Sagar Dahal

Expert in wildlife research and monitoring with extensive experience in wildlife conservation project design and execution. Known for effective team collaboration and adaptability to evolving project needs, ensuring reliable and impactful outcomes. Researching into the impact of policies on wildlife conservation and trade. A CITES expert. Teaches courses on Ecology and Geological Sciences.

• Several projects were assigned by WWF Nepal from 2014 to 2019, and I completed them in various roles, including project coordinator, data analyst, reviewer, and production of scientific papers.

• IUCN Otter Specialist Group, Species Survival Commission
• American Society of Mammologists
• Fishing Cat Conservation Alliance, https://fishingcat.org/
• Chiroptera Conservation Information Network of South Asia (CCINSA)
• Rodentia, Insectivora and Scandentia Conservation Information Network of South Asia (RISCINSA)

• Boot Camp in Wildlife Study Design and Data Analysis Training - September 25- October 6, 2018, Bumthang, Bhutan.
• Boot Camp in Wildlife Study Design and Data Analysis Training - September 27- October 8, 2018, Kathmandu, Nepal
• Frontier in Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology (2014) Training - 2014, Beijing , China
• Small Mammal Field Techniques Training”, 2011 Training - 10-14 November 2011, Kerala, India.
• Tiger Population Monitoring in Chitwan National Park, Nepal Training - January to March 2010, Chitwan, Nepal.
• Conserving Nature in a Globalizing India Participation - 17 to 19 February 2009, Bangalore, India.
• 
  
• Field techniques for research and conservation of volant and non-volant small mammals Training - 2007. Kathmandu, Nepal

• Rufford Small Grants provided £6000/- as a partial research grant for the PhD dissertation fieldwork with the project entitled ”CITES Implementation in Nepal: Special Focus on the illegal trade of Felidae from the Eastern Nepal” in 2024.
• Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation provided $4790/- as a partial research grant for the PhD dissertation fieldwork with the project entitled ”CITES Implementation in Nepal” in 2024.
• Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund provided $5000/- as a partial research grant for the PhD dissertation fieldwork with the project entitled “CITES Implementations in Nepal: Co-learning Practices and Policy Interventions on Illegal Wildlife Trade for Conservation of Chinese Pangolin at Madhesh Province in Nepal” in 2024
• Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation provided $18000/- as PhD fellowship for conducting PhD at Florida International University, Miami Florida, USA in 2020.
• WWF EFN Fellowship provided $25,600/- as PhD fellowship for conducting PhD at Florida International University, Miami Florida, USA in 2020
• Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund granted $7990/- for developing “Global Fishing Cat Conservation Strategy” in 2020.
• Columbus Zoo supported $4780/- for the “Conservation Initiatives of Fishing Cat in the Central Terai of Nepal in 2020.
• The Fishing Cat Fund supported $2500/- for the Conservation of Fishing Cat in the Central Terai, Nepal in 2019
• Panthera supported $4000/- for “Conservation Initiatives of Fishing Cat in human dominated Landscape of Central Terai, Nepal” in 2018.
• Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund and Panthera supported $8990/- for “Conservation Initiatives of Fishing Cat in human dominated Landscape of Eastern Terai, in Nepal” in 2018.
• International Society of Endangered Cats, Canada supported “Conservation Initiatives of Fishing Cat in human dominated Landscape of Eastern Terai, in Nepal” in 2018.
• Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund and Panthera supported $6325/- and $6500/- for “Conservation Initiatives of Fishing Cat in human dominated Landscape of Bara District, Nepal” in 2017.
• Chicago Board of Trade Endangered Species Fund supported $4,450/- “Survey of Fishing cat in Halkhoriya Daha, Bara district, Nepal” in 2015
• Aspinal Foundation supported $600/- for the “Identification of Study Sites of Fishing Cat in Terai of Nepal” in 2015.
• Mohammed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund supported $7200/- for the “Identification of Study Sites of Fishing Cat in Terai of Nepal” in 2015
• Rufford Small Grants Foundation supported €3780/- for the project entitled ” Re-accessing and identifying the conservation needs of Fishing cat after 1836 in Bankalwa , Sunsari, Nepal” in 2015.
• Wild Oasis Foundation supported $1300/- for the project entitled ” Re-accessing and identifying the conservation needs of Fishing cat after 1836 in Bankalwa , Sunsari, Nepal” in 2015.
