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Simple Summary: Given the potential impact of climate change on the distributions of endemic species, it is critical to implement species recovery and habitat management measures to protect threatened species. This study used MaxEnt modeling to assess the species' habitat suitability in varying climate scenarios in the Western Himalayas and identified ten influential drivers. Our field-based observations of Tragopan melanocephalus show that the species typically lives at elevations between 1850 and 3800 m, which is consistent with the species' reported affinity for extremely high elevations between 1500 and 4000 m above sea level. Our findings reveal that areas with high and moderate suitability for the species are patchily distributed throughout the Western Himalayas, ranging from northeastern Pakistan to central Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Moreover, there are continuous strips of highly suitable habitats along the Pakistan–Afghanistan border, in the Kashmir region, and in the Annapurna region of Uttarakhand. The study observed that the Western Tragopan's habitat suitability may increase under future climate change scenarios, but additional research is needed to avert population collapses and identify other potential drivers of local extinction occurrences. To support increased biodiversity and lower risks under current and anticipated future climatic conditions, it is advised that the suitable areas identified be designated as nature reserves. According to the study's findings, a more effective wildlife management strategy might significantly help with the reintroduction of the Tragopan melanocephalus population into its suitable habitats in western Himalaya, thereby advancing the global objectives set for the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration targets (2021–2030). The impact of a changing climate, particularly global warming, often harms the distribution of pheasants, particularly those with limited endemic ranges. To effectively create plans of action aimed at conserving species facing threats such as the Western Tragopan, (Tragopan melanocephalus; Gray, 1829; Galliformes, found in the western Himalayas), it is crucial to understand how future distributions may be affected by anticipated climate change. This study utilized MaxEnt modeling to assess how suitable the habitat of the targeted species is likely to be under different climate scenarios. While similar studies have been conducted regionally, there has been no research on this particular endemic animal species found in the western Himalayas throughout the entire distribution range. The study utilized a total of 200 occurrence points; 19 bioclimatic, four anthropogenic, three topographic, and a vegetation variable were also used. To determine the most fitting model, species distribution modeling (SDM) was employed, and the MaxEnt calibration and optimization techniques were utilized. Data for projected climate scenarios of the 2050s and 2070s were obtained from SSPs 245 and SSPs 585. Among all the variables analyzed; aspect, precipitation of coldest quarter, mean diurnal range, enhanced vegetation index, precipitation of driest month, temperature seasonality, annual precipitation, human footprint, precipitation of driest quarter, and temperature annual range were recognized as the most influential drivers, in that order. The predicted scenarios had high accuracy values (AUC-ROC > 0.9). Based on the feedback provided by the inhabitants, it was observed that the livability of the selected species could potentially rise (between 3.7 to 13%) in all projected scenarios of climate change, because this species is relocating towards the northern regions of the elevation gradient, which is farther from the residential areas, and their habitats are shrinking. The suitable habitats of the Tragopan melanocephalus in the Himalayan region will move significantly by 725 m upwards, because of predicted climate change. However, the fact that the species is considered extinct in most areas and only found in small patches suggests that further research is required to avert a further population decline and delineate the reasons leading to the regional extinction of the species. The results of this study can serve as a foundation for devising conservation strategies for Tragopan melanocephalus under the changing climate and provide a framework for subsequent surveillance efforts aimed at protecting the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The Himalayan pheasants have many cultural, economic, and environmental values. Still, unfortunately, the species is under anthropogenic pressure and biological hazards, leading to a rapid decline in its population. The current study aims to identify the human pressures imposed by major infrastructure development projects, illegal hunting, deforestation, pollution, non-timber forest collections, and other natural activities that severely damage the pheasant habitat and population in the study area. Higher altitude valleys with less disturbed habitats have significantly higher encounter rates and densities than those at lower altitudes and higher human pressure. This research suggests that conservation biologists and the wildlife department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa should formulate approaches for effective conservation and better habitat management. It may include public awareness regarding pheasant's beneficial aspects, pre-implementations of the wildlife management plan for a major infrastructure development project, and strict rules and policies around deforestation and habitat degradation. The study also recommends that the habitat of the pheasants, specifically the threatened area of Western Tragopan, be considered a legally reserved area of conservation to improve its conservation status. Pheasants play a distinctive and significant role in high altitudinal ecosystems. These are good indicators of environmental changes, and their presence determines the health and balance of the bio-network. Recent human pressure continues to degrade their populations, and some pheasant species are already extinct. Therefore, the current study focuses on pheasant abundance and emerging conservation issues. The pheasant population was assessed using "Call count methods" and analyzed by DISTANCE software. The results revealed that the valleys where human interference is minimum had significantly higher encounter rates and densities of pheasants. At the same time, the pheasant population was severely affected, whether found at lower or higher altitudes, showing seasonal migration toward human settlements. The habitat suitability modeling was performed using the MaxEnt model and showed that human activities overlap with the suitable natural habitats of pheasants. The threats were identified using a systematic questionnaire survey from the nearest villages of the potential habitat, and particular attention was paid to valleys where human pressures were found to be high. Major infrastructure development projects, illegal hunting, and deforestation were identified as the major threats to the pheasant population. The study concluded that proper conservation measures are required to protect pheasants in their potential habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Eastern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is home to a vast range of medicinal and edible waterbird species due to its diverse geographical environment. Waterbird species have been used for various ailments and cultural practices since ancient times, while ethno-pharmacological applications and cultural uses of waterbird species in this area have seldom been documented. This study is the first ethnomedicinal and cultural assessment of waterbird species, and the first compilation and listing of all known data on these species in Eastern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Methods: Interviews and questionnaires were used to collect data from native respondents (N = 100). To analyze the data, principal component analysis (PCA), relative frequency of citation (RFC), fidelity level (FL%), relative popularity level (RPL), rank order priority, and similarity index were used. Results: In total, 64 waterbird species were utilized in cultural practices, of which 40 species are used to cure different infectious and chronic diseases such as cold, cough, flu, fever, respiratory disorders, asthma, TB, gastric ulcers, kidney stones, male impotency, obesity, paralysis, piles, cancer, arthritis, body pain, and weakness. PCA showed significant differences in the use of waterbird species among the local inhabitants of the study area, separated along the axis-2 (p < 0.05). The FL% of waterbird species varied from 12 to 100%. 100% FL was analyzed for four waterbird species, i.e., Charadrius mongolus (cold), Gallicrex cinerea (asthma), Anas platyrhynchos (cancer), and Esacus recurvirostris (body weakness). In this study, Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) was the most popular species used in the healthcare system of Eastern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with high RFC (4.06), FL% (100), and RPL (1.0) values. Conclusion: We concluded that waterbird species are more used for medicine and food purposes in the study area. However, in vitro/in vivo assessment of biochemical activities of waterbird species with a maximum FL% might be significant to produce novel drugs. Recent research shows important ethno-ornithological information about native people and their links with waterbird species, which might be helpful for the sustainable use of waterbird diversity in the research area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]