tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77975890856382011622024-02-07T16:51:13.953-08:00Kumar Paudel's Blog- stories of nature, people, & its futureKumar Paudelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16690194876880189186noreply@blogger.comBlogger64125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797589085638201162.post-69871170497686527372023-05-30T23:48:00.011-07:002023-05-31T08:53:12.555-07:00Supreme Court of Nepal sets a precedent, issues order to investigate rampant private possession and confiscate illegal wildlife parts <p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-1cff29c4-7fff-7c1a-e7a8-ba3cf54c1030"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Supreme Court of Nepal sets a precedent for conservation and social justice: issues order to investigate rampant private possession and confiscate illegal wildlife parts in the country</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kathmandu, Nepal</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">31 May 2023</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Supreme Court pulls up the Government of Nepal for discriminatory and negligent enforcement of wildlife laws in controlling private possession of illegal wildlife parts (items such as trophies, pets, animal hides, and other body parts) that currently ignores Nepal’s elite while disproportionately penalising the marginalised communities. The Court order instructs the Government to take strict action against people who illegally display and use wildlife – regardless of who they are. And it will also help deter those engaged in such wildlife crimes and uphold Nepal’s noteworthy commitment to conservation.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Honorable Supreme Court Justices Sapana Malla Pradhan and Til Prasad Shrestha issued a writ of mandamus against the Office of the Prime Minister, Home Minister, Forest and Environment Minister and relevant departments for failing to implement the law in a full, fair and consistent manner. The case (074-WO-0807) was filed on 16 May 2018 by conservation scientist Kumar Paudel in response to private possession of illegal wildlife parts & the public flaunting by influential members of the society, including ex-Prime Minister Kritinidhi Bista. On 30 May 2023, the judges pronounced their verdict in favour of Kumar Paudel’s petition.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prior to filing the case, Paudel was conducting research to find ways to deter wildlife crime in Nepal. He interviewed more than 150 people convicted of wildlife crimes across prisons in the country, where he found many of the imprisoned were poor, marginalised and illiterate. The trigger for filing this case was a national broadcast of an interview with the ex-Prime Minister in his private residence, where a tiger pelt was prominently displayed in the background. Witnessing the unfair treatment meted out to individuals from different parts of society, Paudel was compelled to take up the issue. Additionally, bothered by the disrespectful display of threatened wildlife and fearing such rampant exhibition of privately held wildlife parts will further encourage poaching and illegal trade, Paudel demanded action from the government to investigate the legality of the possession of the tiger pelt.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nepal’s stringent laws prohibit the illegal harvest and use of protected wildlife, with high fines of up to 1 Million NPR and prison sentences of up to 15 years. But enforcement has consistently focused on Nepal’s poorest and most marginalised communities, who are often involved in illegally harvesting and trading wildlife – while systematically overlooking wildlife ownership by Nepal’s elite, rich and powerful.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After running in vain from one department to another for two years seeking action from the government, Paudel finally went to the Supreme Court to ensure fair enforcement of laws to curb wildlife crimes. In his court petition, he demanded a more consistent, transparent and fair application of the law.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Paudel demanded the government 1) thoroughly investigate wildlife parts in private possession to ascertain its legality; 2) prosecute and seize illegal wildlife possessions, where acceptable permits were not submitted; 3) maintain records of how many wildlife parts were legally in possession prior to National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1973, and 4) act with utmost priority and urgency since any delay might propel the criminals to hide, destroy or sell the evidence.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After five years of several deferrals and clarifications submitted by the government to the court, a verdict was announced on 30 May 2023. In a landmark win for wildlife conservation, the court not only accepted the demands outlined in the petition but also ordered the government to take further strict actions to curb illegal wildlife possession through 1) the use of effective mediums to reach out and raise awareness among the public on the illegal possession of wildlife parts and the legal consequences beyond publishing gazettes, and 2) seize wildlife parts to be preserved for educational and research purposes to benefit conservation instead of destroying them. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The case was expertly presented by Advocate Padam Bahadur Shrestha and his team Shatkon Shrestha, Raju Phuyal, Bishnu Kumar Thokar, Shuban Raj Acharya. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A detailed, full-length verdict is expected to be published by the Supreme Court in a few months. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kumar Paudel’s statement:</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I’m encouraged and feeling very optimistic to see the Supreme Court deliberate on wildlife crime control with diligence and thankful for the opportunity to draw on my research to strengthen Nepal’s wildlife conservation policy.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This court order is an important step in bringing thousands of illegal wildlife parts under enforcement, regardless of who owns them. It closes a critical loophole that has been openly exploited by the privileged class of society without consequence, while the marginalised suffer fines and incarceration for similar crimes. This verdict will help ensure justice is served in a fair and impartial manner. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Too often, elite members of our society are shielded from consequences by existing social structures. I am elated that this court order not only compels the government to uphold our environmental laws but also reminds us of the need to challenge injustice to shatter the status quo.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-bfd7f396-7fff-ddb9-e880-b2e8d63c1cc7"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">It feels like one long journey has ended with this favourable ruling and I am relieved. But this is only the first step, another long journey awaits. I will consider justice will have been served only when the government turns this court order into action on the ground.</span></span></span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Biodiversity conservation is the biggest challenge of our time that needs all hands on deck. As scientists, we must not be afraid to get our hands dirty and go beyond research, publication and education. I implore my peers to take encouragement from this success, to actively knock on the doors of government offices – and even of the highest courts – to help protect biodiversity and ensure justice.”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For more information, please contact:</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kumar Paudel</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kathmandu, Nepal</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Email: </span><a href="mailto:kmrpaudel@gmail.com" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">kmrpaudel@gmail.com</span></a></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Adv. Padam Bahadur Shrestha</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lead lawyer</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Email: advocate_padam@yahoo.com</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Useful Links:</span></p><ol style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Original petition filed in the Supreme Court -</span><span style="color: black;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-uNMMPpvE5MX8hUYxpF-M6D0nVl3j_iR/view?usp=share_link" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LINK</span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (in Nepali)</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">First hearing order from Supreme Court -</span><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-uNMMPpvE5MX8hUYxpF-M6D0nVl3j_iR/view?usp=share_link" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LINK</span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (in Nepali)</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">First press release issued on May -</span><a href="https://www.kumarpaudel.com/2018/05/for-immediate-release-illegal-wildlife.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LINK</span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (in English)</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Research paper based on which the case was filed -</span><a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/csp2.137" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LINK</span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (in English)</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">First Twitter complaint after first TV Broadcast announcement showing tiger pelt - </span><a href="https://twitter.com/kmrpaudel/status/763658778390646784" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LINK</span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chronological updates on Twitter following the case - </span><a href="https://twitter.com/kmrpaudel/status/996714855427133440" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LINK</span></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6DzOI9QJPynYTqqQAPakneS_x6luA3H38801qiiU9CdS17T6meRLsLmpJ_GP6Y04t2P8aiShK4fvgGMpWvz3GdN5MLRrZuYbMmiVhTZlLFROAr2ncHNcKNboUsy7bSXH5wR5VGoDbXhFYGCuULCrnqF2D-tw5br8407xMxpvUT7s-biJkHy-9XzaaQ/s1000/thumb.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="1000" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6DzOI9QJPynYTqqQAPakneS_x6luA3H38801qiiU9CdS17T6meRLsLmpJ_GP6Y04t2P8aiShK4fvgGMpWvz3GdN5MLRrZuYbMmiVhTZlLFROAr2ncHNcKNboUsy7bSXH5wR5VGoDbXhFYGCuULCrnqF2D-tw5br8407xMxpvUT7s-biJkHy-9XzaaQ/s320/thumb.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p></li></ol></span>Kumar Paudelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16690194876880189186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797589085638201162.post-72736267547895671052021-12-17T23:38:00.002-08:002022-01-02T23:47:14.899-08:00आखेटोपहार: शान बनेको ‘अपराध’ थप सामग्री <p><i>लामो समयदेखि वन्यजन्तु संरक्षण विषय अध्ययन गर्दैै आएका कुमार पौडेल पछिल्लो साढे तीन वर्षयता आखेटोपहारको गैरकानूनी प्रयोग विरुद्ध कानूनी लडाइँ लडिरहेका छन्। २ जेठ २०७५ मा उनले दायर गरेको मुद्दामा सर्वोच्च अदालतले आगामी पुस ४ गतेका लागि अन्तिम पेसी तोकेको छ। वन्यजन्तु सम्बन्धी अपराधमा गरिंदै आएको कारबाही समेत पक्षपातपूर्ण रहेको दाबी गरिएको निवेदनमा यसअघि सर्वोच्चले सरकारका नाममा कारण देखाउ आदेश जारी गरिसकेकोे छ। क्याम्ब्रिज विश्वविद्यालयबाट संरक्षण विषयमा स्नातकोत्तर गरेका पौडेल संरक्षण संस्था ग्रीनहुड नेपालका संस्थापक हुन्। नेपालमा वन्यजन्तु संरक्षणको अवस्था, सरकारी रवैया, संरक्षण-सङ्घर्ष र अदालतमा जारी मुद्दाबारे उनको आलेखः</i></p><p><b>कुमार पौडेल</b></p><p></p><p>टेलिभिजनमा कार्यक्रम चलिरहेको थियो- ‘सुमनसँग’। अतिथि थिए, पूर्व प्रधानमन्त्री कीर्तिनिधि विष्ट। कार्यक्रम सञ्चालक सुमन खरेल पञ्चायतकालीन हस्ती विष्टका राजनीतिक अनुभवहरू उप्काउँदै थिए। मेरो ध्यान भने पृष्ठभूमिमा झुन्डिरहेको बाघको छालामा अडिएको थियो।</p><p>२७ साउन २०७३ को त्यो कार्यक्रम विष्टकै बैठक कोठामा छायाङ्कन भएको सञ्चालकले पहिल्यै उद्घोष गरिसकेका थिए। मैले अचानक कैदीहरू सम्झिएँ। वन्यजन्तु सम्बन्धी अपराधमै पक्राउ परेका तिनलाई मैले भर्खरै जेलमै गएर भेटेको थिएँ।</p><p>कानूनको नजरमा वन्यजन्तु शिकार मात्र होइन, तिनका अङ्ग ओसारपसार र सङ्ग्रह पनि अपराध हो। तर, यहाँ त्यही ‘अपराध’ मुलुकका लब्धप्रतिष्ठ व्यक्तिको बैठकको शान बनिरहेको थियो। हेर्नुपर्ने निकायहरू देखेको नदेख्यै गरिरहेका थिए।</p><p>वन्यजन्तु अपराधमा कसैलाई कारबाही अनि कसैलाई चाहिं वाहवाही किन? मेरो मनले चाहेको यो प्रश्न कार्यक्रम प्रस्तोताले सोधेनन्। बाघको छालालाई केवल ‘आखेटोपहार’ देखेका उनले त्यो ‘अपराधको चिनो’ हुने सम्भावनातर्फ शायद ध्यानै दिएनन्। अन्तर्वार्ता टुङ्गियो।</p><p>हामीले उक्त आखेटोपहारको वैधता बुझेर गैरकानूनी भए दोषीसम्म पुगी कारबाही गर्न सामाजिक सञ्जालमा गुहार्यौं। हेलो सरकारमा उजुरी दियौं। तर, अन्य गुनासोको तत्काल उत्तर दिने सरकार यसपालि मौन बस्यो।</p><p>लगत्तै व्यक्तिगत कामका सिलसिलामा काठमाडौं, कमलादीस्थित सिटिजन्स ब्याङ्कको प्रधान कार्यालय पुग्दा भित्तामा बाघको टाउको टाँगिएको देखें। खोज्दै जाँदा काठमाडौंमै खुलेआम चितुवाको छाला प्रदर्शनीमा राखेको समेत पाइयो।</p><p>त्यही क्रममा एक राष्ट्रिय साप्ताहिकमा छापिएको आखेटोपहारबारेको ‘कभर स्टोरी’ फेला पर्यो। १७ पुस २०६८ को त्यो रिपोर्टमा काठमाडौंका केही घरानामा बाघ, भालु, जङ्गली गधा, चितुवा, मृग, कृष्णसार लगायत आखेटोपहार अंशबन्डासम्म भएका प्रसङ्ग जोडेर सगर्व तस्वीर प्रस्तुत गरिएको थियो।</p><p>अब बुझ्न गाह्रो थिएन, नेपालमा आखेटोपहारको प्रयोग सोचेभन्दा धेरै छ। कानूनले आफ्नो दायरा बन्दूक बोकेर जङ्गल पस्ने शिकारीहरूमा मात्र सीमित गर्दा यस्तै अपराधलाई बढावा दिने गतिविधि फरक आवरणमा खुलेआम चलिरहेका छन्। काठमाडौंकै अनामनगरमा लामो समयदेखि वन्यजन्तुको ट्याक्सीडर्मी केन्द्र नै चलिरहेको छ जहाँ वन्यजन्तुको छाला काढेर त्यसलाई पहिलाकै जस्तो स्वरूप दिइन्छ। धन, पहुँच र शक्तिमा हुनेहरू जनावरको ट्याक्सीडर्मी गर्न त्यहाँ पुग्दा रहेछन्।</p><p>म वातावरण विज्ञानको विद्यार्थी भएकाले पनि वन्यजन्तु सम्बन्धी अपराधमा बढी संवेदनशील छु। सिन्धुपाल्चोकको बाह्रबीसे मेरो जन्मथलो। त्यहीं हुर्कंदा नेपाल-चीन नाकाबाट हुने यसखाले आपराधिक कारोबार थाहा पाएँ। मेरै केही सहपाठी खासातिर रक्तचन्दन लैजाँदै गरेका गाडी रोकेर पैसा असुल्थे। त्यस क्षेत्रका केही बासिन्दाको मुख्य काम नै तस्करसँग रकम उठाउने हुन्थ्यो।</p><p>२०६३ सालमा उच्चशिक्षाका लागि काठमाडौं आएपछि विश्वविद्यालयमा वन्यजन्तु सम्बन्धी अपराधकै विषय पढ्न पाएँ। अध्ययनकै क्रममा थाहा भयो- नेपालको वन्यजन्तु अपराध सम्बन्धी कानून विश्वकै सबैभन्दा कडा रहेछ। तर, वन्यजन्तु शिकार र तस्करीका घटना पनि यहीं बढी छन्। यसले दुई कुराको सङ्केत गर्छ- पहिलो, हाम्रो कानूनी व्यवस्था अपराधकर्ममा लाग्नेलाई निरुत्साह गर्न कमजोर छ। दोस्रो- यसको कार्यान्वयन निष्पक्ष र पारदर्शी छैन।</p><p><b>कारबाहीमै पक्षपात</b></p><p>कानूनी निष्पक्षता नभएकै कारण यस सम्बन्धी अपराधमा पनि निश्चित वर्गका मानिस मात्र पक्राउ गरिंदै आएका छन्। आर्थिक र राजनीतिक पहुँच बलियो भएकाहरू जतिसुकै ठूला तस्कर वा कारोबारी भए पनि उन्मुक्ति पाइरहेका छन्।