Foraging Burrow Site Selection and Diet of Chinese Pangolins, Chandragiri Municipality, Nepal

SIMPLE SUMMARY: As one of only eight species of pangolin, the Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) of Nepal inhabits forests, agricultural lands, and grasslands. Its population is declining due to hunting and habitat loss, and it is listed as critically endangered. Accurate information on its habitat and diet can aid in the development of site-specific management plans. Habitat characteristics such as forest canopy cover, slopes, and distance to agricultural lands and the nearest ant nests are important factors influencing the occurrence of the Chinese pangolin. Fecal analysis revealed that the ant species Aphaenogaster symthiesii, Camponotus sp., Monomorium sp., and Pheidole sp. were the dominant prey in the Chinese pangolin’s diet. This study provides baseline information to aid Chinese pangolin conservation in Nepal. ABSTRACT: The Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) is a myrmecophagous, nocturnal mammal species that occurs in forests, agricultural lands, and grasslands. It is critically endangered due to illegal hunting and habitat loss. Characterizing the Chinese pangolin’s habitat and diet could improve our knowledge of the conditions necessary for species persistence; however, limited information is available. We investigated the habitat and diet of Chinese pangolins in the Chandragiri Municipality, Kathmandu, Nepal from November 2021–March 2022. We identified foraging burrows within plots established along 20 transects, collected scats opportunistically at these burrows, and used a generalized linear model to assess the site-level habitat characteristics related to burrow occurrence. We recorded 88 foraging burrows which occurred in forests with 50–75% canopy closure at 1500–1700 m elevation with 20–40° slopes. The probability of detecting a Chinese pangolin foraging burrow was greater with the increasing slope gradient and decreased with increasing distance to agricultural lands and ant nests or termite mounds. The analysis of 10 scats revealed that Aphaenogaster symthiesii, Camponotus sp., Monomorium sp., and Pheidole sp. were the dominant ant prey species; no termites were detected. Baseline data from this study could be used for ex-situ conservation and the captive breeding of Chinese pangolins as well as aiding site-specific management plans in Nepal.