Differential resource use allows a diversity of species to co-exist in a particular area by specializing in individual ecological niches. Four-horned antelope Tetracerus quadricornis is endemic to the Indian subcontinent and has a restricted distribution in Nepal and India; however, the barking deer Muntiacus vaginalis is relatively common throughout its wide distribution range. We wanted a better understanding of their habitats and how these two similarly sized solitary ungulates manage to coexist in lowland Nepal. We used fecal pellet belt transect surveys in the Babai valley, Bardia National Park to study the habitat associations of both species. We found empirical evidence that four-horned antelope prefer hill sal forest and deciduous hill forest at higher elevations, whereas barking deer preferred riverine and sal forest in lower elevations. We found a clear niche differentiation of four-horned antelope and barking deer that made the coexistence of these similarly sized solitary ungulates possible. Hence, resource partitioning is the key to coexistence of these solitary ungulates, and the fine-grained habitat mosaic of different forest types in the study landscape appears to be the underlying feature. Therefore, maintaining the habitat mosaic and preserving valuable hill sal and deciduous hill forests will facilitate the coexistence of herbivores in sub-tropical regions.

Information gaps on the distribution of data deficient and rare species such as four‐horned antelope (FHA) in Nepal may impair their conservation. We aimed to empirically predict the distribution ofFHAin Nepal with the help of data from the Indian subcontinent. Additionally, we wanted to identify core areas and gaps within the reported range limits and to assess the degree of isolation of known Nepalese populations from the main distribution areas in India. The tropical part of the Indian subcontinent (65°–90° eastern longitude, 5°–30° northern latitude), that is, the areas south of the Himalayan Mountains. Using MaxEnt and accounting for sampling bias, we developed predictive distribution models from environmental and topographical variables, and known presence locations of the study species in India and Nepal. We address and discuss the use of target group vs. random background. The prediction map reveals a disjunct distribution ofFHAwith core areas in the tropical parts of central to southern–western India. At the scale of the Indian subcontinent, suitableFHAhabitat area in Nepal was small. The Indo‐Gangetic Plain isolates Nepalese from the IndianFHApopulations, but the distribution area extends further south than proposed by the currentIUCNmap. A low to intermediate temperature seasonality as well as low precipitation during the dry and warm season contributed most to the prediction ofFHAdistribution. The predicted distribution maps confirm otherFHArange maps but also indicate that suitable areas exist south of the known range. Results further highlight that small populations in the Nepalese Terai Arc are isolated from the Indian core distribution and therefore might be under high extinction risk.

As one of the most abundant game species in Europe, European wild boar (Sus scrofa) populations prove highly adaptable to cultivated landscapes. The ongoing process of climate change and the high agricultural yields seem to further optimize the living conditions for this species. In long-term reproduction monitoring, we collected data on the body weight of wild boar females. Over an 18-year period, the body weight of wild boar females increased continuously, then stopped and decreased. It was possible to detect differences between the body weights of animals from forest and agricultural areas. For these areas, differences in body weight development also led to a significant distinction in the onset of puberty. We conclude that, even in a highly cultivated landscape, forested areas provide habitat characteristics that may strongly influence reproduction. Second, with dominant agricultural areas in Germany, wild boar reproduction has been favored in recent decades.