</p><p>नियामक निकायहरूलाई त नेपालमा वन्यजन्तु अपराधका कैदी कति छन् र ती कुन कुन कारागारमा छन् भन्नेसम्म थाहा छैन। यसैका लागि म राष्ट्रिय निकुञ्ज तथा वन्यजन्तु संरक्षण विभाग र कारागार व्यवस्थापन विभाग निकै धाएँ। तर, रित्तै हात फर्किनुपर्यो। अनि देशभरका कारागारमा फोन गरेर विवरण जुटाउनुको विकल्प भएन।</p><p>त्यस क्रममा जम्मा ३८४ कैदी रहेको जानकारी पाएँ, २०७१ देखि २०७३ सम्म। अधिकांश (७५ प्रतिशत) आदिवासी जनजाति मूलका थिए। कोही त आफू के कति कारणले पक्राउ परेको भन्नेसम्म अनभिज्ञ थिए। कोही जङ्गलमा घाँस काट्न जाँदा समातिएको बताउँथे। पाँच सय रुपैयाँको प्रलोभनमा वन्यजन्तु अपराधमा संलग्न भएकादेखि अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय गिरोहमा काम गर्नेहरू समेत भेटिए।</p><p><b>संरक्षण र अपराध नियन्त्रण</b></p><p>सरकारले ठूला स्तनधारी जनावरलाई मात्र केन्द्रमा राखेर संरक्षणका गतिविधि गर्दै आएको छ। अन्य जनावरको शिकार र वनपैदावर तस्करीलाई कम प्राथमिकता दिइएको छ। पक्राउका आँकडा हेर्दा पनि सालक, हाब्रे, चितुवा ओसारपसारका घटना धेरै छन्।</p><p>यस्ता गतिविधि रोक्न राष्ट्रिय निकुञ्ज तथा वन्यजन्तु संरक्षण ऐन, वन ऐन र सङ्कटापन्न वन्यजन्तु तथा वनस्पतिको अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय व्यापार नियन्त्रण सम्बन्धी ऐन बनाइएको छ। सामुदायिक स्तरमा चोरी शिकार नियन्त्रण समूहदेखि केन्द्रमा प्रधानमन्त्रीको सहभागितामा वन्यजन्तु अपराध नियन्त्रण समन्वय समिति समेत छ। निकुञ्जको सुरक्षामा करीब आठ हजार सैनिक तैनाथ छन्। नेपाल प्रहरीमा वन्यजन्तु अपराध हेर्ने छुट्टै शाखा छ।</p><p>तर, यिनको भूमिका प्रभावकारी नभएकैले नेपाल वन्यजन्तु ओसारपसारको ‘ट्रान्जिट’ बनिरहेको छ। विभिन्न अफ्रिकी र एशियाली मुलुकबाट नेपाल हुँदै आखेटोपहार चीन र अन्य मुलुक पुग्ने गरेको पाइन्छ। जैविक विविधतामा धनी भारतसँगको ९०० किमिभन्दा लामो खुला सिमाना र उत्तरमा वन्यजन्तुको ठूलो बजार चीन रहेकाले पनि नेपाल वन्यजन्तुका मामिलामा संवेदनशील क्षेत्र हो।</p><p>२८ फागुन २०२९ मा जारी भएको राष्ट्रिय निकुञ्ज तथा वन्यजन्तु संरक्षण ऐन, २०२९ अनुसार, कसैले पनि अनुमति विना वन्यजन्तु आखेटोपहारको प्रयोग, बिक्री वितरण गर्न पाउँदैन। उक्त ऐन जारी हुनु अगावैको आखेटोपहार भए स्रोत खुलाई अनुमतिका लागि ३५ दिनभित्र सम्बद्ध निकायमा आउन भनिएको छ। तर, वन्यजन्तु संरक्षण विभाग, वन विभाग र नेपाल प्रहरीको केन्द्रीय अनुसन्धान ब्यूरोमा बुझदा कसैले पनि यस्तो अनुमति नलिएको पाइयो।</p><p>म त्यस्ता आखेटोपहारलाई कानूनी दायरामा ल्याउन माग गर्दै करीब दुई वर्ष विभिन्न निकाय धाएँ। तर, उल्टै मलाई चूप बस्न सुझाउँदै ‘नत्र करियर सकिने’ धम्की दिइयो। त्यसपछि बाध्य भएर अदालतको ढोका ढकढक्याएँ।</p><p><b>रिट दर्ता गर्नै दुई दिन</b></p><p>जङ्गल र जनावरको ‘सर्भे’ गर्दै हिंडेको मान्छे म। कानूनका दफा किटेर रिट तयार पार्न सजिलो रहेनछ। ठानें- संरक्षण विज्ञान मात्र पढेर वन्यजन्तु संरक्षण गर्न सम्भव रहेनछ। अनि भर्ना भएँ, नेपाल ल क्याम्पस। त्यही क्रममा वातावरणीय विषयमै वकालत गर्ने अधिवक्ता पदमबहादुर श्रेष्ठसँग चिनजान भयो। उहाँले रिट तयार पार्न सघाइदिनुभयो।</p><p>२०७५ जेठ पहिलो साता हामी दुई जना रिट बोकेर सर्वोच्च अदालत पुग्यौं। दर्ता शाखाका कर्मचारी रिट पढेर फिस्स हाँसे अनि शाखा प्रमुखको टेबुलमा पुर्याइदिए। शाखा प्रमुख पनि नौलो र महत्त्वपूर्ण केस आएको भन्दै मुस्कुराए, तर दर्ता गर्न मानेनन्। त्यस दिन रजिस्ट्रारसम्म पुगेर रिट अड्कियो। दोस्रो दिन दरपीठ गर्नुपर्ने आधार नदेखिएको भन्दै बल्ल दर्ता गरियो। भोलिपल्टै पेसी तोकियो।</p><p>इजलासमा न्यायाधीश हुनुहुन्थ्यो- चोलेन्द्र शम्शेर जबरा। अधिवक्ताहरूबीच गाइँगुइँ चल्यो- ‘धेरैजसो आखेटोपहार राणाहरूकै घरमा छन्, चोलेन्द्र श्रीमान्ले के निर्णय गर्नुहोला!’ रिट पढेपछि न्यायाधीश जबरा पनि मुस्कुराउनुभयो। अनि भन्नुभयो, “तत्काल परमादेश दिंदा कार्यान्वयनमा गाह्रो पर्न सक्छ, त्यसैले अग्राधिकार सहित सरकारका नाममा कारण देखाउ आदेश दिएको छु।” त्यो आदेशले मलाई निकै आशावादी बनायो।</p><p><b>सरकारको जवाफ</b></p><p>म दुई वर्ष धाउँदा यो विषय नउठाउन सुझाव दिएका सरकारी अधिकारीहरूले यसपालि अदालतलाई लिखित जवाफ पठाए। जवाफमा प्रधानमन्त्री कार्यालयदेखि वन विभागसम्मका आआफ्नै रटान थिए।</p><p>वन मन्त्रालयले अहिले प्रयोग तथा प्रदर्शनमा रहेका आखेटोपहारहरू अनुमति लिइएको हुन सक्ने भन्दै रिट खारेज गर्न आग्रह गरेको थियो। तर, आफ्नै मन्त्रालय मातहत त्यसको निस्सा जारी भए/नभएको आँकडा ऊसँग थिएन। तालुकदार निकाय वन्यजन्तु संरक्षण विभागले भने हालसम्म कोही पनि अनुमतिका लागि नआएको जवाफ दियो। यसबाट व्यक्तिगत प्रयोग र प्रदर्शनमा रहेका सबैजसो आखेटोपहार गैरकानूनी रहेको स्पष्ट हुन्छ।</p><p>वन्यजन्तु सम्बन्धी अपराध नियन्त्रणमा ‘सकेसम्म कोशिश गरिरहेको’ सरकारले एकैखाले अपराधमा कसैलाई पक्राउ गरिनु र कसैलाई देखेको नदेखे झैं गर्नुको कारण दिन सकेन। आखेटोपहारको प्रयोग सम्बन्धी तथ्याङ्क सङ्कलन गर्ने, अभियोग दायर गर्ने, कानूनी आधार देखिए निस्सा तथा अनुज्ञापत्र दिने काम नभएको विषयमा पनि सरकार जवाफहीन थियो।</p><p><b>कस्तो आउला फैसला?</b></p><p>सर्वोच्चले उक्त मुद्दामा आगामी पुस ४ लाई अन्तिम पेसी तोकेको छ। वन्यजन्तु सम्बन्धी अपराधमा निम्न आर्थिक हैसियतकालाई कारबाही र पहुँचदारलाई ‘वाहवाही’ गर्ने सरकारी रवैया विरुद्धको मुद्दा हो यो। ऐन-कानून सबैलाई समान हुनुपर्ने मेरो माग छ।</p><p>माग बमोजिम आदेश जारी भए हाल प्रयोगमा रहेका आखेटोपहारको लगत राख्न, कानूनी आधार भए अनुमति दिन वा गैरकानूनी भए जफत गरी कारबाही गर्न सरकार बाध्य हुनेछ। यसबाट राष्ट्रिय निकुञ्ज तथा वन्यजन्तु संरक्षण ऐनभन्दा अघिका आखेटोपहारको सङ्ख्या पहिचान भई कानूनी दायरामा आउनेछन्। अनि पुराना आखेटोपहारको आवरणमा भइरहेको वन्यजन्तुको अवैध व्यापार नियन्त्रणमा सघाउ पुग्नेछ।</p><p>यससँगै साधारण मानिसले आखेटोपहार राख्दा गैरकानूनी हुने अनि कथित शासक तथा उपल्ला वर्गले राख्दा चाहिं कानूनी भए जसरी राज्यले अपनाइरहेको दोहोरो रवैया पनि अन्त्य हुनेछ। एकै प्रकृतिको कसूरमा कसैलाई १५ वर्ष जेल त कसैप्रति आँखा चिम्लनु न्यायिक राज्यलाई सुहाउने कार्य होइन।</p><p>चोरी शिकारकै कारण अहिले धेरै वन्यजन्तु लोपोन्मुख अवस्थामा छन्। वन्यजन्तुका अङ्गको माग भएकैले यिनको चोरी शिकार बढेको हो। यस्तोमा पैतृक सम्पत्ति, सांस्कृतिक परम्परा वा पहुँचको आडमा पुराना आखेटोपहार बेचबिखन भइरहेको आशङ्कालाई नकार्न सकिन्न। फेरि पुराना आखेटोपहार देखाएर नयाँको कारोबार पनि भइरहेको हुन सक्छ। यस कारण यो मुद्दा गम्भीर हो। यसलाई नजरअन्दाज गरिए अपराधीको मनोबल बढ्नुका साथै दुर्लभ जनावरको संरक्षणमा अझै चुनौती थपिनेछ।</p><p>अर्कातर्फ वन्यजन्तुका अङ्ग तस्करी स्थानीय होइन, अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय समस्या हो। कंगोमा शिकार गरिएको सालक, माडागास्कारका चरा अनि चीनको चिरुका रौं नेपालमा समातिएका छन्। त्यसैले हाम्रो कानूनी क्षमताले हाम्रो मात्र होइन, दक्षिणएशिया अनि विश्वकै वन्यजन्तु संरक्षणमा महत्त्व राख्छ। मलाई विश्वास छ, सम्मानित सर्वोच्च अदालतले यो गाम्भीर्यलाई बुझ्नेछ।</p><p><i>(हिमालको २०७८ पुस अङ्कबाट।) </i><i>https://www.himalkhabar.com/news/127298</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0RpQQwNWQWEeHyE5J2fppI8dUg8OEZIJdEzGYV508ifMGT7YgCo1dbi8XQLgyzSYqgddYZd_nijCCVj-XKxH3_IA2Llj8W41iLBXREiZtCfNEUcc2Qt8s_g51zyOIFGWXBUIPhCV6kqDaqRIiiHSCoFxaWLcSQ63VvpoadgCL-7T5GDSDKOim2oU_hg=s1200" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="1200" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0RpQQwNWQWEeHyE5J2fppI8dUg8OEZIJdEzGYV508ifMGT7YgCo1dbi8XQLgyzSYqgddYZd_nijCCVj-XKxH3_IA2Llj8W41iLBXREiZtCfNEUcc2Qt8s_g51zyOIFGWXBUIPhCV6kqDaqRIiiHSCoFxaWLcSQ63VvpoadgCL-7T5GDSDKOim2oU_hg=w593-h338" width="593" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p><p><br /></p>Kumar Paudelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16690194876880189186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797589085638201162.post-7101816567005602702021-08-19T00:31:00.003-07:002022-01-02T23:48:02.840-08:00वनफूल वनमै फुल्न दिऊँ<p><i>रेशु बस्याल, कमल मादेन, कुमार पौडेल</i></p><p><span face="Mukta, sans-serif" style="color: #212529; text-align: justify;">केही वर्षयता वनको सुनाखरी उक्काएर घरमा ल्याउने प्रचलन निकै बढेको छ । अझ सामाजिक सञ्जालमा, जंगलबाट अनधिकृत रूपमा लुछेर ल्याइएका तस्बिर गर्वका साथ पोस्ट गर्ने होड नै चलेको छ । यो प्रवृत्तिको निसानामा प्रायः आकर्षक फूल फुल्ने जातका सुनाखरी बढी पर्छन् । अनौठो त के छ भने यस्तो काममा आफूलाई सुनाखरीको माया गर्ने ‘अर्किड लभर्स’ भन्न रुचाउने नै अग्रपंक्तिमा छन् ।यो पुस्ता राम्रो कुरा आफ्नो घर र स्वामित्वमा राख्न निकै हुटहुटीमा भए झैँ देखिन्छ, तर प्रकृतिमा रमाइरहेको वनस्पतिलाई उसको वासस्थानबाट छुटाएर हामी आफ्नो कस्तो ‘प्रकृतिप्रेमी’ साख जोगाउन खोज्दै छौँ, बुझिनसक्नु छ ।</span></p><p><span face="Mukta, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #212529; font-weight: bolder; text-align: justify;">सामाजिक सञ्जालमा सुनाखरी :</span><span face="Mukta, sans-serif" style="color: #212529; text-align: justify;"> सामाजिक सञ्जालमा छ्यापछ्याप्ती भएका तस्बिरहरू हेर्दा सुनाखरी सिकारमा आमसमुदाय मात्र नभई पत्रकार, अध्ययनकर्मी र सरकारी अधिकारीहरूसमेत सामेल देखिन्छन् । चामलको बोरा वा ठूला प्लास्टिकको झोलामा जथाभावी सुनाखरी संकलन गरिएका तस्बिरहरूले कति निर्मम र अवैज्ञानिक ढंगबाट सुनाखरीहरू संकलन भइरहेका छन् भन्ने देखाउँछ । कतिपय ठाउँमा सुनाखरी भएका रूख नै ढालेरसमेत संकलन गरिएका छन् । संकलकले दुर्लभ प्रजातिका वनस्पति संकलन गर्न सफल भएको भनेर गर्वका साथ खुलाउने पनि गरेका छन् । यसरी विभिन्न बहानामा भइरहेको गैरकानुनी सुनाखरी सिकार र यसको प्रभावबारे सोच्न ढिला भइसकेको छ ।</span></p><p><span face="Mukta, sans-serif" style="color: #212529; text-align: justify;">नेपालका सुनाखरीहरू अधिकांश दुर्लभ र रैथाने किसिमका छन् । सीमित क्षेत्रमा न्यून संख्यामा रहेका प्रजाति अनधिकृत संकलनले त्यस्ता प्रजातिको अस्तित्व नै संकटमा आउँछ । जथाभावी संकलन गरिएका सुनाखरी अर्कै ठाउँमा सार्दा सर्ने सम्भावना निकै कम हुन्छ । हिमालय क्षेत्रका लामो समय सुनाखरी अध्ययन अनुसन्धानमा बिताएका डा. भक्तबहादुर रास्कोटी पनि यही औँल्याउँछन् ।</span></p><p><span face="Mukta, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #212529; font-weight: bolder; text-align: justify;">ऐनमा सुनाखरी :</span><span face="Mukta, sans-serif" style="color: #212529; text-align: justify;"> नेपालको कानुनले अनधिकृत सुनाखरी संकलनलाई वर्जित गरेको छ । सुनाखरी संकटापन्न वन्यजन्तु तथा वनस्पतिको अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय व्यापारसम्बन्धी महासन्धि (साइटिस)को अनुसूची (१) र (२) मा पर्छ । नेपालमा अहिलेसम्म सुनाखरीका करिब पाँच सय प्रजाति पहिचान भएका छन् । नेपालको कानुनले अनधिकृत सुनाखरी संकलनलाई वर्जित गरेको छ । सबै संकटापन्न वन्यजन्तु तथा वनस्पतिको अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय व्यापार नियन्त्रण ऐन र नियमले सम्बन्धित निकाय वन तथा भू–संरक्षण विभागको अनुमतिविना हुने संकटापन्न वनस्पति संकलन, ओसारपसार, व्यापार र प्रयोग दण्डित अपराध मानेको छ । यसको कसुर गर्नेलाई पाँच वर्षसम्म कैद वा पाँच लाख रुपैयाँसम्म जरिवाना वा दुवै सजाय सजाय हुने प्रावधान छ ।</span></p><p><span face="Mukta, sans-serif" style="color: #212529; text-align: justify;">वन तथा भू–संरक्षण विभागबाट अनुमति नै लिएर सुनाखरी संकलन गर्दासमेत धेरै विषयमा ध्यान दिन जरुरी हुन्छ । सर्वप्रथम, संकलन गरिने प्रजाति दुर्लभ हो वा होइन, पहिचान गरिनुपर्छ । दुर्लभ भए भरसक नमुना संकलन गर्नै हुँदैन । संकलन गर्नैपर्ने भए कतापट्टिको भाग संकलन गर्दा त्यसलाई असर पर्दैन, विचार पु¥याउनुपर्छ । सकेसम्म एउटा मात्र नमुना लिनुपर्छ । कुनै सुनाखरी सम्बन्धित ठाउँको इन्डेमिक अर्थात् रैथाने हुन सक्छ । रैथाने भए त्यसलाई विशेष रूपमा जोहो गर्नुपर्छ । </span></p><p><span face="Mukta, sans-serif" style="color: #212529; text-align: justify;">सुनाखरीको राजधानी मानिने गण्डकी प्रदेशमा पिनालिया अन्नपुर्नेन्सिस, पिनालिया पोखरेन्सिस, नियोटिआ नेपालेन्सिस, ओडोन्टोचिलस नन्देयी, ओरेओकिस पोर्पिm¥यान्थस वैज्ञानिक नाम पाएका रैथाने सुनाखरी छन् । त्यसैले संकलनकर्ताले कुन प्रजाति दुर्लभ वा रैथाने हो भन्ने हेक्का नराखी जथाभावी संकलन गर्नु गलत हुन्छ । अर्कोतिर, संकलन गरेर सामाजिक सञ्जालमा यस्ता तस्बिर पोस्ट गर्दा आमसमुदायमा सुनाखरी यसरी नै संकलन गर्न हुने रहेछ भन्ने गलत सन्देशसमेत जान्छ ।</span></p><p><span face="Mukta, sans-serif" style="color: #212529; text-align: justify;">वन तथा भू–संरक्षण विभाग काठमाडौंले साइटिसको अनुसूचीमा रहेका सुनाखरीको संकलन अनुमति यसैको साइटिस व्यवस्थापन गर्ने अधिकारीको परामर्शबाट दिने प्रावधान छ । पछिल्लो समयमा सुनाखरी संकलन तथा व्यापार अनुमति कसैलाई पनि नदिएको सो विभागले जनाउँछ । यसको अर्थ, जो जसले गरेका भए पनि हाल भइरहेका सबै सुनाखरी संकलन अवैध र कानुनतः दण्डनीय अपराध हुन् ।</span></p><p><span face="Mukta, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #212529; font-weight: bolder; text-align: justify;">यसरी सोचौँ :</span><span face="Mukta, sans-serif" style="color: #212529; text-align: justify;"> हिजोआज सामाजिक सञ्जालमा तस्बिर खिचेर फलानो ठाउँ, फलानो वनको, फलानो पाखाको विवरणसहित जंगली फूललगायतको तस्बिर पोस्ट गर्ने चलन ह्वात्तै बढेको छ । त्यस्ता पोस्टबाट उक्त वनस्पति कहाँनेरको हो भन्ने सजिलै पत्तो लाग्छ । आसपासका सामाजिक सञ्जाल उपयोगकर्ता यस्ता पोस्टको आधारमा उक्त फूल भएको ठाउँमा पुग्न सक्छन् । आमरूपमा ती वनस्पति दुर्लभ वा रैथाने भन्ने जानकारी हुन्न । यसरी त्यस्ता गतिविधिले प्रजातिको अस्तित्वमै असर पुग्छ ।</span></p><p><span face="Mukta, sans-serif" style="color: #212529; text-align: justify;">प्रतिदिन लाखौँको संख्यामा प्रयोगकर्ता बढेसँगै संकटापन्न जैविक विविधता संरक्षणमा सामाजिक सञ्जालको भूमिका के कस्तो हुने भन्नेबारे चर्चा विश्वभर हुन थालेको छ । केही अध्ययन अनुसन्धानले सामाजिक सञ्जालले आमसमुदायमा जनचेतना जगाई संरक्षणका निम्ति सकारात्मक भूमिका पुर्याउँछ भन्ने देखाए तापनि हाम्रो जस्तो देशमा यसको प्रभाव कस्तो हुन्छ, यकिन छैन । तर, सामाजिक सञ्जालमा देखिएको कुरालाई नियाल्दा यसले गैरकानुनी संकलक र कारोबारीलाई समेत सघाउ पुग्ने देखिन्छ । </span></p><p><span face="Mukta, sans-serif" style="color: #212529; text-align: justify;">नेपालजस्तो मुलुक, जहाँ संरक्षणको केन्द्रमा बाघ, हात्ती, गैँडा, अर्नालगायतका जनावरमा मात्र बढी लागिपर्ने सरकारी निकायसँग सबै वनस्पतिका बारेमा विस्तृत जानकारी नहुन सक्छ । साथै, सबै वनस्पति प्रजातिको संरक्षण योजना पनि बन्न सकेको छैन । यद्यपि, सुनाखरी नेपालको अमूल्य निधि हो, यसको संरक्षणमा सजग हुनु हरेक नागरिकको कर्तव्य हुन्छ । सरकारका सम्बन्धित निकायलाई आवश्यक नीति नियम बनाउन, कानुनको कार्यान्वयन गर्न र अधिकारको दुरुपयोग भएको भए कारबाही गर्न आमनागरिकले खबरदारी गर्न जरुरी छ । </span></p><p><span face="Mukta, sans-serif" style="color: #212529; text-align: justify;">हामीकहाँ अक्सर सरकारलाई मात्र दोष लगाएर उम्कने प्रवृत्ति छ । हामी नागरिक पनि उत्तिकै जिम्मेवार छौँ । अब अर्कोपटक जंगलमा भएका सुनाखरीे वा अन्य कुनै वनस्पति देख्दा त्यसलाई लुछ्नुअघि र फलानो ठाउँबाट ल्याएँ भनेर गर्व गर्दै सामाजिक सञ्जालमा देखाउनु/सुनाउनुअघि एकपटक यसले सम्बन्धित प्रजातिलाई के कस्तो असर पर्छ, सोचौँ । हाम्रोे लापरवाही र लालसाले कुनै एक वनस्पति÷प्राणी प्रजाति संसारबाट लोप हुन सक्छ ।</span></p><p><i style="color: #212529; font-family: Mukta, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">(विज्ञानमा आधारित संरक्षण संस्था ग्रिनहुड नेपालमा आबद्ध लेखकत्रय संरक्षणकर्मी हुन्)</i></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-DuCM_90Sg9ywi_EE-XZBnjRBITd_JzqbcfCWRu9Z2BYuRMl6rEViP8949l0fzNgIPETZNdgYAvaugTozgL2stHDEIIkD5AiTDwH6VBwmIZUdalGLFCgRt51OKJsOvDNcsxiyCv12cSnA8Ox7BaHbWwyuayX_AlBzC6edSqxWYuauhqJj3HXFLeqoAQ=s1806" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="1806" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-DuCM_90Sg9ywi_EE-XZBnjRBITd_JzqbcfCWRu9Z2BYuRMl6rEViP8949l0fzNgIPETZNdgYAvaugTozgL2stHDEIIkD5AiTDwH6VBwmIZUdalGLFCgRt51OKJsOvDNcsxiyCv12cSnA8Ox7BaHbWwyuayX_AlBzC6edSqxWYuauhqJj3HXFLeqoAQ=w653-h380" width="653" /></a></p>Kumar Paudelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16690194876880189186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797589085638201162.post-19622515749627979632021-02-20T21:15:00.002-08:002021-02-23T01:21:14.730-08:00Nepal's frontline communities need help and resources to save pangolinsMany people around the world know what a pangolin is. Pangolins have garnered global attention as the most trafficked mammal in the world. In the past year, pangolins came into the spotlight because of widespread suspicion that a pangolin served as an intermediary source of COVID-19. Wildlife conservation conferences, wildlife trade reports, and important policy documents hardly miss pangolins these days – here they have focused attention. However, the frontline authorities and communities living with the pangolins know very little about them.