Hunting, Craftsmanship, and Migration: The Ethnobiology of the Raute Nomads of Nepal

This study explores the ethnobiology of the Raute nomads in Nepal, a dwindling hunter-gatherer group facing threats from modernisation, deforestation, and sedentarisation policies. Despite growing ethnobiological research on indigenous knowledge, there remains a scholarly gap in integrated analyses of how nomadic practices like hunting, craftsmanship, and migration interlink to promote sustainability, particularly in South Asian contexts. Drawing on six weeks of ethnographic fieldwork with a single Raute community (n=15 key informants via purposive sampling for interviews; 3 focus groups of 6-8 participants via convenience sampling), this research employs participant observation, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions to address this gap. Findings reveal that the Raute's selective hunting (e.g., targeting macaques and langurs seasonally with traditional tools), sustainable craftsmanship (e.g., using fast-regenerating species like Bombax ceiba), and adaptive migration patterns maintain ecological balance and biodiversity. However, external pressures endanger these practices. The study contributes to ethnobiology by demonstrating how traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) can inform modern conservation strategies, advocating for inclusive policies that preserve nomadic lifeways amid globalisation and climate change.