• Mohammed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund supported $6160/- for the “Status of Fishing Cat in Ghodaghodi Lake and Jagadishpur Reservoir and its conservation through Community Participation” in 2014.
• Idea Wild supported laptop, camera traps and GPS worth $ 750/- in 2012.
• National Trust for Nature Conservation supported NPR 30,000/-for the “Survey of Small Mammals in Chitwan National Park in 2010.

• Possess a certificate in recognition of successful completion of training in “Boot Camp in Wildlife Study Design and Data Analysis” organized by Friends of Nature, facilitated by Biodiversity Conservation Society Sarawak and funded by Haiyo Ban Program from September 27- August 8, 2018 in Kathmandu Nepal.
• Possess a certificate in recognition of successful participation on training organized by The Institute of Zoology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the International Society of Zoological Sciences held at Beijing, China
• Possess a certificate in recognition of successful completion of training in “Frontier in Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology (2014)” organized by The Institute of Zoology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the International Society of Zoological Sciences held at Beijing, China.
• Possess certificate in recognition of participation in training in “Small Mammal Field Techniques Training”, 2011, organized by Zoo Outreach Organization and Wildlife Information Liaison Development Society, India held at College of Forestry, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur, Kerala, India from 10-14 November 2011.
• Was voluntarily involved and possess a certificate in the “Tiger Population Monitoring in Chitwan National Park, Nepal” between January to March 2010, conducted by Department of National Park and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC), Nepal, National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) and World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Nepal.
• Possess a certificate for the actively participation in the International Conference, ‘Conserving Nature in a Globalizing India’ organized by the Bombay Natural History Society from 17 to 19 February 2009, at the J.N.Tata Auditorium, Indian Insititute of Science, Bangalore.
• Possess a certificate for the actively participation in the training course on “Getting to know ArcGIS” topics covering Projection and Geo refrencing, GPS data input, Geo-database Introduction to Analysis and Output Design in ArcGIS Environment held on May 31 to June 05, 2009 Organized by Nepal GIS Society.
• Possess certificate for successful participation in the training on “Bioinformatics, it’s basics, scopes in different field on Microbiology and Genetics” 2008, organized by Central Department of Microbiology, Tribhuvan University and Microbiological Students’ Association of Nepal (MiSAN).
• Possess certificate in recognition of participation in training in “Field techniques for research and conservation of volant and non-volant small mammals”, 2007, organized by Zoo Outreach Organisation and Wildlife Information Liaison Development Society, India.
• Possess certificate in training on “Master of Ceremony”,2005, organized by Rotract Club of Kathmandu, Nepal

• Articles in Journal
• Dahal, S., and J., T., Heinen. "A History of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora Implementation in Nepal." Diversity 17, no. 5 (2025): 312.
• Baral, B.D., Basnet, A and Dahal, S. (2024) Application of remote sensing and GIS to understand the spatio-temporal shifting of Bagmati River of Nepal. Environmental Challenges, 17. 101009. Elevier B.V.
• Thapa, A., Bahadur K.C., R., Poudel, R.P., Kadariya, R., G.C., R., Khadka, R., Joshi, L.R., Shah, S.K., and Dahal, S. (2024). Factors Influencing the distribution of the endangered hispid hare in Bardia National Park, Nepal. Mammalian Biology, 104. Springer International Publishing.
• Dahal, S., Neupane, K. R., Baral, B. D., & Poulton, S. (2024). Disregard of aquatic shrews in the Environmental Impact Assessment reports regarding hydropower dams in the Nepal Himalayas. River Research and Applications.
• HEINEN, J.T. & DAHAL, S. (2023) Research priorities for the conservation of Nepal’s lesser terrestrial vertebrates. Asian Journal of Conservation Biology, 12, 90–99.
• Neupane, K.R., Dahal, S., Maden K. and Suwal , T.L. (2022) Occurrence and Status of Chinese Pangolin Manis pentadactyla in The Eastern Terai Near The Nepal-India Border, Journal of Bombay Natural History Society.
• Baral, B.D., and Dahal S. (2022). Assessment of people’s perception towards Chinese pangolin Conservation in Mandandeupur of Kavrepalanchowk, Central Nepal., Journal of Bombay Natural History Society
• Suwal TL, Thapa A, Gurung S, Aryal PC, Basnet H, Basnet K, Shah KB, Thapa S, Koirala S, Dahal S, Katuwal HB, Sharma N, Jnawali S R, Khanal K, Dhakal M, Acharya K P, Ingram D J, and Pei K J 2020. Predicting the potential distribution and habitat variables associated with pangolins in Nepal. Global Ecology and Conservation. Global Ecology and Conservation 1;23:e01049.