<br /><br />Pangolins, known as unique scaly anteaters, are on the verge of extinction due to poaching and habitat destruction. Experts have warned that some pangolin species, including Chinese pangolins, could go extinct if the threats they face continue. Nepal is home to two pangolin species: the Chinese pangolin and the Indian pangolin; both species reside outside protected areas for the most part. As a conservationist based in Nepal, an incident that occurred a few months back made me realize how little we know about pangolins, especially the local communities who share their habitat and the teams who deal with their rescue and release.<br /><br />In the first week of November 2020, a Chinese pangolin was seized near Kathmandu, Nepal. It was caged in a small wooden box but still breathing. The next day I received a call for help from the Division Forest Office when the seized pangolin gave birth to a baby. They were unsure of how to care for the mother and baby pangolin. The mother pangolin was still enclosed in the small wooden box, and a few people were trying to find ways to help the baby. However, neither the officials nor researchers like me were sure of how best to proceed to help them both.<br /><br />To start, I checked with the only zoo in Kathmandu, and was informed they had no capacity to handle rescued pangolins. None of the pangolins that were rescued and sent to the zoo have<a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2013/02/pity-the-pangolin-little-known-mammal-most-common-victim-of-the-wildlife-trade/"> survived so far</a>. With nowhere else to go, the mother and baby pangolin were kept in the zoo for a night, and then released in Bhaktapur. After discussing the decision with zoo officials, we found no better option and hoped that the released pangolins would find their own way. <br /><br />According to wildlife seizure records in Nepal, one-sixth of pangolins are captured alive. The frontline officials can only save rescued pangolins if they are able to handle them properly. Pangolins are critically endangered and the ability to rehabilitate rescued pangolins is an important need that is not currently being met in Nepal. When discussing live pangolin seizures and rescue events with frontline officials, they reported the difficulty and confusion of trying to care for a rescued pangolin. In addition, there is a lengthy legal process before releasing pangolins to the forest or handing them over to zoo officials.<br /><br />There is a clear need here for a proper rescue, rehab, release plan and capacity building to deal with pangolins. The local communities, officials and even the pangolin researchers have little understanding of how to properly rehabilitate rescued pangolins. The COVID-19 pandemic and its potential connection to pangolins has added more confusion on the ground level. Knowledge of pangolin handling is essential for protecting the species and it is in our best interest to learn to deal with live pangolins safely and humanely.<br /><br />When pangolins are rescued live, it is always better to release them back to the habitat if the pangolin is not severely injured. Rescue becomes much more difficult when the pangolin is not in good health. Some institutions have found ways to successfully host pangolins in captivity. For example, <a href="https://www.nandankanan.org/pangolin-breeding.php">Nandankanan Zoo</a> in India is successfully doing captive care and rescue of Indian pangolins, and <a href="https://www.kfbg.org/en/">Kadoorie Botanic Garden in Hongkong</a> has experience in dealing with the Chinese pangolin. The exchange of experiences in handling seized pangolins can help the zoo officials and frontline authorities in pangolin range countries like Nepal where adequate knowledge and training is absent from conservation efforts.<br /><br />Nepal is a source country for pangolins and is now emerging as an active international transit point for pangolin trade. Hundreds of kilograms of pangolin scales originating from the Congo in Africa and destined for China were <a href="https://thehimalayantimes.com/kathmandu/two-chinese-held-with-162-kg-pangolin-scales/">seized in Kathmandu airport</a> in the last few years. Nepal is becoming a new connection between Africa and China for the pangolin trade and this issue highlights the urgent need for Nepal to develop the capacity to deal with pangolin seizures and rehabilitation in the case of live rescues.<br /><br />Wildlife protection laws are not enough to save pangolins. We have strong international laws barring trade and national laws that prioritize pangolin conservation action plans. In Nepal, pangolins have the status of protected species and there are stringent punishments for those who break the law – up to 15 years of imprisonment and 1 million Nepalese rupees fine - possibly the most severe punishment for any wildlife crime in the world. However, the poaching and trafficking of pangolins remains rampant.<br /><br />Nepal has been wildly successful in controlling the widespread poaching of rhinos and is on its way to doubling the country’s tiger population – it’s time now to focus on the world’s most trafficked mammal, the pangolin. Nepal's capacity to develop a suitable program given their success with other megafauna has never been in question. The pangolin may not be a glamorous animal that attracts tourism money, but it is in dire need of attention and resources. We can still save pangolins from widespread exploitation and future extinction, but the time to act is now. <br /><br />Kumar Paudel is Co-Founder and Director of Greenhood Nepal, a member of IUCN Pangolin Specialist Group, and a grant recipient of the <a href="https://www.savepangolins.org/news/2020/12/9/meet-the-bold-new-champions-dedicated-to-saving-pangolins">Pangolin Champions Program</a>.<div><br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAcF5kfq_sdM8YIMQtglnMi9pQWG_nT_VY1Ii_7HElvE1j_Gv-0pOwDzxJnGORph4iUubM7bBXP4WDUgigRNkfndkxlAZjuIfFeZPp7pJObVreadeLt5-jGKljH7hhCxP9HzdR5xMWML9J/s2048/Photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAcF5kfq_sdM8YIMQtglnMi9pQWG_nT_VY1Ii_7HElvE1j_Gv-0pOwDzxJnGORph4iUubM7bBXP4WDUgigRNkfndkxlAZjuIfFeZPp7pJObVreadeLt5-jGKljH7hhCxP9HzdR5xMWML9J/s320/Photo+3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Kumar Paudelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16690194876880189186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797589085638201162.post-62814249330989035832021-01-29T07:54:00.007-08:002021-02-23T01:23:14.248-08:00Saving cancer-treating yew trees from extinction in NepalMaire’s yew is a globally threatened tree with cancer-treating properties. In Nepal, the species is critically endangered nationally, with only a few hundred left in the wild. My team and I at Greenhood Nepal are on a mission to safeguard the future of this very special tree.<div><br />The bark, leaves and trunk of Maire’s yew contain a compound called Taxol that has <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">proven cancer-treating properties</a>, but this discovery has been both a blessing and a curse for the species. Locals have learned of its commercial value and are overexploiting it with little consideration of its conservation status or sustainable harvesting.<br /><br />The problems facing Maire’s yew are of particular interest to Greenhood Nepal, an NGO I founded in 2012 with six other friends while we were doing our undergraduate studies at Tribhuvan University, Nepal. From the beginning, our goal was to focus on the human dimensions of nature conservation and empower people across Nepal to respond to emerging conservation challenges to better protect and manage our natural resources.<br /><br />In 2018, with The <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">Conservation Leadership Programme</a> support, Greenhood Nepal <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">began the first-ever population survey</a> of Maire’s yew tree in Central Nepal, which revealed very sparse numbers across its rugged mid-hill forest range. We also spoke to local communities to try to understand harvesting practices—a difficult challenge considering most people here know very little about the yew.<br /><br />There’s no doubt that Maire’s yew tree is facing a bleak future in Nepal. As a dioecious species (meaning the male and female reproductive structures are on separate trees), its natural regeneration relies on ‘males’ and ‘females’ being in close proximity so that pollinators can do their work. However, cross-pollination is now becoming increasingly unlikely given the sparse remaining population and uncontrolled overharvesting across the species’ range.<br /><br />Sadly, this very special tree is being driven to extinction in our country, by our hands.<br /><br />Not to say that the long-term destruction of our forests has been ignored. Quite the contrary, in fact. Over the last 40 years or so, collaborative community forestry initiatives have helped protect our diminishing forests and even increased forest cover in some areas.<br /><br />A typical forest area in Nepal. Community forest initiatives have helped protect Nepal’s diminishing forests since the late 1970s © Kumar Paudel/Greenhood Nepal<br /><br />These initiatives aimed to empower local communities to manage and use forest resources for their own benefit. Decision-making has been handed over to local users (under the supervision of government authorities), giving them an incentive to ensure sustainable forest use and be responsible for its management.<br /><br />What still concerns me is that these community forests – in Nepal, at least – focus more on forest management than on biodiversity conservation, and their contribution to the livelihoods of local people is still questionable in many areas.<br /><br />Central to the issue is that Nepalese community forest users prepare management plans only every five to 10 years. These are often just a formality and are usually developed without consulting biodiversity experts, so they rarely address biodiversity conservation or conform to sustainable use policies.<br /><br />In the case of Maire’s yew, our 2018 CLP project found that local people were illegally harvesting the trees from community forests – some of which had been standing for hundreds of years – and they were not taking account of the health of the trees. Outside community forests, private cultivators were being encouraged by local authorities to grow seedlings obtained from stem cutting a single tree – a practice that could reduce the genetic diversity of the subsequent yew population.<br /><br />Considering the urgency to save our few remaining Maire’s yew trees, Greenhood Nepal is working hard to sensitize local communities about the conservation importance of the species and the potential benefits they could gain in the future from its trade. I’m happy to say that the communities have already <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">started to save the trees from stone mining and road construction</a>.<br /><br />CLP project lead Reshu Bashyal (left) and Kumar Paudel (second from left) talking with the local yew harvester communities in Kavrepalnchok, Nepal © Prakash Poudel/Greenhood Nepal<br /><br />Apart from saving what remains right now, we are also working closely with local governments to restore the historically exploited population across its range in Central Nepal. We are in conversations with local nurseries and regeneration experts to enable its artificial propagation, to produce sex-balanced seedlings, and establish plantations.<br /><br />The success of community-based conservation can be retained only if it benefits the people who are protecting it. Communities should be aware of the species population, distribution, and sustainable harvesting techniques so they are engaged in its long-term conservation. As such, with the support of the Kate Stokes Memorial Trust, we have been <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">developing sustainable harvesting guidelines</a> for community forest users and testing these with experts and harvester communities.<br /><br />Our dream is to ensure the long-term survival of Maire’s yews in Nepalese forests, while ensuring communities can benefit from sustainable harvesting and trade of the yew’s potentially life-saving properties. This will surely be a win-win for both yews and people.<br /><br />This was originally published in the website of <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">Conservation Leadership Programme</a> and <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">Cambridge Conservation Initiative.</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_WClCd3yhu-P86gIzQAMZzmgvUs3SvdBo6JqK4dhBFoI363LiQUt0vtnlPahAQ7_o03ztJM8aXTHDLBxfA98aJ7I0iw5LfgGT1xdPQ_AVbbwQFQCvvEBnvhH-JEBwOA4zH5RHK7qFY8Hw/s2048/IMG_2931.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_WClCd3yhu-P86gIzQAMZzmgvUs3SvdBo6JqK4dhBFoI363LiQUt0vtnlPahAQ7_o03ztJM8aXTHDLBxfA98aJ7I0iw5LfgGT1xdPQ_AVbbwQFQCvvEBnvhH-JEBwOA4zH5RHK7qFY8Hw/s320/IMG_2931.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>Kumar Paudelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16690194876880189186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797589085638201162.post-4658163651545431542021-01-29T07:47:00.006-08:002021-01-29T07:47:47.489-08:00The Talking Tree released on Youtube <p><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #030303; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maire’s yew species from Nepal is on the verge of extinction due to overexploitation for their cancer-treating properties. The last remaining a few hundred wild trees are distributed in Central Nepal. We are working to save the wild Maire’s yew working with the local communities.</span></p><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #030303; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here we present a story- a dialogue between a human and a tree oddly takes place. A boy named Ramesh is bewildered by an unusual sound while walking through the forest which leads to his school. They both get into an unexpected conversation where this lesser-known tree, Marie’s yew shares her pains and pleads to us to save these trees from extinction. Ramesh, her new friend, realizes the importance of Marie’s yew tree and promises to conserve it.
The full version of this story was printed and distributed in schools around the key habitat of Maire’s yew trees in Kavrepalanchok. ISBN: 978-9937-0-8397
Story and Text: Kumar Paudel
Illustrations: Sanyukta Shrestha
Voice: Sharada Gurung, Kritik Wagle
