Declining Apis laboriosa populations in Kaski District, Western Nepal
2004
Joshi, S.R. | Farooq Ahmad | Gurung, M.B.,Indigenous Honeybee Project, , ICIMOD, P.O. Box 3226, Kathmandu (Nepal)
The present study was conducted in Kaski district, Western Nepal with the objective of estimating the number of nests, locating the bee cliffs and identifying the trends and dynamics of Apis laboriosa populations. Information was gathered from a total of 148 cliff sites. Of these, 54 cliff sites were physically visited for recording the longitude and latitude of the cliffs, cliff aspect, distance of the cliff from major water bodies, distance from the ground, number of nests per cliff, and nearest settlement area. Information was also gathered from local people and honey hunters using participatory tools such as transect walks, semi structured interviews and informal meetings. The survey results showed that the population of this bee species is declining. The decline was observed both in the number of cliffs having bees and the number of nests per cliff. Information gathered from honey hunters and general observations around the cliffs, which provide clues to the reasons for the decline, are also discussed in the paper.
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