• Adhikari D, Dahal D, Pun T, Basnet S, Dahal S., and Thapa S. Record of Honey Badger from Central Terai, Nepal. Species, 2022, 23(71), 69-73
• Allendorf, T.D., Gurung, B., Poudel, S., Dahal, S. and Thapa, S., 2019. Using community knowledge to identify potential hotspots of mammal diversity in southeastern Nepal. Biodiversity and Conservation, pp.1-14.
• Mukherjee, S., Appel, A., Duckworth, J.W., Sanderson, J., Dahal, S., Willcox, D.H.A., Herranz Muñoz, V., Malla, G., Ratnayaka, A., Kantimahanti, M., Thudugala, A. & Thaung R. and Rahman, H. 2016. Prionailurus viverrinus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T18150A50662615. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T18150A50662615.en
• McCarthy, J., Dahal, S., Dhendup, T., Gray, T.N.E., Mukherjee, S., Rahman, H., Riordan, P., Boontua, N. & Wilcox, D. 2015. Catopuma temminckii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T4038A50651004. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T4038A50651004.en
• Katuwal, H.B. and S., Dahal 2013. Golden Jackals in the human dominated landscapes of the Manaslu Conservation Area, Nepal, Vertebrate Zoology, 63(3): 329-334.
• Thapa, S., Shrestha, S., Dahal, S., Daniel, B.A., and N.B. Singh. 2012. Monitoring and Conservation of Bats in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, Asian Journal of Conservation Biology, 1:1, pp. 1-4
• Newsletter and Booklets
• Dahal S. and Thudgala A. 2018. Second International Fishing Cat Symposium. Cat News 68, 39.
• Gurung, M.B. and S. Dahal. 2017. Living with the leopard in Gorkha District, Nepal. Cat News 66, 28-30.
• Dahal B. V. and S. Dahal. 2017 Does the marbled cat exist in Nepal? Cat News 66, 31-33.
• Dahal, S. 2015 An Introduction to Fishing Cat. A multi colored booklet produced for the outreach program for the Fishing Cat conservation pp. 12
• Dahal, S., K.R. Neupane and G. Amori. 2014 The Record of Elegant Water Shrew Nectogale elegans from Gaurishankar Conservation area, Nepal, Small Mammal Mail - Bi-Annual Newsletter of CCINSA & RISCINSA 1 Volume 6, Number 1, Jan-Aug 2014 Pp. 22-23.
• Ghimire, Y, R. Acharya and S. Dahal. 2014 An undocumented record of a clouded leopard captured in Chitwan district, Nepal. Cat news 60, 27-28.
• Dahal, S. and D.R. Dahal. 2011 Trapping of Fishing cat on Chitwan National Park, Nepal. Cat news 55, 10-11.
• Thapa S., Shrestha S., Dahal S., A. Thapa, and R. Kaphle. 2009 Reporting from Godawari”, published in Small Mammal Mail - Bi-Annual Newsletter of CCINSA & RISCINSA combined, Volume 1, Aug-Dec.
• Conference Proceedings
• Dahal, S., and Heinen, J.T. (16th February 2024). An overview of CITES Implementation History in Nepal. A presentation made at the Graduate Seminar of the Department of Earth and Environment at Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA.
• Dahal, S. (4th November 2023). Science Policy, Citizen Science as a Tool for Outreach and Alternative Science Communication Methods: Examples from Wildlife Conservation in Nepal. A keynote presentation was made at the Communicating Science Conference (ComSciCon) in Miami, Florida, USA.
• Heinen, J.T. & Dahal, S. (2021) Smaller than a breadbox : Some thoughts on research priorities for the conservation of Nepal’s lesser terrestrial vertebrates. In Proceedings of First National Conference on Zoology (NCZ 2020) (eds L. Khanal, B.P. Bhattarai, I.P. Subedi & J.N. Adhikari), pp. 13–28. Central Department of Zoology and Alumni Association of CDZ | 28-30 November 2020, Kathmandu.