</span><div><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #030303; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #030303; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Youtube link for the video: </span><span style="color: #030303; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMXlre43vvA</span></div><div><span style="color: #030303; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #030303; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="305" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BMXlre43vvA" width="542" youtube-src-id="BMXlre43vvA"></iframe></div><br /></span></div>Kumar Paudelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16690194876880189186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797589085638201162.post-82965221475303493082021-01-02T21:28:00.001-08:002021-01-03T21:31:38.470-08:00Kumar Paudel speaks with BBC Nepali on Parsa Tiger Roadkill<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What a tragic loss to begin 2021 in Nepal. A female tiger was killed in a collision with a car on Mahendra highway crossing through Parsa National Park.</span></span></p><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kumar Paudel speaks with BBC Nepali on how roadkills can be reduced in the future.</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">Link: </span><span style="color: #050505;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.bbc.com/nepali/news-55513007?fbclid=IwAR3BLbHHVnnqxPdgrxir2GiKyL7q19PhLV1ki2_v4LmbIPVrH07jm9Iis68</span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="color: #050505;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="color: #050505;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDui8chnaZWl1J3h201A8WAEZUD8WFKP8FzaNh7Iy6PvtE2gv8Of4R6FEBApGr4ohc2o61pvWZI-KIz64tUCt2FwT7qyDmjI8YxqIqkBTGMJaLnSHzsS5FVkwZi5RTZaET2UkdyeAxD-PS/s800/_116327282_tiger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDui8chnaZWl1J3h201A8WAEZUD8WFKP8FzaNh7Iy6PvtE2gv8Of4R6FEBApGr4ohc2o61pvWZI-KIz64tUCt2FwT7qyDmjI8YxqIqkBTGMJaLnSHzsS5FVkwZi5RTZaET2UkdyeAxD-PS/s320/_116327282_tiger.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></div></div>Kumar Paudelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16690194876880189186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797589085638201162.post-1380154395132607362020-12-29T21:24:00.003-08:002021-01-03T21:28:00.551-08:00Graduated from the University of Cambridge<p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">My parents never got a chance to go to school. They even can’t read the graduate degree I just received from the University of Cambridge. Despite the hardship of arranging food for me, including my five siblings in a tiny mountain village of Nepal, they always inspired us to dream big and to work for the welfare of nature and society. I want to dedicate my Cambridge degree to all of those parents who struggle hard to send their children to school and prepare them to make a better world. To my parents, thank you for instilling me with a strong passion for learning. Thank you to everyone who pushed me, supported me, and loved me.</span><span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" face="system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; display: inline-flex; font-size: 15px; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle; white-space: pre-wrap; width: 16px;"><br /></span></div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV532N0omE-CezsSSUxwo2JxK6m7F0Iz7Oa4tiTE6bDUYura3pqaffDXwfpBX63hb2gflSfqHLAgTVSNYyWG7a0EGgvZyFHTXocrBPMVHBzj2G58C_d356UKeVxZZRmmBFzPY0a4AHp29T/s1595/KP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1595" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV532N0omE-CezsSSUxwo2JxK6m7F0Iz7Oa4tiTE6bDUYura3pqaffDXwfpBX63hb2gflSfqHLAgTVSNYyWG7a0EGgvZyFHTXocrBPMVHBzj2G58C_d356UKeVxZZRmmBFzPY0a4AHp29T/s320/KP.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Kumar Paudelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16690194876880189186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797589085638201162.post-12291148489034487952020-12-19T21:33:00.014-08:002021-01-03T21:34:50.952-08:00Wildlife Research Techniques Training 2020<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This morning, I enjoyed giving a talk on wildlife trade for ‘Wildlife Research Techniques Training' to young graduates. Many thanks to </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Raju Acharya</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and the </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Friends of Nature Nepal </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">team for organizing such an important training and inviting me for a talk. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNfoULr1_m0PLvKFsh3h0Sq9MtMYiy_K6x5dKQxBPtNS4EXkt86by6Pp9p2rFA4HEcVqqHw94WnYqFXn0jpW7VbcGUrlgRamUrQKxVvSs2Ll9WoEEYTRnSddzPzt4CiBgXXeskkpD0P1i4/s2016/131978539_3848795445145029_1197174856773704667_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="2016" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNfoULr1_m0PLvKFsh3h0Sq9MtMYiy_K6x5dKQxBPtNS4EXkt86by6Pp9p2rFA4HEcVqqHw94WnYqFXn0jpW7VbcGUrlgRamUrQKxVvSs2Ll9WoEEYTRnSddzPzt4CiBgXXeskkpD0P1i4/s320/131978539_3848795445145029_1197174856773704667_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p>Kumar Paudelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16690194876880189186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797589085638201162.post-41182794980103223542020-10-06T08:15:00.007-07:002021-01-03T21:35:13.289-08:00National Youth Advocacy Training<p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">This afternoon I spoke at National Youth Advocacy Training organized by WWF and GYBN Nepal. </span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many thanks to WWF and GYBN for organizing this and also inviting me to share my experiences. </span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was truly an honour to meet and share my experiences with 100+ young conservation minds.</span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I hope this training will </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: justify;">amplify Nepal's young people’s voices, actions, and initiatives in nature conservation.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO-s93Fqf9saooe84rn0p5Otu7NteftuBoW3thSUsrcktKasIVCafX8K9rNJOzRW3cvfzSfGflQF1G_D5txGZ_CWAzQOUi7CF1s52gfndqSmtvwQQJgi-_ePFTOjV8Ng83Xqlj9_fW6WiY/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO-s93Fqf9saooe84rn0p5Otu7NteftuBoW3thSUsrcktKasIVCafX8K9rNJOzRW3cvfzSfGflQF1G_D5txGZ_CWAzQOUi7CF1s52gfndqSmtvwQQJgi-_ePFTOjV8Ng83Xqlj9_fW6WiY/" width="240" /></a></div><p></p>Kumar Paudelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16690194876880189186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797589085638201162.post-49805974335047852032020-09-15T08:00:00.004-07:002020-09-15T08:01:34.498-07:00Rare anti-cancer tree on verge of extinctionThe Himalayan mountains are known as a treasure trove of medicinal plants, many of which have not even been scientifically studied. But one rare tree with proven anti-cancer property is on the verge of extinction, and needs urgent protection.<br /><br />Maire’s yew (Taxus mairei or Lauth Salla in Nepali) is a conifer that used to be abundant in the mountains of central Nepal. Because of unsustainable harvesting, there are less than 500 mature trees left in the wild.<br /><br />Yews have healing properties for several ailments, but it is for its anti-cancer property that it is most valued, and that is also why the trees are being over-exploited. Their leaves, bark and trunks contain a compound called taxol, proven to inhibit the growth of new cancer cells.<br /><br />Maire’s yew is one of the three Taxus species found in the country. While Taxus contorta is distributed from west to central Nepal and Taxus wallichiana (Himalayan yew) is found in central to east Nepal. But it is the rarest Taxus mairei is found only in Kavre, Makwanpur and Sindhuli districts in the mountains near Kathmandu Valley.<br /><br />Taxus mairei is classified as ‘Vulnerable’ in the IUCN red list and categorised and as critically endangered species in Nepal.<br /><br />However, although poachers and their suppliers harvest them at night to smuggle them out, most local people till recently used to be unaware of its value.<br /><br />Even though I worked in conservation in Nepal for a decade, I myself had never paid much attention to the diversity of yews in my country. It was only when I was at Oxford surrounded by English yews (Taxus baccata) that I grew curious about the species back home.<br /><br />This led me to research the mid-mountains of central Nepal in 2018 to estimate wild population of Maire’s yew and harvesting practices of local communities.<br /><br />I still remember that day clearly: it was raining, we were tired of travelling on a motorbike along a treacherous road in Dhungkharka of Kavre in search of what locals call Lauth Salla.<br /><br />After six hours, a local farmer pointed us to a stone quarry where a few excavators were busy gouging out a slope. He took us to a tree growing next to a water mill right next to the quarry.<br /><br />It had dark green needle-like leaves, arranged spirally in two flat rows either side of the stem, and had a pleasant smell. Unlike the Himalayan yew, it had unclear and fewer bud scales. Its bark was covered in dust from the quarry, turning reddish grey from brown and had numerous bruises from being hacked by axes.<br /><br />We had confirmed our first sighting of Marie’s yew, but seeing how close the excavators were, my joy turned to apprehension. The 300-year old tree clung to a slope with metamorphic rock and the only reason it was still standing was because the locals worshipped the outcrop, believing it to be a manifestation of Lord Shiva.<br /><br />But after three centuries, it was clear that this tree’s days were numbered. Even faith was unlikely to save it – the quarry was expanding and encroaching on the shrine. The local community seemed to be unaware of the tree’s medicinal property, nor its conservation importance. For them, it was just another old tree. <br /><br />Upon returning to Kathmandu, we wrote an appeal to save the tree and sent it out to the Kavre district forest office and the prime minister’s staff. Kathmandu’s newspapers wrote about it, and the Division Forest Officer took action to protect the rare tree.<br /><br />Ten months later, we went back to the site. There was an information board along the path explaining the conservation importance of the tree. A barbed wire fence surrounded the lone tree. The same farmer who had guided us to the site earlier told us how yew tree had now become an attraction, and local people were protecting it.<br /><br />The yew is just one of the many trees in Nepal and worldwide that are endangered – most without even being studied for their medicinal and other properties. The world has lost 77 tree species to over-exploitation in the last century, and 10% of tree species globally are threatened with extinction.<br /><br />Nepal’s community forestry program has won international praise for restoring the country’s tree cover and locals have played a remarkable role in the conservation. But the communities are struggling to retain the programs, and reap rewards for their conservation efforts. If allowed to sustainably harvest the leaves of yew trees, the money could be ploughed back into further conservation.<br /><br />Knowledge about indigenous plant species and their sustainable use can help both the community and nature conservation. Nepal can successfully restore yews in the wild, and reap profits from their commercial cultivation given increasing market demand.<br /><br />But first, we need to save the last few hundred Maire’s yews that are left.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdnyFxqt578taAvN3cUK663qg61BTz03Q2hiSZan6C8lf2hp5Qm8Adty2BMKUEoP-JuHBJfjqo2U_cfpveioQIUqdYj5u-ssdzbfUYnQJwnh4TjbAgRJ37dMX86rdpYoA5YAquX-Ih_dht/s1500/Maires-yew-in-Nepal-NT-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="1500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdnyFxqt578taAvN3cUK663qg61BTz03Q2hiSZan6C8lf2hp5Qm8Adty2BMKUEoP-JuHBJfjqo2U_cfpveioQIUqdYj5u-ssdzbfUYnQJwnh4TjbAgRJ37dMX86rdpYoA5YAquX-Ih_dht/s320/Maires-yew-in-Nepal-NT-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/rare-anti-cancer-tree-on-verge-of-extinction/">(This was originally published in Nepali Times)</a></div></div>Kumar Paudelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16690194876880189186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797589085638201162.post-64999832407217170562020-07-11T03:24:00.004-07:002020-09-11T01:49:49.794-07:00Global Huddle 2020<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;">Ever wondered why people poach wildlife and what it takes to deter them from doing so? These questions took me to wildlife prisoners across Nepal where I learnt about their experiences. I will be sharing my conservation journey, started from uniting undergrad classmates to advocate for rhino conservation, establishing Greenhood Nepal and now supporting a new generation of conservationists in Nepal at <a href="https://beinthechange.club/global-huddle/" target="_blank">Global Huddle 2020.</a></span></span></div><h2 aria-label="Write heading…" aria-multiline="true" class="block-editor-block-list__block is-selected rich-text block-editor-rich-text__editable wp-block" id="block-8b56ccb6-ad7d-4781-b695-bc40ed9dee7b" role="textbox" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px 0px 0.4em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></h2><div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px 0px 0.4em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Global huddle is a free online festival of inspiring ideas and empowering stories. It </span>shares inspiring stories from changemakers of their journey on how they managed to get to where they are so that others can learn from them. </span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-family: georgia; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.3125; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Remember to register if you'd like to attend this online event (it's free!) </span><a class="r-1n1174f r-1loqt21 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0 css-4rbku5 css-18t94o4 css-901oao css-16my406" data-focusable="true" dir="ltr" href="https://t.co/xtZW7RAier?amp=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" role="link" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: georgia; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.3125; list-style: none; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank" title="https://beinthechange.club/global-huddle/"><span aria-hidden="true" class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-hiw28u r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.3125; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; white-space: inherit;">https://</span>beinthechange.club/global-huddle/</a></span></div><div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px 0px 0.4em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUp3LpkYWiZnFubvEcQmKTGGespeJvO84mgUFZ_sYEbi-R9CneXq2hCxXoPqzjYcx4NGEBUoFcITYT05oQegtxJSudorKNHnHMDTwWtICG5F_l6BTZtcXXUDj6Ksv8qT_1IAkIZNLK3gEN/s1024/Kumar+Paudel.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUp3LpkYWiZnFubvEcQmKTGGespeJvO84mgUFZ_sYEbi-R9CneXq2hCxXoPqzjYcx4NGEBUoFcITYT05oQegtxJSudorKNHnHMDTwWtICG5F_l6BTZtcXXUDj6Ksv8qT_1IAkIZNLK3gEN/s320/Kumar+Paudel.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px 0px 0.4em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></div><div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px 0px 0.4em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></div><p><span face=""Exo 2", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-size: 18px;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><em style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #444340; font-family: "exo 2", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></em></p>Kumar Paudelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16690194876880189186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797589085638201162.post-249732969217541312020-07-03T06:01:00.003-07:002020-07-03T21:33:29.424-07:00Saving the cancer-treating Maire's yew tree in Nepal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Interested to learn how we are saving the globally threatened yew tree in Nepal? Watch this short video: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeDWxQ1kCAY&t=8s">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeDWxQ1kCAY&t=8s</a><br />
