Habitat Use and Positional Behavior of Northern Palm Squirrels (Funambulus pennantii) in an Urban Forest in Central Nepal

Urban forests impose significant challenges to the animals that inhabit them due altered properties of available substrates from anthropogenic interventions. To cope with these structural peculiarities, urban species exhibit behavioral adjustments successfully exploit habitat. The present study examined habitat use and positional behavior northern palm squirrels (Funambulus pennantii) in Kathmandu, Nepal, test such modifications. Between July August 2018, we collected focal animal instantaneous data on behavior, locomotor/postural mode, forest layer, tree crown part, substrate type, size, inclination four different individuals. Our results indicated a primarily arboreal species, mostly using middle canopy layers intermediate central parts. Moreover, branches artificial were commonly used mainly large horizontal. Locomotion was dominated by quadrupedalism claw climb, whereas postures quadrupedal stand, and, lesser extent, sit cling. Most our initial predictions only partly supported findings. This idiosyncrasy most likely reflects adaptive flexibility human-modified habitats. In this way, apparently expanded their ecological niche persisted against pressures throughout range. As expansion is inexorable, more research required understand effectively impacted