• Basnet K, Dahal S (2016) Determining flow requirements for the Wild Water Buffalo (Bubalis arnee). Chapter 9 in: Doody TM, Cuddy SM, Bhatta LD (eds) Connecting flows and ecology in Nepal: current state of knowledge for the Koshi Basin. Sustainable Development Investment Portfolio (SDIP) project. CSIRO, Australia: pp 97-104.
• Dahal, S. 2012. Study of fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) in Nepal: Past, Present and Future. In Katuwal, H.B and Koirala, S. (eds) Proceeding of Third Seminar on Small Mammals Conservation Issues, pp 32-36.
• Reports
• Dahal, S., Shrestha, S., Sharma, S., Adhikari, D., Neupane, K.R. and Thapa, S. 2018 Conservation Initiatives of Fishing Cat in Human Dominated Landscape of Bara District, Nepal., A report submitted to Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund and Panthera pp 41.
• Dahal, S., A. Appel, S. Shrestha, D.R.Dahal and S. Gurung 2017. Re- Accessing and Identifying the Conservation needs of Fishing Cat in Bankalwa, Sunsari, Nepal. A report submitted to Rufford Small Grants and Wild Oasis Pages 24
• Dahal, S., S. Sharma, G. Bhattarai and P.C. Aryal. 2017. Biodiversity Survey of Halkhoria Daha and Human Dominated Landscape of Bara District: An attempt to discover Fishing Cat Prionailurus viverrinus (Bennett 1932) in the Central Terai of Nepal. A report submitted to Chicago Board of Trade Endangered Species Fund Pages 21.
• Dahal, S., S. Gurung, M. B. Gurung, H. Basnet, D.R. Dahal, K. R. Neupane, B.V. Dahal, and S. Thapa. 2016. Identification of Survey Sites of Fishing Cat Habitat in Terai of Nepal. A report submitted to Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund Pages 56.
• Dahal, S., S. Baral, M. Nepal, K. R. Neupane, B. V. Dahal and K. Basnet. 2015. Status of Fishing Cat in Jagadishpur Reservoir and Ghodaghodi Lake and assessment of threat. A report submitted to Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund Pages 28.
• Dahal, S., N. Lamichane, R. Ghimire, D.R., Dahal, K. Kari, T. L. Suwal, D. Adhikari, H.B. Katuwal, S. Baral, S. Koirala and S. Thapa. 2014. Report on Training Workshop on Building National Capacity in Research and Monitoring of Small Mammals and Climate Change Impact, Role in Livelihood and Diversity of Bat species in Dang-Deokhuri, Nepal. A report submitted to WWF Nepal Pages 78.
• Acharya, R. and Dahal, S. 2012. Final report on bird survey along the proposed dam site of Bagmati, Nagmati and Dhap area. A report submitted to Aquatic Ecology Center, Kathmandu University Pages 58.
• Dahal, S., Katuwal, H. and D.R. Dahal. 2011. “A Report on survey of Small Mammals of Chitwan National Park” submitted to National Trust for Nature Conservation, Sauraha, Chitwan, Nepal.
• Dahal, S. and Thapa, S. 2010. A Report on Preliminary Study of Ectoparasites of Bats of Kathmandu Valley, Central Department of Zoology, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Small Mammal Conservation and Research Foundation, Kathmandu, Nepal, 19 pp.
• Dahal, S., “Baseline Monitoring Report on Fisheries of Upper Tamakoshi, Dolakha, Nepal” report submitted to Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project Ltd., Nepal Electricity Authority, November 2010.
• Thapa, S., Shrestha, S. and S., Dahal. 2010. “A Report on National Radio Awareness Programme for Bat Conservation in Nepal”, A report submitted to Rufford Small Grants Foundation, UK under the project “Detailed monitoring survey of bats and their conservation through radio awareness programme and outreach programme to school children in Kathmandu”.
• Basnet, K.B., Lamichanne, B. R., Ghimire, P., Dahal, S. and Sharma, B. K., “Feasibility Study of The Jaljala Area, Rolpa (for Conservation Area)” report submitted to National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC), May 2010.
• Dahal S., and Thapa S., “An Overview Report on Squirrel (Sciuridae: Rodentia) of Nepal” submitted to Small Mammal Conservation and Research Foundation”, 2010.
• Thapa S., Dahal S., Shrestha S., 2010. “Detailed monitoring survey of bats and their conservation through radio awareness programme and outreach programme to school children in Kathmandu Valley” A second phase report submitted to Rufford Small Grants, UK.
