{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,8]],"date-time":"2026-10-08T03:49:57Z","timestamp":1791431397612,"version":"4.3.3"},"reference-count":48,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,13]],"date-time":"2026-09-13T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1789257600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":12,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,1]],"date-time":"2026-09-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1788220800000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/doi.wiley.com\/10.1002\/tdm_license_1.1"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Ecology and Evolution"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,9]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>\n                    The illegal wildlife trade (IWT) poses a major driver of global biodiversity loss and poses\u00a0particular challenges in biodiversity\u2010rich countries located along international trafficking routes. Nepal occupies a strategic position between two of the world's largest consumer markets for wildlife products, India and China, making Kathmandu Valley an important urban center for wildlife trafficking. Despite its strategic importance, long\u2010term analyses of wildlife crime patterns in Kathmandu Valley remain limited. This study examines patterns and temporal trends in IWT and describes the demographic characteristics of offenders in Kathmandu Valley based on 306 wildlife crime cases recorded between 2017 and 2022. Data was collected from Divisional Forest Offices, the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation. A total of 36 animal species were documented in seizures, including 31 mammals, four reptiles, and one fish species, with five identified exotic species. The most frequently seized species were the Chinese pangolin (\n                    <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\">\n                      <jats:italic>Manis pentadactyla<\/jats:italic>\n                    <\/jats:styled-content>\n                    ), leopard (\n                    <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\">\n                      <jats:italic>Panthera pardus<\/jats:italic>\n                    <\/jats:styled-content>\n                    ), red panda (\n                    <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\">\n                      <jats:italic>Ailurus fulgens<\/jats:italic>\n                    <\/jats:styled-content>\n                    ), Himalayan black bear (\n                    <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\">\n                      <jats:italic>Ursus thibetanus<\/jats:italic>\n                    <\/jats:styled-content>\n                    ), and musk deer (\n                    <jats:italic>Moschus<\/jats:italic>\n                    spp.). Pangolin scales and leopard skins were the most common wildlife products confiscated. The highest number of arrests occurred in 2018, with a sharp decline in 2020 that coincided with the restrictions imposed during the COVID\u201019 pandemic. Among 740 individuals detained, 98% were male and 50.1% belonged to the 20\u201329 age group. Most offenders originated from adjoining districts of Kathmandu Valley, particularly from the Tamang community (29.1%). This male\u2010biased sex ratio and the pronounced representation of young adults each departed significantly from an equal distribution (\n                    <jats:italic>\u03c7<\/jats:italic>\n                    <jats:sup>2<\/jats:sup>\n                    goodness\u2010of\u2010fit tests; both\n                    <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                    \u2009&lt;\u20090.001), whereas the annual number of recorded cases showed no significant temporal trend across the study period (Spearman's\n                    <jats:italic>\u03c1<\/jats:italic>\n                    \u2009=\u20090.036,\n                    <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                    \u2009=\u20090.939). To our knowledge, this represents one of the first multi\u2010year spatial\u2013demographic analysis of illegal wildlife trade in Nepal's primary urban hub, offering exploratory insights relevant to transboundary enforcement. The findings may have implications for regional conservation policy, suggesting the need for cross\u2010border collaboration, targeted law enforcement, and the integration of socio\u2010economic development in to anti\u2010trafficking strategies. To effectively combat IWT and safeguard Nepal's biodiversity, a coordinated approach involving strengthened legal frameworks, enhanced surveillance, public awareness campaigns, and community\u2010based conservation initiatives is urgently needed.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1002\/ece3.74303","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,14]],"date-time":"2026-09-14T02:42:35Z","timestamp":1789353755000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Illegal Wildlife Trade in Kathmandu Valley: A Hub of Biodiversity Crime"],"prefix":"10.1002","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4303-0520","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Narayan Prasad","family":"Koju","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Post Graduate Studies, Nepal Engineering College Pokhara University  Lalitpur Nepal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Bhim Maya","family":"Tamang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Post Graduate Studies, Nepal Engineering College Pokhara University  Lalitpur Nepal"},{"name":"Department of Forest and Soil Conservation Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Environment  Kathmandu Nepal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,13]]},"reference":[{"issue":"5","key":"e_1_2_12_2_1","first-page":"1","article-title":"Trafficking of Wildlife: An Emerging Problem in South Asia","volume":"19","author":"Acharya S.","year":"2019","journal-title":"Global Journal of Human\u2010Social Science: Economics"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s41109\u2010020\u201000262\u20106"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_4_1","unstructured":"ASEAN\u2010WEN.2020.\u201cCombating Wildlife Crime in Southeast Asia.\u201dASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network.https:\/\/www.asean\u2010wen.org\/."