<br />
For your information, Nepal hosts three yew species: Taxus contorta, Taxus wallichiana and Taxus mairei. Maire's yew (Taxus mairei) is scattered in Kavrepalanchok, Makwanpur and Sindhuli districts of Central Nepal. It is heavily exploited across the country, as its leaves are the raw material for the production of Taxol, used in the treatment of cancer. We are working with communities for the sustainable harvest and long term viability of the wild population. Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions kmrpaudel@gmail.com.<br />
<div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhtXq0n4vT4cwMgPcsipFXmI7feF7HuKZ7WA75xACuGBVncWfc4X3hY3C_fjDfarBSPJ7KNxECAd6kfSrtIJkmEe-ctnGQaZEM_7G56Rbst-ptzyEoFvCmCUYtHDqpenTY6VWIdAqPyjMX/s1600/Engaging+communities+in+the+conservation+of+wild+Maire%25E2%2580%2599s+yews+in+Nepal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhtXq0n4vT4cwMgPcsipFXmI7feF7HuKZ7WA75xACuGBVncWfc4X3hY3C_fjDfarBSPJ7KNxECAd6kfSrtIJkmEe-ctnGQaZEM_7G56Rbst-ptzyEoFvCmCUYtHDqpenTY6VWIdAqPyjMX/s320/Engaging+communities+in+the+conservation+of+wild+Maire%25E2%2580%2599s+yews+in+Nepal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #030303; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Kumar Paudelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16690194876880189186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797589085638201162.post-19184557038593614162020-07-02T07:21:00.011-07:002020-07-03T05:34:21.633-07:00Biodiversity policy and practice in Nepal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This Saturday (4th July, 2pm), I will be joining Dr. Babu Ram Lamichhane (Conservation Biologist at NTNC) to discuss "Biodiversity policy and practice in Nepal” in the Biodiversity edition of Nepal Green Dialogue organized by Green Institute. Interested? Join following this link</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<a href="https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87664582178?fbclid=IwAR2LjtQIcyJlkw7HfE5L7IGb2TkhoCOZErVAVsKoSH0fe2IAKlRkDL-gBLo">https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87664582178</a><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghv7LrwCinEIb2n_OwB_zTMl9krgMJPIUhEwnqep1H5-JNENjD1B0pydfuWiC2jRR0PbxJnP9ozQhigXHs8DK9bwV4-VddYGbGmFCHmfrkTGVJp3c9AoTMZdOlMWVH_Q1dTbBcmUXjHfV7/s960/new+green.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghv7LrwCinEIb2n_OwB_zTMl9krgMJPIUhEwnqep1H5-JNENjD1B0pydfuWiC2jRR0PbxJnP9ozQhigXHs8DK9bwV4-VddYGbGmFCHmfrkTGVJp3c9AoTMZdOlMWVH_Q1dTbBcmUXjHfV7/s320/new+green.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Kumar Paudelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16690194876880189186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797589085638201162.post-67140413579304616312020-05-30T02:54:00.003-07:002020-07-03T05:30:31.040-07:00The Conservation Chat<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I will be joining The Conservation Chat on June 15th at 09:00 (UTC), a platform which aims to inspire and motivate biodiversity and conservation students to explore different opportunities and innovative skills to promote conservation. It bridges the gap between the academe and on-the-ground conservation work by introducing unconventional and innovative conservation strategies. Fellow speaker Chloe Nunn, and an amazing moderator, Amiel Lopez will also share their personal journeys to working in conservation followed by Q&A. Register here: <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">https://bit.ly/3cFZUaa</a><br />
<div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii3JrHc04cFzoO0PHnNqJKVKj5m5T2ibEn47E3k_eXPDLLChyphenhyphen7KuiwPiYUDdKI5RAJMKnGiUDwcbwKEiKBJVUYcygQPTcKELCENgSHPm08G0a3-4RMhKVROsH4H3qAzX2eXKfbglWK0Q21/s1600/The+Conservation+Chat+Session+2+lowres.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1189" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii3JrHc04cFzoO0PHnNqJKVKj5m5T2ibEn47E3k_eXPDLLChyphenhyphen7KuiwPiYUDdKI5RAJMKnGiUDwcbwKEiKBJVUYcygQPTcKELCENgSHPm08G0a3-4RMhKVROsH4H3qAzX2eXKfbglWK0Q21/s320/The+Conservation+Chat+Session+2+lowres.png" width="237" /></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; margin: 0px 0px 26px;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Kumar Paudelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16690194876880189186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797589085638201162.post-42201136299557174612020-04-16T18:53:00.002-07:002020-04-28T09:05:20.965-07:00BBC and World Atlas interviewed KP<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
While stories of wildlife reclaiming their land lost to humans during the lockdown are making viral news on social media, opportunistic poachers are taking advantage of the troubled times to invade wild habitats to kill animals for profit. Yes, the picture is not as rosy as it seems, and wildlife in many parts of the world have been left highly vulnerable to poaching.<br />
<br />
The past few weeks have witnessed a surge in poaching incidents in several countries. South Africa has reported an increase in rhino poaching, poachers in Nepal have claimed the lives of elephants and gharials, and Malaysia is striving hard to protect its severely threatened sun bears from falling prey to the China-influenced bear bile industry.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Kumar Paudel has discussed things with enforcement authorities in Nepal and quoted in BBC Nepali, World Atlas and many newspapers.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
BBC News: <a href="https://www.bbc.com/nepali/news-52290764?at_medium=custom7&at_custom1=%5Bpost+type%5D&at_custom4=4C43EB74-7EDC-11EA-989B-34BA96E8478F&at_custom2=facebook_page&at_campaign=64&at_custom3=BBC+Nepali&fbclid=IwAR2vuOKMjlCsQVtRhsOtCrCdwi93zH6EjPYpcXyhOZOkG799BhVuNSXHwmg">कोरोना भाइरस: लकडाउनमा सिकारी र तस्कर सल्बलाएपछि निकुञ्जमा थप निगरानी</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
World Atlas: <a href="https://www.worldatlas.com/news/wildlife-poaching-surges-across-the-world-as-the-covid-19-pandemic-rages-on.html">Wildlife Poaching Surges Across The World As The COVID-19 Pandemic Rages On</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCT0lCdhgyj_xVr1JNase7SFxbeRxPFxVgrTFWOUfUD7wV_SrU7TfPGoOMOAbqoi9QqZJb0cdOWPJsYHaUy_fOnAeUvTxjkfBe2TH_WyQALmRCFfOMbl2l4ynJU54GyeKiwDX4fSfhOczB/s1600/sikari_20200415111805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="1000" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCT0lCdhgyj_xVr1JNase7SFxbeRxPFxVgrTFWOUfUD7wV_SrU7TfPGoOMOAbqoi9QqZJb0cdOWPJsYHaUy_fOnAeUvTxjkfBe2TH_WyQALmRCFfOMbl2l4ynJU54GyeKiwDX4fSfhOczB/s640/sikari_20200415111805.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Kumar Paudelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16690194876880189186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797589085638201162.post-89281688386106541552020-02-15T08:26:00.004-08:002020-09-29T09:52:24.350-07:00Voices of the Ground: Behind Prison Walls<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I will be speaking at the first episode of the CAMSAF's Voices of the Ground series 26th Feb. This panel discussion will centre around the experiences of four Cambridge students, who have spent considerable time working in the prisons of India and Nepal.<br />
<br />
Date and time: Wednesday, February 26, 2020, at 6 PM – 7:30 PM UTC<br />
Venue: Room B4, Institute of Criminology, Cambridge University<br />
<br />
I look forward to seeing you there :)<div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrA54MtzC1MW7u7JOK30PknolfpFdxQaESvNFuOM88G1lGXFxn3wU72SenhXQGm9m66RrOxhROX1sf_avF_DWtRwaunXrT_W9rJCPgbM8TY8o9FlsPAGuOlPvMbw_xWcmwQ1tZqY5W4Lf1/s940/Kumar+Paudel_Conservation_Cambridge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrA54MtzC1MW7u7JOK30PknolfpFdxQaESvNFuOM88G1lGXFxn3wU72SenhXQGm9m66RrOxhROX1sf_avF_DWtRwaunXrT_W9rJCPgbM8TY8o9FlsPAGuOlPvMbw_xWcmwQ1tZqY5W4Lf1/s320/Kumar+Paudel_Conservation_Cambridge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
Kumar Paudelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16690194876880189186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797589085638201162.post-77139042523685967522020-01-16T12:00:00.000-08:002020-02-25T16:45:38.007-08:00Conservation enforcement: Insights from people incarcerated for wildlife crimes in Nepal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have published an academic paper “<a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/csp2.137">Conservation enforcement: Insights from people incarcerated for wildlife crimes in Nepal</a>” in collaboration with Lancaster University–conservation social scientist, Jacob Phelps, and criminologist, Gary Potter in the journal Conservation Science and Practice.<br />
<br />
The paper explores findings from 116 interviews that he conducted with people imprisoned for their involvement in the illegal wildlife trade. It has broad implications for how we think about and practice the enforcement of conservation rules.<br />
<br />
This month’s issue of Scientific American, the United States’ oldest continuously published monthly magazine has also highlighted the research ‘<a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/to-stop-wildlife-crime-conservationists-ask-why-people-poach/">To Stop Wildlife Crime, Conservationists Ask Why People Poach’. </a>It takes particular note of Paudel’s efforts to communicate the findings of his science to a public audience. As detailed in the article, I have collaborated with traditional musician, Prakash Gandharva, to develop <a href="http://www.greenhood.org.np/ban-ko-katha-bolchha-sarangi/">songs that describe to listeners the risks and costs of participating in illegal wildlife trade.</a><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNTtpaNmY-3ZoMDV3oU0wiERGMcAynvb7D-WntqgdpMOinJhtsuK8B1NE6F39bGGNrYUvPdmXChrZiw0LckYnxLE5a0MVpgVzW82V6Zde1dFeY70KqVhpMuLgoK6kI-4H1nDk1h6Mgj4RD/s1600/Screen+Shot+2020-02-26+at+12.43.02+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="1398" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNTtpaNmY-3ZoMDV3oU0wiERGMcAynvb7D-WntqgdpMOinJhtsuK8B1NE6F39bGGNrYUvPdmXChrZiw0LckYnxLE5a0MVpgVzW82V6Zde1dFeY70KqVhpMuLgoK6kI-4H1nDk1h6Mgj4RD/s640/Screen+Shot+2020-02-26+at+12.43.02+AM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Kumar Paudelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16690194876880189186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797589085638201162.post-68686833035320395692020-01-02T12:15:00.000-08:002020-02-20T12:28:54.077-08:00Ban Ko Katha is live on YouTube <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Illegal wildlife trade threatens biodiversity, including Nepal’s iconic One-horned Rhinoceros, Royal Bengal Tiger and plant species. Nepal has strict conservation laws and strong enforcement, including nearly 8,000 military personnel monitoring protected areas.</div>
<br />
<i>Illegal wildlife trade doesn’t only hurt plants and animals, it also ruins peoples’ lives.</i><br />
<br />
Illegal trade also threatens human communities. Our research, <a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/csp2.137">published in </a><a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/csp2.137">Conservation Science and Practice</a>, drew on interviews with more than 100 people arrested for wildlife crimes across Nepal. We found that most of them were from poor, rural, indigenous communities. Many faced fines that they could not afford, were serving prison sentences of more than 5 years, and shared heartbreaking stories of family hardship. While many of the prisoners knew wildlife trade was illegal, few recognised the scale of the punishments they could face.<br />
<br />
<i>People will not be deterred from participating in illegal trade if they do not perceive it as a risk.</i><br />
<br />
#BanKoKatha shares the painful stories of people arrested for wildlife trade. We chose to communicate these using traditional music of the Gandharva indigenous people, whose travelling musicians are known throughout Nepal for their tragic ballads. It features Prakash Gandharva (Dilu) singing and playing the Sarangi, with stories and lyrics by Kumar Paudel.<br />
<br />
These songs were shared via live performances in communities where wildlife trade is common, reaching more than 1000 people (Sept- Nov 2019). They were broadcasted through the Community Information Network to 330 community radio stations across 77 districts, covering an audience of more than nine million. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFtTxSLQaZ0sVxVIRQ8ksOppG0WaPMC_jre7XIEwxEeGRwMRQ8JQ8Fk0pMagEMfAzTivRc7dsDBAudkrs8iRznC1J5kHy0TCbSNIhQfhGgKrYoUn4zceAlR9r19qaUEqr2bD5FglyRtCTY/s1600/BanKoKatha_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1111" data-original-width="1600" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFtTxSLQaZ0sVxVIRQ8ksOppG0WaPMC_jre7XIEwxEeGRwMRQ8JQ8Fk0pMagEMfAzTivRc7dsDBAudkrs8iRznC1J5kHy0TCbSNIhQfhGgKrYoUn4zceAlR9r19qaUEqr2bD5FglyRtCTY/s640/BanKoKatha_poster.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div>
<br />
<div>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRzZBYlGKwY">1). Nam Ganayo (Shameful name)</a><br />
<br />
A story of regret & illegal wildlife trade: It is a story of a farmer from Parsa District. Encouraged by a smuggler to poach a tiger, he ended up in prison. He knew that catching protected species was illegal, but underestimated the risk. He recounts how his arrest affected not only his freedom and his mental health, but also the dignity of his family, one of which even committed suicide. Now, through this song, he shares his regret and appeals to the listener not to repeat his mistake. Youtube link: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRzZBYlGKwY">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRzZBYlGKwY</a><br />
<br />