• Thapa S., Thapa A., Kaphle R., and Dahal S. 2009. “A report on Preliminary Survey on Microchiropteran Bats in Kathmandu valley”, submitted to Central Department of Zoology, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu Nepal.
• BOOK
• WWF Nepal 2021 Checklists of Fauna of the Seti River Corridor.
• DNPWC, 2019. Pangolin Monitoring Guideline for Nepal. Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, Ministry of Forests and Environement, Kathmandu, Nepal.
• Acharya, P.R., Adhikari, H., Dahal, S., Thapa, A. and Thapa S. 2010. “Bats of Nepal, A field guide” a book published by Small Mammals Conservation and Research Foundation
• EDITING
• Dahal, S. and Thapa, S. 2011. Proceedings of the “Second Seminar on Small Mammals Conservation Issues” published by Small Mammals Conservation and Research Foundation.
• Shrestha, A., Shrestha, S., Dahal, S., Kaphle, R., Thapa, A., Suwal, T.L., Timilsina, B., and Ghimire, R., 2009 “Proceedings of the “First One day National Seminar on Small Mammals issues” published by Small Mammals Conservation and Research Foundation.
• PRESENTATION
• Dahal, S. “Study and Conservation Initiatives of Fishing Cat in the Human Dominated Landscape of Nepal”. An oral presentation on 55th Annual Meeting of the Association of Tropical Biology and Conservation, Kuching Malaysia on July 2nd, 2018.
• Dahal, S. “Nepal: Melting pot of small cats of South Asia”. An oral presentation on Small Cat Advocacy and Research, Deyasaru Park, Colombo Sri Lanka on February 17, 2018.
• Dahal, S., Dahal, D.R., Katuwal, H., Basnet, K. and N. Subedi, “Survey of Small Mammals of Chitwan National Park”, A poster presentation on “Student Conference on Conservation Science”, Bangalore, India on 2011
• Dahal, S. and Basnet, K., “Small Mammals’ contribution on the diet analysis of Tiger in Chitwan National Park”, An oral presentation on “Eco-communication and Awareness for better Environment: Linking College and University Graduate (ECOLINK) organized by Ecological Association of Nepal (ECOAN) & Environmental Concerned Group of Padmakanya (ECGP), Bagbazar, Kathmandu, Nepal on June 23, 2011.
• Dahal, S. and Basnet, K., “Diet analysis of Tiger of Chitwan National Park”, A poster presentation on International Conference Biodiversity, Livelihood and Climate Change in the Himalayas organized by Central Department of Botany and Government of Nepal, 2010.
• BLOGS
• Dahal, S. Boot Camp on Wildlife Study Design and Data Analysis Jan 3rd 2020. https://medium.com/@GlobalWildlifeConservation/boot-camp-on-wildlife-study-design-and-data-analysis-techniques-in-bhutan-f3626ec9c7d?fbclid=IwAR1ekJU13bQZh9oipILZyRJ5ZvgvUIOorkGXMx9SJwRWQsbxBG29yldSI9s
• Dahal, S. Nepal’s Communities Can Co-Exist with Fishing Cats. A blog published by Panthera on December 10th 2018. https://www.panthera.org/blog/2018/12/10/nepal-s-communities-can-coexist-fishing-cats
• Dahal, S. A Tale of a Forgotten Cat. A blog published by Global Wildlife Conservation on 20th April, 2018. https://www.globalwildlife.org/2018/04/20/a-tale-of-a-forgotten-cat/
• Dahal, S. Fishing Cat February: Shifting Attitudes in Nepal’s Bara District. A blog published by Global Wildlife Conservation on February 26, 2018. https://www.globalwildlife.org/2018/02/26/fishing-cat-february-shifting-attitudes-in-nepals-bara-district/
• Dahal, S. Boar, bear, Bird and Bat: Maintaining Healthy Forests in Nepal. A bog published by Global Wildlife Conservation on 16th October, 2017. https://www.globalwildlife.org/2017/10/16/boar-bear-bird-and-bat-maintaining-healthy-forests-in-nepal/
• Bringing Together Experts For South Asian Small Mammal Conservation. A blog published by Global Wildlife Conservation on 15th September, 2017. https://www.globalwildlife.org/2017/09/15/bringing-together-experts-for-south-asian-small-mammal-conservation/