Size matters: a systematic review of five decades (1976–2025) of research on wild felids in Nepal

Abstract Wild felids play key ecological roles as apex predators and mesopredators, yet many species are threatened. Globally, felid research is biased towards large, charismatic species, but how such bias shapes knowledge at the national scale, where conservation decisions are made, is poorly understood. Focusing on Nepal, which hosts 13 felid species (three big and ten small cats), we assessed how research effort was distributed among species, over time, across themes and geographically, and whether it tracked body size. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we reviewed peer-reviewed literature published between 1976 and 2025 and indexed in Google Scholar and Scopus. We identified 269 articles in 108 journals. Output was negligible until 2005 but rose sharply thereafter, with over 70% of articles published in 2016–2025; however, small-cat publications declined in the latest five-year period, while big-cat publications continued to increase. The tiger Panthera tigris , snow leopard Panthera uncia and leopard Panthera pardus accounted for over three-quarters of species-level records, and research effort increased with body mass. Big-cat studies addressed biology, conflict, population and habitat, whereas nearly two-thirds of small-cat records were occurrence or distribution notes. Nearly two-thirds of studies were conducted exclusively inside protected areas, although most small cats occur outside them. Nepal’s felid knowledge base therefore reflects body size and charisma more than conservation need. We recommend redirecting research effort and funding towards small cats, human-dominated landscapes and ecological themes, and integrating small cats into national monitoring.