Nepal is a small country (147,181㎢) located in a borderline between two bio-geographical regions, Palearctic in the north and Oriental in the south. It has wide altitudinal variation from flat plain to high Himalaya (60-8848m). Due to the unique climatic and geographical variations, it is rich in biodiversity. Altogether 211 species of mammals, 878 species of birds, 182 species of herpeto-fauna and 232 species of fishes have been recorded in Nepal. Mammalian species occupied the 4.2% species of all mammals of the world. All together 46 species of mammals are listed under the categories of threatened IUCN threatened category including one regionally extinct, eight critically endangered and 25 endangered species. Small mammals have significant part (71.6%) in total mammalian species of Nepal. It occupies 151 species under seven orders and 25 families. Two species of small mammals Himalayan Field Mouse (Apedoemus gurkha) and Mouse-eared Myotis (Myotis csorbai) are endemic to Nepal. Among the small mammals (for example, rodents) occupied the highest number (52 spp.) and Chiroptera occupies the second position (51 spp.). Field-collection and observation of small mammals has been done three times since December, 2014 to February, 2016 in three different locations Kathmandu (1,200-1,800m), Pokhara (827-2,600m) and Lumbini (65-2,000m) of Nepal. Live-traps (Sherman trap) and traditional mouse-catching live-traps in different size were used to collect small mammals. A total of 221 individuals were captured from different habitats, human settlement (129 individuals), grassland (46 individuals), forest (25 individuals) and agriculture land (21 individuals). 99 individuals were collected from Lumbini following by 83 individuals from Pokhara and 39 individuals from Kathmandu. Morphological measurement has done in each species and their biological samples were collected. Altogether, four orders, four families and 19 species of small mammals were collected and identified. In addition, three species of monkey (Macaca assamensis, Macaca mulata and Semnopithecus schistaceus) and one species of flying fox (Pteropus giganteus) were observed in their natural habitats. A total of eleven taxa of Muridae family (Bandicota bengalensis, Canomys Badius, Mus booduga, Mus musculus, Niviventer fulvescen, Rattus nitidus, Rattus norvegicus, Rattus pyctoris, Rattus rattus, Rattus tanezumi, and Tatera indica) were identified within species level but three taxa were identified within genus level (Mus spp., Niviventer spp. and Rattus spp.). Among the collections, Rattus rattus was most dominant (33.93%) and Suncus murinus (20.81%) as well as Mus musculus (12.21%) occupied second and third position, respectively. Rattus rattus, Rattus tanezumi, Rattus norvegicus and Suncus murinus were abundant in all habitats but Rattus pyctoris, Canomys badius and Tatera indica only found in wild habitats, grassland and forest. In this study Canomys badius, Niviventer fulvescen, Tatera indica and Semnopithecus schistaceus are truly wild species but remaining 19 species are urban species. This study shows that large numbers of small mammals are urban type and their habitat is associated with human beings. For more clear understanding the ecological roles of Nepalese small mammals found, further continious monitoring and comprehensive studies are required to obtain abundant information applicable to comparative analyses of intraand inter-species interaction in the wild and urban habitats of Nepal.

본 연구는 국내 도심지의 자연산림지와 반자연지에 방사된 꽃사슴 개체군을 모니터링 하여, 그들의 행동양식 및 서식지 특성분석을 통하여 국내 자연 환경에 적응하는 꽃사슴 (Cervus nippon taiouanus)의 개체군 조절기작을 파악하기 위해 수행되었다. 서울과 경기 주변부에 인접한 자연산림지와 반자연지에 각각 꽃사슴 12개체 (숫꽃사슴 3개체, 암꽃사슴 9개체)를 정부의 승인을 얻어 방사하였으며, 2011년 5월부터 2012년 1월까지 각 개체별로 서식지 이용 특이성을 나타낸 먹이섭취장소, 수분섭취장소, 주간 휴식장소, 야간 휴식장소 등의 서식지 유형별로 연구조사원들이 유관으로 모니터링을 하였다. 방사된 꽃사슴개체군들이 무리를 이루는 적정 성비 및 개체수는 수컷 1마리와 암컷 4~9마리이었으며, 여러 마리의 새끼들과 함께 무리를 이루는 것으로 나타났다. 꽃사슴 1마리가 소비하는 먹이 섭취량은 연평균 생초 391.62 kg이었으며, 건초는 286.90 kg이었고, 수분섭취량은 생초 섭취 시 218.28 L, 건초 섭취 시 209.89 L이었으며, 건초를 섭취하는 시기인 가을과 겨울에는 더 많은 수분을 필요로 하는 것으로 조사되었다. 본 연구 결과는 산림지와 반 자연지에 방사된 꽃사슴 방사 시 꽃사슴의 성비 및 방사 개체수 결정, 방사예정지의 자원생산 능력 및 서식지 특성에 따라서 도입 할 개체수와 공간 구성 요건의 기준으로 활용가능성이 높다. 이러한 꽃사슴의 연구 결과를 통해서 국내 다른 대형 포유류의 자연서식지 방사와 관련된 모니터링 방법 및 효과적인 개체군 조절 메카니즘의 기초적 연구가 될 수 있을 것이다.