2). <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcLJ6AkAxRU&t=292s">Rapti tirai tir</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcLJ6AkAxRU&t=292s"> </a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcLJ6AkAxRU&t=292s">(On the Rapti Riverbank)</a></div>
<div>
<br />
A story of loss & illegal wildlife trade: This is a story of a man jailed for rhinoceros poaching in Chitwan National Park. He tells us about his father, who was also once a poacher and died in prison. In the absence of the father, he never had the opportunity to attend school and lacked the skills to support his family–and so he also turned to illegal wildlife trade. The young man tells us that, at the time of his arrest, he was a newlywed and was responsible for his elderly mother. After 10 years, he was released from prison. However, after returning home, he found out that his mother passed away because she lacked medical treatment, and that his wife had remarried. Now, he is filled with waves of melancholy, as he sails his small boat along the Rapti River. Youtube link: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcLJ6AkAxRU&t=292s">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcLJ6AkAxRU&t=292s</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cksuL_TKyFs">3). Driver dai</a><br />
<br />
A story of warning & illegal wildlife trade: This is a story of a bus driver who illegally transports wildlife along the Nepal-China border highways. A traditional Gandharva musician sits next to the driver, and warns him to check the goods he is transporting. He tells him about how smugglers are known to try and convince drivers and passengers to carry illegal goods. The singer further describes the severity of the punishments handed to those found guilty in illegal wildlife transport. He suggests that greater caution would not help drivers to avoid fines and help safeguard Nepal’s wildlife. Youtube link: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cksuL_TKyFs">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cksuL_TKyFs</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xdJ17dKyqI">4. Chituwa ko chithi (Letter from Leopard)</a><br />
<br />
A story of mourning & illegal wildlife trade: The song describes how animals feel after their friends are trapped for the illegal wildlife trade. It shares a mournful letter from a leopard, who remembers his best friend, the red panda, who was trapped by poachers. He recalls their memories of playing and dancing in the Himalayan bamboo forest. In this song, the leopard sings to the moon and stars. A firefly carries his letter to the red panda, and the moon reads it aloud. Youtube link: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xdJ17dKyqI">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xdJ17dKyqI</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot1sNaItFrQ&t=126s">5. Hey barai</a><br />
<br />
A story of empathy & illegal wildlife trade: The story of an animal who is afraid that her child has become the target of a wildlife poacher. She seeks her infant all over the forest and eventually loses hope. She later drafts a list of questions for humans about why people and nature seemingly cannot co-exist. The song calls for people to understand that maternal love exists across species. Youtube link: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot1sNaItFrQ&t=126s">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot1sNaItFrQ&t=126s</a></div>
</div>
</div>
Kumar Paudelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16690194876880189186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797589085638201162.post-14161831569308629362019-01-11T19:30:00.000-08:002020-02-16T17:11:30.488-08:00घिनताङ घोडेपानी<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: "Ek Mukta", sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
घिनताङ घिनताङ मादलको ताल, बिच बिचमा झ्याली झैं लाग्ने छेउैमा बगेको छहराको लय, चीरबिर चीरबिर चराको आवाज र नाच्यो झिल्के नाच्यो .....ओहोइ ओहोइ... गर्दै संसार नै बिर्सेर नाचीरहेको प्रफुल्ल मान्छको झुप्पा, देख्दा कुनै फिल्मको सेट झैं लाग्ने यो दृश्य पोखराको नयाँ पुल हुँदै घोडेपानी लाग्ने उकालोमा देखिने दृश्य हो।</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: "Ek Mukta", sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
अन्नपुर्ण पदयात्रामा देखिने बेजोड जंगल, मनमोहक नाङ्गा डाँडा, जिउ नै सिरिङ्ग पार्ने आँखै अगाडिका हिमाल, विश्वकै दुर्लभ वन्यजन्तु र वनस्पती, स्थानिय समुदाय र उनीहरुले अँगाल्दै आएको संस्कृतीको बारे संसार भरी चर्चा छ। म स्वमंले समेत यसबारे धेरै लेख प्रकाशित गरेको छु।</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: "Ek Mukta", sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
जती पटक हिँडे पनी नअघाउने यो पदमार्गमा हरेक पटक फरक नयाँ केही देखिन्छ भेटिन्छ। एउटा ऋतुमा पुगेको मान्छे पुन त्यही ठाउँमा अर्को ऋतुमा पुग्दा पहिले नै त्यस ठाउँमा आईसकेको महशुस नै गर्न पाउँदैन। फरक फरक याममा अन्नपुर्ण क्षेत्र पुग्दा स्पष्ट बुझिन्छ, किन नेपाल हेर्न एक पटक काफी छैन भनी भनीएको हो भनेर।</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: "Ek Mukta", sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
हिमाल परै बाट देखिन्छ र यसबारे परैबाट निक्कै अनुमान लगाउन सकिन्छ। समथर तराईबारे धेरै ठाउँमा समानता भेटिन्छ। समथर हुने हुनाले कुनै कुरा लुक्न पाउँदैन, जताबाट हेरे पनि उस्तै नै देखिन्छ। पहाड भने यी हिमाल र तराई भन्दा फरक हुन्छन्। पहाड बुझ्न पहाड नै चढ्नु पर्छ। कुना कन्दरा पुग्नु पर्छ त्यो पनि फरक फरक यामहरुमा। असोज अन्तिम साता एक फरक याममा कास्कीको नयाँपुल देखि घोडेपानी हुँदै तातोपानी सम्म पुग्ने योजना बन्यो र भोलीपल्ट नै पोखराको टिकट किन्यौं।</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: "Ek Mukta", sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
काठमान्डौं देखि पोखरा सम्मको उडान केहि मिनेटको मात्र हो। त्यो केहि मिनेट यात्रा कती अच्चमको छ भने, न त पुरानो हवाईजहाको सुरक्षा चिन्तामा मन जान्छ न त जहाज भित्रकी सुन्दर एयर होस्टेज र छेउकै सारथीमा आँखा। काठमान्डौंको आकाशबाटै शुरु हुने लाक्पा दोर्जे, लाङटाङ, मनास्लु, लमजुङ र माछापुच्छ्रेको लहरले तानीरहन्छ।<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: "Ek Mukta", sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
पोखरा बाट नयाँपुल जाँदा ढिकुर पोखरीको भण्डारी बाजेको भोजनालयमा पुगेर हाम्रो गाडि रोकीयो। भण्डारी बाजेकोमा खसीको मन परेको अङ्गको परिकार खान पाईन्छ। त्यहाँको ३ पिलेट बोकाको राजखानी मिठो त थियो नै यात्राभर हाँस्ने बिषय पनि मिल्यो।</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: "Ek Mukta", sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
नयाँपुलबाट उकाले लागेपछि भुरुन्डी खोलाको तिरैतिर ४ घण्टाको कसिलो हिडाइमा तिखे ढुङ्गा पुगिन्छ। धेरै पर्यटक पहिलो दिन त्यहीँ बस्छन्। हामी भने उल्लेरी पुगेर बस्यौं। बाटोछेउ बनाइएका चिटिक्क परेका चिया पसलहरु हरेकमा पसौं झैं लाग्छ। त्यो प्राकृतिक बगैंचामा पनि प्लास्टिकको फुल टेबलमा देख्दा भने मन खिन्न भयो।</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: "Ek Mukta", sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
उल्लेरीमा दोश्रो दिन बिउँझिंदा झ्यालबाटै अन्नपुर्ण हिमाल देखिन्छ। अघिल्लो दिनको थकान आधाजति त्यो एक पलमै हराउँछ। उल्लेरीबाट घोडेपानीको बाटोमा यति धेरै विविधता छ कि, नयाँ नयाँ दृश्यले उकालो चढेको पत्तै हुन्न। भरीयाहरु भारीमाथी मादल समेत बाकेर हिडेको, बिच बिचमा मादलको धुन र नेपाली झ्याउरे गितले सुनमा सुगन्ध थपेको भान हुन्छ।</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: "Ek Mukta", sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
आफ्नै सास फेरेको र पर बज्ने ससाना खहरेको आवाज संगै बेला बेला चराको गित घना जंगलको भित्रको यात्राको थप बिशेषता हो। संसारकै सबैभन्दा ठुलो लाली गुराँसको जंगलमा हिड्दै गरेको गुरासको रुखहरुले यो याममा नबताए पनि सास फेर्दा भित्र पुग्ने गुराँसको वासना अनुभवी पदयात्रीले सहजै अनुभव गर्न सक्छन्।</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: "Ek Mukta", sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
घोडेपानी पुग्नै लाग्दा म निक्कै उत्साहित भएर बाटो छेउको रुख तिर दगुँरे, मेरा साथीहरु र चिनियाँ पर्यटक पनि आईपुगे। क्यान्सरको औषधिजन्य दुर्लभ लौठ सल्लाको कन्र्टोटा प्रजातीको ठुलो रुख रहेछ। पश्चिम नेपालमा यस प्रजातीको लौठ सल्ला पाईन्छन्। यसबारे केहि बताउन नपाउँदै त्यस रुखमा सेल्फि खिच्ने स्वदेशी विदेशी झुम्मीेहाले। एक चिनियाँ र स्पेनी समुह थप रोचक जानकारी मिल्ने आशमा हाम्रो टोलीलाई पछ्याइरहे। बाटामा देखिने सुनगाभा, पुतली, चरा र जंगली फुलहरु चिन्न पाउँदा उनीहरुमा खुसिको सिमा रहेन। साँझ पर्न लाग्दा, घोडाले पानी खाँदै गरेको चउरले घोडेपानी आईपुगेको संकेत गय्रो तर त्यो मिठो संयोग मात्र थियो।</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: "Ek Mukta", sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
घोडेपानी पुग्ने कोहिपनि पुनहिल पुगेर सुर्योदय र एकै ठाउँमा उभिएर माछापुच्छ्रे्र, गंगापुर्ण, हिउँचुली, अन्नपुर्ण, निलगीरी, धम्पुस, टुकुचे, धवलागीरी र गुर्जा लगायतका दर्जनौं हिमाल एकै नजरमा हेर्ने अवसर छुटाउँदैनन्। हामी झन् केहि छुटाउनेमा थियनौं। भोलीपल्ट विहान सवेरै ५ बजे नै लामो लावालस्कर पछ्याउँदै हामी पनि उकालो लाग्यौं।</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXXGBt68Pq1-CuGeGVwSthpoVURFKvRgmtnqXNiqH26t98IMR9oqGZmlZeGVi4I5hslIPSe60IhrMFXaOhOdFmeV3cl1Db49HJIX_RW2dSnGtW1Spanc2LTgIdOk8Ry1B7QMwyXc_Y-bf/s1600/IMG_20181003_072412.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXXGBt68Pq1-CuGeGVwSthpoVURFKvRgmtnqXNiqH26t98IMR9oqGZmlZeGVi4I5hslIPSe60IhrMFXaOhOdFmeV3cl1Db49HJIX_RW2dSnGtW1Spanc2LTgIdOk8Ry1B7QMwyXc_Y-bf/s640/IMG_20181003_072412.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: "Ek Mukta", sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
जब जब उज्यालो बढ्दै जान्थ्यो तब ढकमक्क फुलेका भुई फुलले जंगल नै एउटा ठुलो बगैंचा बनाएको भान हुँदै गयो। उज्यालो भयो। पुनहिलको डाँडामा पुगीयो तर हिमालले अझै बादल ओडेर बसिरहेको थियो। सुर्योदयको समय हुनै लागे पनि स्पष्ट देखिने छाँटकाट देखिएन।</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0g83zGN62kgrRSg7YqlOmjzc90goETgSSWCmZjr-ade9uJRdguA2AMVcKHU_iNMFOToRmylVPTa5-ZkehVvwnMZdN-5_JHZNhes0r1gh-zN61bAgqn-Di74Yk5jJFE1psLQWKlMts-tlA/s1600/Ghodepani-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="1300" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0g83zGN62kgrRSg7YqlOmjzc90goETgSSWCmZjr-ade9uJRdguA2AMVcKHU_iNMFOToRmylVPTa5-ZkehVvwnMZdN-5_JHZNhes0r1gh-zN61bAgqn-Di74Yk5jJFE1psLQWKlMts-tlA/s640/Ghodepani-9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: "Ek Mukta", sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
कुहिरोले ढाकेको हिमाल र उदाउँदै गरेको घाम तिर त्यो भिड निक्कै आशले हेरीरह्यो। कुहिरो धपाउने काईदा लगाउँदै कोहि चिच्याउँदै त कोहि प्रार्थना गर्दे थिए, म भने सानो छँदा गाईने भाग कुहिरो भाग...गीत गाउँदै थिएँ। तर, केहि उपाए लागेन। घाम एकै पटक निकै माथि पुगेर निस्क्यो। केहि सेकेन्डमै कुहिरोले हिमाल छाड्यो। माहोल एक्कासी उत्साहजनक भयो। सबैका क्यामेरा हिमाल तिर तेर्सियो र पालैपालोको फोटो पोज निक्कै समय सम्म चल्यो।</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: "Ek Mukta", sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
पुनहिलको बिहानपछि हामी ओरालो लाग्दै तातोपानी झर्ने निधो गर्यौं। घोडेपानीबाट केहि तलसम्म शिखा हुँदै सडक आईपुगेको रहेछ। त्यो सडक भन्दा पनि बढि विनाश लाग्यो। त्यस्ता संवेदनशिल क्षेत्रमा सडक यातायातको विकल्पबारे सोच्न ढिला भईसकको छ।</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjza1_2myBMhlw1kvTdpj02gWqHzAdOtxmDb31Ov19eP91twpgQLnFhyMqQViO4nkfb4BJh7AN9sUUkFkza65qCBfSAiKmbi5-HWBvOG_fm51ZA5FN4KvhqIzycr074XOoKxRnEDU0IMaoH/s1600/Ghodepani-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="1300" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjza1_2myBMhlw1kvTdpj02gWqHzAdOtxmDb31Ov19eP91twpgQLnFhyMqQViO4nkfb4BJh7AN9sUUkFkza65qCBfSAiKmbi5-HWBvOG_fm51ZA5FN4KvhqIzycr074XOoKxRnEDU0IMaoH/s640/Ghodepani-8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: "Ek Mukta", sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: "Ek Mukta", sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
थकित शरीर घिच्याउँदै शिखा पुगेर दिउसोको खाना खायौं र बेलुकिपख तातोपानी पुग्यौं। लगातार तिन दिनको हिडाईले लखतरान ज्यान तातोपानीमा डुबुल्की लगाउँदा निक्कै आराम मिलेको महशुस भयो। पहरा फोरेर निस्केको तातोपानीका सल्फर, सिलिका र अन्य खनिज पदार्थले हो या पानीको तातोपनले, भोलीपल्ट विहान पुन हिमाल चढ्ने जोशमा बिउझीएँ। चार दिनमै हजार किसिमको अनुभव, थकान, शिथिलता हुँदै संसार हिँडेरै घुम्ने उर्जा बोकेर घर फर्कन सकिने पदमार्ग संसारमा बिरलै भेटिएला।</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: "Ek Mukta", sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline;">
<i>(I wrote this travel essay after a trip to Annapurna and it was origially published in <a href="https://setopati.com/ghumphir/ghumphir-experience/173218">Setopati</a>)</i></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: "Ek Mukta", sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Kumar Paudelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16690194876880189186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797589085638201162.post-17481528874285060622018-10-09T23:58:00.000-07:002020-02-16T17:10:09.309-08:00A call for the wildlife<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 34px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Kumar Paudel,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This week, environment ministers and conservationists from dozens of countries, including Nepal, will be meeting in London to discuss illegal wildlife trade (IWT) and strategies to protect the world’s endangered species from the threat of extinction.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 34px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Countries will make pledges to reduce wildlife trade, with a strong focus on tropical and developing countries, including Nepal, and on the need for stronger enforcement and greater sanctions in order to protect imperiled biodiversity.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 34px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">These are legitimate aims, and yet I wonder to what extent industrialized countries will take pause to reflect on their own contemporary and historic roles in IWT, or on the enforcement and sanctions against people perpetrating IWT in their own countries. There is a need for a candid discussion about the variation among, and fairness of the different ways in which countries are being pushed to tackle IWT.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrOyzGjH2ev45SCGT67Vqs5oyf-0JooM12gAe2xpvchJrUSlA5gq2zSeTGkdiykOQN1erpzwsLsgS2d-2mDXdhBbUfDJnhm7t9Pur0ZfEsp-Eb_2jWO4VyELXObzPaaFLq7tR4fv5hm6iA/s1600/Rhino+Nepal+sample.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrOyzGjH2ev45SCGT67Vqs5oyf-0JooM12gAe2xpvchJrUSlA5gq2zSeTGkdiykOQN1erpzwsLsgS2d-2mDXdhBbUfDJnhm7t9Pur0ZfEsp-Eb_2jWO4VyELXObzPaaFLq7tR4fv5hm6iA/s640/Rhino+Nepal+sample.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk7hJVECLNwyxZgHUNbvhY3OAjfYu5m-Q-S6jYvlktGlGNfihQNcNWKcRX9RmOOrfwWgSswKx_d6bYCUFZleF1hvzdvWBhYvYONTblnEmyRcEuijlf5DBQv3jISrHR7RgvxY8r_dcb0Mmw/s1600/wildlife-conservation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"></span></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 34px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Last December, I was in the University of Oxford working on a data base of wildlife seizures in Nepal and sharing my research based on interviews with people arrested for IWT in Nepal. My respondents included people imprisoned up to 15 years for participating in illegal poaching and trade of species such as elephant, tiger, rhinos and pangolin. At the same time, a man was arrested in London with a huge amount of ivory and leopard derivatives. I was surprised that he had served only 18 months of sentence. