Conservation Implications
We show that sloth bears are widespread but elusive in CNP whose detection and occupancy is influenced by a range of variables. Landscape features like ruggedness change over decades, however, habitat variables like tree cover, vegetation productivity as well as the availability of fruits and insects change over short time periods. While generalist species may adapt to such changes, specific feeding and habitat requirements of sloth bears make it more vulnerable. Changes particularly loss and fragmentation of habitat can have long-term genetic consequences through loss of genetic diversity and population decline (Murphy et al.2017; Thatte et al. 2020; Dutta et al. 2015). Furthermore, studies have shown decline of sympatric carnivores where conservation are focused on revival of single species such as tigers (Jhala et al. 2020; Li et al. 2020). Tigers and sloth bear co-occur in Nepal where the former’s population has almost doubled since 2009 (DNPWC &DFSC, 2018) Direct threats on its population through predation by tigers (Joshi et al. 1999) might be low, however indirect consequences of habitat alteration due to tiger focused management can be expected. Grassland habitat in the park is shrinking due to proliferation of shrub, woody vegetation as well as invasive alien plants which is already impacting grassland dependent species (Subedi et al. 2017; Murphy et al. 2013). Intactness of the habitat and species’ abilities to survive and reproduce is further challenged by anthropogenic pressure which is exacerbated by the increasing impacts of climate changes (Pant et al. 2020). The fate of this unique ursid, therefore, not only relies on how it responds to the changing availability of insects, fruits and habitat but also on how park managers respond through management actions/inactions. Our study can serve as a general guidance to parks and wildlife conservation authorities towards departure from incidental conservation to active management of sloth bear population. Management actions should be geared towards creation of suitable habitat such as through creation of habitat mosaics with grasslands and patches of wild fruits that enable sloth bears to access their main food throughout the year and successfully reproduce. We suggest empirical multi-season assessments of disturbance intensity and relative cost and benefits that these disturbed and undisturbed habitats might provide for sloth bears to enhance our understanding of sloth bear distribution and habitat use. Furthermore, investigations on abundance of sloth bear as well as ground dwelling and mound building termites, fruit trees and other insects is required for a deeper understanding of ecological interactions and behavioural responses of the sloth bear. Our findings when combined with future knowledge generated from long-term experimental research and monitoring of sloth bear can serve as a valuable baseline for formulation of sloth bear conservation strategy and management plan.