A. Species
Scientific name: Ophiocordyceps sinensis
Common name(s): Yartsa Gunbu, Chinese caterpillar fungus
Global IUCN Red List Threat Status:
B. Location of use
Geographic location(s):
Country/Region: Nepal
C. Scale of assessment
Scale of assessment: Sub-national / Sub-region / Sub-State
Name/Details of location: contiguous valleys of Nubri and Tsum, northern Gorkha District
D. Timescale of use
Start Year: 2011
End Year: 2012
E. Information about the use
How is the wild species sourced?: Wild species sourced from its natural habitat
Type of use: Extractive
Practice of use: Gathering/Cutting/Collecting terrestrial plants and fungi or their products from the wild
Lethal or non-lethal: Lethal
Does this use involve take/extraction of: The whole entire organism
Purpose(s) of end use:
Motivation of use: Income generation from trade (individual/household/community) and Traditional/Cultural/Spiritual
Is this use legal or illegal?: Legal under national law
F. Information about the Users
Which stakeholder(s) does the record primarily focus on?: Local people
G. Information about the sustainability of use
Is there evidence that the use is having an impact on the target species?: Wild species sourced from its natural habitat
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an ecological perspective been recorded?: No, sustainability not determined
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an economic perspective been recorded?:
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from a social perspective been recorded?:
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from a human health perspective been recorded?:
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an animal health/welfare perspective been recorded?:
Recommendations provided in the record to maintain or enhance the sustainability of the use of the target species
Authors conclude that " people across the Tibetan Plateau and Himalayan region are grappling with issues associated with yartsa gunbu: how to effectively manage a common resource, how to ensure equitable access, and how to deal with the sudden influx of income. They are confronting these issues using a combination of traditional regulations and novel ideas. The results are mixed. On the negative side, some areas have witnessed the degradation of pastures, turf wars and violence, discordant social relationships, and heavy drinking. On the positive side, yartsa gunbu provides an opportunity for people to improve their standard of living, start business ventures, enhance religious life, provide better education for children, and mitigate the economic burden associated with deaths in the family. Household-level improvements are being accomplished independent of state-sponsored development initiatives, and in the case of Nubri and Tsum management practices that were devised independent of state interference may prove to be sustainable over the long-run."
Record source
Information about the record source: scientific_pub
Date of publication/issue/production:
Source Reference(s):
Date of record entry: 2022-12-06