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 34px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Interestingly, those ivory and wildlife parts were not from the UK or for the UK market, but in transit. A recent research by London-based Environmental Investigation Agency revealed that the UK is the largest ivory supplier after the US to China and Hong Kong. Countries in West Europe and the Far East form the third largest chunk of IWT products buyers. So, while many iconic species affected by IWT are from developing countries in Asia and Africa, a number of other countries are deeply implicated as trader and consumers.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 34px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: left;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Crime and punishment </span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 34px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The ways in which IWT is enforced and punished, however, is very different. Fines and prison sentences for IWT are actually very low in many countries. However, there is a growing push to increase patrols, prison sentences and fines for IWT in many countries. For example, Nepal has one of the stiff sanctions for wildlife crime and now new CITES Act (2016) has increased punishment provisions. Already, there are some countries and national parks where park rangers are empowered to shoot people in the name of protecting the wildlife. For example, Kaziranga National Park authorities in India shot 65 suspected poachers between 2010 and 2016.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 34px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In contrast, sanctions are significantly lower for elite traders and consumers, including in developed countries like the UK (as in above case) who actually drive the poaching and IWT throughout the world. In 2015, realizing the gravity of IWT as a global crime, Obama administration had initiated Presidential Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking to combat the IWT worldwide.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 34px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It is estimated that of the 70 percent of the world’s illegal wildlife trade, the US is emerging as the biggest consumer and the buyer for wildlife derived trafficking.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 34px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Countries in the global north are investing a huge amount of money and resources to combat the IWT. Recently, the British government announced £44.5 million boosts for anti-wildlife trafficking projects. The UK has also sent members of the British army to Gabon in the west of Africa and Malawi in east Africa to help park rangers hunt down poachers.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 34px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Despite these shared efforts to stop IWT, they still seem to be resulting in a two-tier system of conservation enforcement: People in parts of Africa and Asia, often residents of poor rural areas, who are involved in the harvest of wildlife, face severe punishments if they are detected. However, the intermediaries and consumers, often in countries such as the US, China and Europe, face very different implications. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 34px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sanctions are strict in available sources countries but significantly lower in transit and high demand nations. It looks like developed countries such as the US, the UK and EU are more focused on certain fines but that only may not create enough deterrent effect to curb IWT. The reasons are simple: Fines are very low, income is high and incentives for IWT huge. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 34px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It is understandable that different countries approach IWT and related sanctions in different ways. However, every human being—British or Bengali, Nepali or Norwegian—is equal, as are the implications of their imprisonment for IWT.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 34px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: left;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Combating IWT</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 34px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There is a need for a candid discussion about conservation enforcement, and the ways these vary in source, transit and consumer countries. This is all the more important given the economic differences and inequalities among actors. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 34px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The horrible business of wildlife trade, multibillion-dollar business, threatens to eradicate life from the earth. A recent World Wildlife Fund study revealed that 52 percent of wildlife population around the world disappeared since 1970s with overhunting being a major driver of decline. For some species, the study found, the IWT is now the primary threat, thanks to soaring demand for certain wildlife and animal-derived products. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 34px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Moving forward, it makes sense for sanctions to ensure they deter future perpetrators. Judicial systems around the world should ensure that wildlife crimes, from harvest, trafficking and consumption, are met with strict sentences. Importantly, sentences should be more proportionate, but fair across jurisdictions. This includes sanctioning the environmental criminals who are earning billions in profits from IWT, many of whom are in transit and consumer countries.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 34px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Developed countries are making vital investments into conservation research, field-based conservation and strengthened policies to protect iconic species and habitat, but they must also consider matters of equity, and look back to themselves and their own existing legislations and sentences that are enough to deter people to participate in IWT. However, this is not the time for the pot to call the kettle black. What we need is genuine global commitment and coordinated actions to save the iconic endangered species from extinction, in ways that are also fair across countries. Wildlife trade knows no bounds: a tiger killed in Nepal may be traded to India or China, or intermediary countries like the UK or the US, en route to, Dubai. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 34px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This week’s London Conference (October 11-12) presents an opportunity for new discussions about solutions to IWT. This should include issues of stringent, but fair and equivalent penalties for traders, consumers and poachers involved in IWT should be highlighted, irrespective of nation.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #58595b; line-height: 34px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: right;">
<i style="color: #777777; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This was originally published in <a href="https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/a-call-for-the-wildlife/?categoryId=opinion">Republica Daily</a></span></i></div>
</div>
Kumar Paudelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16690194876880189186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797589085638201162.post-41577610748997534292018-07-23T00:19:00.000-07:002018-07-23T00:26:12.092-07:00Echo of Young Voices in Conservation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #777777; font-size: large;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">E</strong></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777;">ight years ago, a 19-year-old boy and his 9 colleagues tried to enter the Singh Durbar, a palace complex in the centre of Kathmandu, housing most of the ministries and high-level offices of the Government of Nepal. The young group was outraged by massive ongoing poaching of One-horned rhinos, and the silence of the government on corruption cases related to the rhino investigations. They wanted to meet the Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources and Means, which is responsible for conservation-related issues in the parliament. I was privileged to lead that team eight years ago; the National Youth Alliance for Rhino Conservation which formed as a youth wing of Team for Nature and Wildlife.</span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="768" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir6CteyQUG8dADgD3SU48nUktX_a8UiaERoxFEYvTBWJO2YfNjPMH39HNZuET8_CKod3rpK7IpMjLfxINV0L01u303HE3V7-lO1lM47r9osbg-LPAuaEejU7w5Moz4eJYa2DM22RFYpMMJ/s640/Photo1-768x602.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #777777;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">NYARC submitting Letter of Memorandum to Chair of Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources and Means, Shanta Chaudhary, 16 July 2010.</span></em></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #777777; margin-bottom: 0.85em; margin-top: 0.85em; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our main aim was to bring attention to the poaching of one-horned rhinos and to educate, inspire and engage youth in raising their voices on rhino conservation. At that time, we lacked both the capacity and resources to organize ‘big’ events with concerned stakeholders. Even if we managed to organize via fundraising, we were skeptical that the authorities would listen to us as university freshers, with nothing but willpower. Instead, we tried a simple yet innovative approach, including writing letters to the editors of the major national dailies, visiting various colleges and universities, and organising rallies.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #777777; margin-bottom: 0.85em; margin-top: 0.85em; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After doing so for a few months, people started to listen to us and we were able to organise events at the Nepal Bar Association and the Nepal Forum of Environmental Journalists. We also succeeded in holding a series of meetings with the chair of Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources and Means: Shanta Chaudhary and Attorney General Dr. Yubaraj Sangroula. Most importantly, we filed a case in the Supreme Court demanding investigations on the corruption issues, and stiff penalties for poacher and trader. The small movement of university students tremendously contributed to sensitize the concerned stakeholders to act, achieving the zero poaching of the rhinos in Chitwan National Park, Nepal.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #777777; margin-bottom: 0.85em; margin-top: 0.85em; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rhino poaching was one of the many conservation challenges that Nepal was facing. After realizing the gravity of youth-led action during the rhino conservation movement, we formed a science-driven non-profit organization called <a href="http://www.greenhood.org.np/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #367bb7; text-decoration-line: none;">Greenhood Nepal</a> in order to lead effective human dimensions of nature conservation, including through public education, policy engagement, capacity-building and civic action across Nepal.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #777777; margin-bottom: 0.85em; margin-top: 0.85em; text-align: left;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHC3YmpEuDvqL8zEAH2VEOG7sSe1yKI-IjsQTfEcfMKFHHbkn9HBuU3HO3-My0zL_Q-4ySwxsiFz1zJiXTDEUSMSJXBxjOli6yli1ZznmkGtXINNOTK9WXnAcB-0S3TDK4R7V1UG4zL3vp/s1600/CS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="649" data-original-width="796" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHC3YmpEuDvqL8zEAH2VEOG7sSe1yKI-IjsQTfEcfMKFHHbkn9HBuU3HO3-My0zL_Q-4ySwxsiFz1zJiXTDEUSMSJXBxjOli6yli1ZznmkGtXINNOTK9WXnAcB-0S3TDK4R7V1UG4zL3vp/s640/CS.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #777777;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The first batch of Conservation School, 2012, Sindhupalchok, Nepal</span></em></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of our ongoing impactful initiatives is scaling up pangolin conservation in Nepal. In this program, we organize an annual roundtable on pangolin inviting government, enforcement, researchers, and other conservation agencies to discuss the recent status and challenges of pangolin. We share all the information by using </span><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NepalPangolin" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #367bb7; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">#NepalPangolin</a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. The first ever roundtable 2015 concluded by recommending a national survey and conservation action plan for pangolin. The roundtable turned out very effective as it brings the community to the government on the same table. Consequently, both national survey and conservation action plan for pangolins seen on the table during roundtable 2017. Currently, we are conducting cutting-edge research, training new conservation community to understand the complex conservation problems that Nepal is facing. At the same time, we are educating the general public to policy makers via Conservation School and policy events & media outreach respectively. Conservation School aware and empowers </span>frontliner<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> communities to conserve endangered species and their habitat. We also provide intelligence and training to the enforcement agencies to curb the poaching and illegal wildlife trade.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv0aIflszywoE4jHuD3lINlvRbcxez9Trv1wcen3SnBZXJ9CYRjE9_-YhzYDkKC8-BGyvm3rfeL4QzI2FkdHf5cBefxa3CUzppUieUjZRM3Eh-spS-7HBE2oZW-lGAl56wnEllzNyMWv2U/s1600/IMG_3891-1024x582.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="1024" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv0aIflszywoE4jHuD3lINlvRbcxez9Trv1wcen3SnBZXJ9CYRjE9_-YhzYDkKC8-BGyvm3rfeL4QzI2FkdHf5cBefxa3CUzppUieUjZRM3Eh-spS-7HBE2oZW-lGAl56wnEllzNyMWv2U/s640/IMG_3891-1024x582.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #777777;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Roundtable on pangolin, 2015.</span></em></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we started none of us had a university degree in conservation, we lacked financial resources as well as any support. It was very difficult to convince people that conservation of endangered species was important when they had other priorities just to fulfil their basic needs. Yet, we did not lose our hope and continuing the range of conservation initiatives. After all, the world cannot afford to ruin the system that governs and supports our own life system.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #777777; margin-bottom: 0.85em; margin-top: 0.85em; text-align: left;">