},{"key":"e_1_2_12_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.gecco.2021.e01940"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pt.2020.12.005"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4172\/2375\u2010446X.1000195"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_8_1","first-page":"30","volume-title":"Report on the Facts and Issues on Poaching of Mega Species and Illegal Trade in Their Parts in Nepal","author":"Bhuju U. 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D.Roe H.Dublin andF.Booker.2018.\u201cWildlife Wild Livelihoods: Involving Communities in Sustainable Wildlife Management and Combatting the Illegal Wildlife Trade.\u201dCombating illegal Wildlife Trade."},{"key":"e_1_2_12_13_1","unstructured":"De Greef K. andS.Raemaekers.2014.\u201cSouth Africa's Illicit Abalone Trade: An Updated Overview and Knowledge Gap Analysis (PDF 3 MB).\u201d"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_14_1","unstructured":"DNPWC.2018a.\u201cIn Nepal There is More Poaching and Poaching Illegal Trade is the Trade in Wild Animals and Information About Plants.\u201dDNPWC."},{"key":"e_1_2_12_15_1","unstructured":"DNPWC.2018b.\u201cWildlife Crime Annual Report 2074\/75.\u201dBabarmahal Kathmandu."},{"key":"e_1_2_12_16_1","unstructured":"DNPWC andDFSC.2018.\u201cStatus of Tigers and Prey in Nepal.\u201dDepartment of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation & Department of Forests and Soil Conservation Ministry of Forests and Environment."},{"key":"e_1_2_12_17_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2307\/j.ctt5vkt2w"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_18_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.11609\/jott.5698.12.8.15776\u201015783"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_19_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.2208268120"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_20_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.gecco.2016.09.007"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_21_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biocon.2014.08.019"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_22_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/joac.12594"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_23_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/ece3.7778"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_24_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s42003\u2010026\u201010314\u20109"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_25_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fsir.2020.100058"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_26_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3126\/banko.v28i2.24185"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_27_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fsiae.2023.100064"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_28_1","unstructured":"National Statistics Office.2021.\u201cNational Census.\u201dP. National Statistics Office GOV\/Nepal.https:\/\/nsonepal.gov.np\/category\/1164\/."},{"key":"e_1_2_12_29_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10531\u2010009\u20109758\u20104"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_30_1","unstructured":"Nixon K. D.2018.\u201cSangla Bhachhnu: Identifying and Prioritizing Key Barriers to Fighting Human Trafficking in Nepal.\u201dEast Carolina University."},{"key":"e_1_2_12_31_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5281\/zenodo.11536683"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_32_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/csp2.137"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_33_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/csp2.247"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_34_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/ece3.70395"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_35_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10531\u2010023\u201002577\u2010z"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_36_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10393\u2010010\u20100317\u2010y"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_37_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3126\/rjpkmc.v2i1.62984"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_38_1","unstructured":"SAWEN.2022.\u201cSouth Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN) Annual Report 2021\u20132022.\u201dSAWEN Secretariat.https:\/\/www.sawen.org\/."},{"key":"e_1_2_12_39_1","unstructured":"SNNP.2017.\u201cShivapuri Nagarjun National Park and Buffer Zone Management Plan Fiscal Year 074\/075\u2013078\/079 (2017\/018\u20132021\/022).\u201dP. 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A.Sheikh.2008.\u201cInternational Illegal Trade in Wildlife: Threats and US Policy.\u201d"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_47_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598\u2010025\u201087183\u20105"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_48_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1023\/A:1008905430813"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_49_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10531\u2010008\u20109358\u20108"}],"container-title":["Ecology and Evolution"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1002\/ece3.74303","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1002\/ece3.74303","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1002\/ece3.74303","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,8]],"date-time":"2026-10-08T02:59:01Z","timestamp":1791428341000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/ece3.74303"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,9]]},"references-count":48,"journal-issue":{"issue":"9","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,9]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1002\/ece3.74303"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/ece3.74303","archive":["Portico"],"relation":{},"ISSN":["2045-7758","2045-7758"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2045-7758","type":"print"},{"value":"2045-7758","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,9]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2026-05-04","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-08-26","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-09-13","order":3,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}],"article-number":"e74303"}}