlife of Upper Mustang which lies in Annapurna Conservation Area. To address the research questions of this study, different methods were used to find out the answers. Impact assessment was performed through the analysis of meteorological data, data from Annapurna Conservation Area Project offices and people's perception on climate changes and adaptation strategies relative to wildlife occurrence in Upper Mustang. Mann-Kendall statistical trend and Excel test were used to assign statistical significance of the trend. Temperature and Precipitation trend of 30 years period from 1984-2014 was analyzed. With the view of accessing the actual impacts in study site, people's perception was studied through generalized questionnaire survey and focal group discussion of local people and staff of Annapurna Conservation Area Project were organized. Especially, older age people were given priority in questionnaire survey as they have got life long experience of change in environment. The result showed that the Average Maximum and Minimum temperature was found increasing at the rate of 0.06°C and 0.03°C per year respectively. Increasing trend in the annual precipitation was found at the rate of 2.4684 mm per year. Increase in sporadic rainfall has caused unequal distribution of rainwater causing some places to become dry pocket areas and some with high level of rainwater. Community has identified new sources of drinking water and other adaptation measures. The occurrence of wildlife was found decreased. But because of the rise in awareness and enforcement of laws by governmental bodies, no official record of wildlife killings has been recorded for last few years. Also, the social and religious faith has played an important role in wildlife conservation. Over exploitation of vegetation with the use of new means of transportations and equipment has led to the loss of wildlife habitat and the farmers to give up their ages old yak and sheep herding occupation shifting towards easy cash occupation like tourism business. On the basis, it is concluded that, climate change is real and has severe impacts on the livelihood of local community and on the wildlife movement. Further research could be undertaken to study the other factors associated with this issue.peerReviewe