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was originally published in <a href="https://conservationoptimism.org/greenhood-nepal-echo-of-young-voices-in-conservation">Conservation Optimism. </a></span></i></div>
</div>
Kumar Paudelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16690194876880189186noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797589085638201162.post-91288739841465275832018-05-16T04:01:00.001-07:002020-02-19T06:41:54.589-08:00Illegal wildlife trade & Nepal’s Ex-Prime Minister Petition to the Supreme Court of Nepal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Illegal wildlife trade & Nepal’s Ex-Prime Minister<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Petition to the Supreme Court of Nepal<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Kathmandu, Nepal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">16 May, 2018<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A unique petition, involving a tiger pelt and Nepal’s Ex-Prime Minister, was submitted to Nepal’s honorable Supreme Court today (074-WO-0807).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Conservationist and Co-Founder of Greenhood Nepal, Kumar Paudel, brought the petition following a chance viewing of something unexpected on national television.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He explained that, “As part of my current research, I have interviewed more than 150 people serving criminal sentences for illegally trading of wildlife in Nepal. Coincidentally, I was watching a national broadcast of an interview with our former Prime Minister, Kritinidhi Bista.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was shocked to see that he was prominently displaying a tiger pelt as decorative item in his home.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Though the law prohibits the ornamental use of endangered species, such as the tiger, the illegal harvest, trade and use of protected wildlife remains a problem across Nepal. It is a punishable crime, with high fines and prison sentences, and hundreds of people have been arrested and imprisoned across Nepal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhGcit9cK62_nkaR1AAr32QVmf69s_kWQC6PueqzKexlFl_J661-GnhGWeEDxY47ChDtDiYyXL5vutPrdhZHNjvZNqNg4nhVynzFK9-BLj2xvofysT8e2ECn2M96VIpJpd4BYZ_9_UHMp/s1600/Suman+Kharel+interviewing+Ex-Pm+Kritinidhi+Bista+at+his+own+house.+Photo+from+Suman%2527s+twitter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhGcit9cK62_nkaR1AAr32QVmf69s_kWQC6PueqzKexlFl_J661-GnhGWeEDxY47ChDtDiYyXL5vutPrdhZHNjvZNqNg4nhVynzFK9-BLj2xvofysT8e2ECn2M96VIpJpd4BYZ_9_UHMp/s640/Suman+Kharel+interviewing+Ex-Pm+Kritinidhi+Bista+at+his+own+house.+Photo+from+Suman%2527s+twitter.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">(Ex PM Kritinidhi Bista giving an interview to a National Television at his home, Kathmandu, Nepal, September 2016. Source: Tweet of the interviewer Suman Kharel)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Mr. Paudel stated, “The law should not discriminate, even if it involves high ranking government officials. This is especially important because I have already met many other people who have been arrested and prosecuted for the same acts.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He also expressed concerns that, by featuring protected wildlife parts on national television, the ex-Prime Minister was endorsing the illegal use of protected wildlife, further threatening imperiled species. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">To dig deeper, Mr. Paudel reviewed the prevailing rules and regulations, and identified a provision that allows for the use of wildlife parts with a special permission from Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation and/or District Forest Office. When the Department confirmed that no such consent had been given, he reached out to the concerned authorities to request legal action, initially on 12 September, 2016, followed multiple enquiries. Mr. Paudel then identified 3 other public instances where the government had failed to prosecute high-profile individuals for crimes related to wildlife trade.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Two years on, there has not been any progress. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This compelled Mr. Paudel to bring this petition to the Supreme Court, a case against a number of government departments that demands them to act on these prominent, yet overlooked cases of illegal wildlife use.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Mr. Paudel stated, “I feel it is a moral obligation to raise my voice by issuing this petition. I believe that, by turning a deaf ear, the system condones wildlife crime, indicates biased application of the law and demonstrates a lack of unaccountability.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Knocking on the door of the Supreme Court, Mr. Paudel feels, is the only remaining option to help protect Nepal’s wildlife. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">For more information, please contact<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Kumar Paudel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Kathmandu, Nepal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Email: </span><a href="mailto:kmrpaudel@gmail.com"><span style="background: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">kmrpaudel@gmail.com</span></a><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Phone: +977-9851127608<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Twitter: @kmrpaudel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">END<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">###</span></div>
<style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Arial; panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536859905 -1073711037 9 0 511 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073786111 1 0 415 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {mso-style-priority:99; color:#0563C1; mso-themecolor:hyperlink; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; color:#954F72; mso-themecolor:followedhyperlink; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:69.75pt 1.0in 56.7pt 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} --> </style></div>
Kumar Paudelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16690194876880189186noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797589085638201162.post-82736904127896350712017-08-10T23:10:00.009-07:002021-01-19T22:16:13.047-08:00Tribute to Tika Bahadur Sapkota<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">मंसिरको अन्तिम साता थियो। एकाबिहानै उठेर हिड्नु पर्दा आँखामा निद्रा अझै बाँकि थियो। अमलडाँडा पुगे पछि सिरिङ्ग भएँ। कालिन्चोकको हावा सिधै आएर मै माथि ठोक्कीएर गएको आभाष भो।</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-918f62ea-7fff-e771-4a8d-538f7598833d"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">यो वि.स. २०५५ साल तिरको कुरा हो, मार्से देखि शेरा फाँटसम्मका धान घर घरमा छिरिसकेको थियो। म त्यही फाँट टहल्दै आमाको पछि पछि लुरु लुरु हिंडिरहेंको थिएँ।</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">घाँस काट्ने कि आमालाई साथि जाने भन्ने बिकल्पमा मैले यो विकल्प रोजेको थिएँ। आमाले कुकुरगाडेका जुल्फे काकाले घरमै आएर बुनेको बाँसको ठुलो थुन्चे बोक्नुभएको थियो।</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">त्यो थुन्चे राम्चे मानेडाँडाको एउटा पसलमा पुगेर रोकियो। थुन्चेबाट अदुवाको ठुलो ठुलो पानो आमाले खन्याउनुभो। जती अदुवाको पानो तराजुमा खस्थ्यो, आमा र पसले हजुरबा उत्तीकै खुसि देखेर म कहिले पसले हजुरबा, कहिले आमा त कहिले तराजुको अदुवामा हेर्थेँ।</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">पाउलो कोहेल्लोले आफ्नो प्रशिद्ध उपन्यास इलेभेन मिनेट्समा लेखेजस्तै महत्वपूर्ण भेटघाट शरीरहरु सम्मुख हुनुभन्दा पहिले नै आत्माहरुले गरिसकेका हुन्छन् । वहाँलाई देख्दा म कुनै अपरिचितसँग पहिलोपटक भेट्दैछुझैं कत्ति पनि लागेन।</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">पसले हजुरबा भन्दैथिए, ज्यादै खुसिलाग्यो पोहोर साल भन्दा निकै राम्रो गर्नुभएछ। किन हतार गरेर ल्याउनु भएको चैत सम्म कुरेको भए दोब्बर आउँथ्यो बिउको भाउमा। खाँचो नै परेको भए मलाई भनेको भए भइहाल्थ्यो नी, मलाई अदुवा नै ल्याईदिए भईगो। अब मकै नरोपेर धेरै अदुवामात्र रोप्नु। यसरी ग्राहककै हितमा सोच्ने पसले देख्दा म दङ्ग परेको थिएँ।</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">त्यसको दुई बर्ष पछि म सरस्वती मा.वि. मा कक्षा ६ मा भर्ना भएँ र दिनहुँ त्यहि पसलको बाटो हिड्न थालँे। मेरो त्यो पसल र उहाँमा नजर परिरहन्थ्यो। बजारबाट पसलको सामानको भारी सँधै आफैले बोकेर ल्याएको देख्थेँ। सफा आँगन, छेउमै गेट बनेर ढकमक्क फुलेको फुल, चम्किलो सेता पहिरनमा बेला बेला मान्छेको आहोर दोहोर, कहिले सर्बत र प्रसाद बाटोमै बााडिरहेको, यी सबै दृश्य देख्दा कुनै धाम भन्दा कम लाग्दैन थियो। </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">बिहान ठुलो श्वरमा पढिरहेको बाटो हिँड्दा नै सुनिन्थ्यो। के पढ्नुहुन्थ्यो भन्ने मेरो बाल्य मतिष्कले नबुझे पनि उहाँका बारेमा मेरो मनमा हजार प्रश्न उब्जीसकेको थियो। उहाँको उत्तरार्ध समयमा केहि पटक भेटे पनि ति प्रश्नहरु न त उहाँलाई नै सोधेँ न त अरु कसैलाई। एकमुष्ट बलीयो प्रेरणा बनेर मलाई जगाईरह्यो।</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">मकालु बरुण राष्ट्रिय निकुञ्जबाट चितवन फर्कंदै गर्दा उहाँले शरिर छाड्नु भएको खबर सुने। एकाएक यी क्षणहरु मानषपटलमा आए। जहाँ रहेपनि उहाँको सोच र सत्मार्गले हजारौँलाई प्रेरणा भने दिईरहन्छ।</span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>Kumar Paudelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16690194876880189186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797589085638201162.post-89907804250518150042017-08-06T09:02:00.000-07:002020-03-11T04:22:24.359-07:00Time in prison...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Since last July, many people have called me to enquire where I have been. Upon listening to my response, many have been horrified and flooded me with rapid-fire questions: What happened? How did it happen? When will you be free? What’s the actual story?<br />
<br />
In fact, my answer to their question has been quite surprising, and anyone would panic after hearing it: I have been spending a lot of time in prison.<br />
<br />
More precisely, I have been visiting prisons around Nepal, meeting with people who have been arrested for participating in illegal wildlife trade (IWT). My research, in collaboration with Jacob Phelps and Gary Potter at Lancaster University, aims to understand trends in IWT arrests, and the motives behind people’s participation in illegal trade.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH4kAUFPiiPkADXhyphenhyphene0dGfd5zK_zeCFUoOEHbu-1C91aM3NjXzqsZLkU4OzmG8ek3Wz3XJJ3YhlSPvmQXrqhOPNrYWUrk8PnX05GxXpeGmc4YWe01wuriVxrsMsvxB8ede6rcJJvX1HpD0/s1600/Screen+Shot+2020-03-11+at+11.17.05+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1228" data-original-width="1314" height="598" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH4kAUFPiiPkADXhyphenhyphene0dGfd5zK_zeCFUoOEHbu-1C91aM3NjXzqsZLkU4OzmG8ek3Wz3XJJ3YhlSPvmQXrqhOPNrYWUrk8PnX05GxXpeGmc4YWe01wuriVxrsMsvxB8ede6rcJJvX1HpD0/s640/Screen+Shot+2020-03-11+at+11.17.05+AM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Prisoners are trying to talk with their visitors in Bardiya District Prison, August 2016. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
To date, I have interviewed 116 prisoners across 7 different prisons throughout Nepal. Nepal has been increasingly assertive in enforcing its wildlife laws, particularly focusing on the conservation of charismatic species such as tigers and rhinoceros. Some evidence suggests that it is also succeeding, celebrate zero poaching of rhinos in Chitwan National Park since 2011. And, now enforcement focus is expanding to tigers and elephants too. All these efforts, however, have also resulted in growing prison population of people arrested for their involvement in IWT.<br />
<br />
This took me across Nepal, to prisons with the largest populations of IWT prisoners, chosen based on the existing arrest records, and in consultation with Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC), Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), and Department of Prison Management (DPM).<br />
<br />
Conducting research in prison is itself a challenge. It was not easy to convince DNPWC and DPM to give consent to conduct this research. In fact, it took several of visits, follow-ups and clarifications to each level of officers. After the permission from central level was granted, we also needed approval from the Jailer of each prison. In most of the cases, the jailers were not ready to allow us in prison, as they were not convinced that research could be done in a prison setting. At last, overcoming all these complications finally we made into the prison to start our work. This was in addition to all of the research ethics reviews we conducted via Lancaster University.<br />
<br />
Prisons and prisoners weren't new to me, as I had already visited some of them during my MSc thesis and other research. But, this time, I interviewed prisoners for hours, which I never one before. I was excited and nervous too because my first challenge was to win their trust. I had to explain the project, gain their consent, and make them feel comfortable talking with me about their involvement in IWT activities and their journey, from their personal life to jail.<br />
<br />
<img height="425" src="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/30a5ca_510bc04ee2104b9c9d8e1d00bdca81c5~mv2_d_2048_1363_s_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_744,h_495,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01/30a5ca_510bc04ee2104b9c9d8e1d00bdca81c5~mv2_d_2048_1363_s_2.webp" width="640" /><br />
<br />
The interviews focused on collecting information about the wildlife harvesters and traders’ background, socioeconomic status, peer group, knowledge of regulations, and motives for participating in trade. Also, we explored the impacts of those activities, and resulting prison sentences, on their family life and livelihoods. Furthermore, we tried to understand the association between their roles and motivations, species traded in last five years, and current offence, including the source, route as well as the destination of the wildlife parts.<br />
<br />
Initially, I thought that many prisoners will not be ready to talk with me and that even if they did talk, that they would not reveal their real stories. So, I started with very informal chats with the respondents, like talking about my upbringing, education, and the motive behind this research; along with explaining our structured Participant Information Sheet that formed part of our ethics protocol. The approach really worked, and I listened to many hours of interesting stories, many depicting a bitter, real picture of their participation in IWT, arrest and life in prison.<br />
<br />
It will take some time to come up with the final results, but some of our initial findings have already surprised us, and we have had to reject some of our initial hypotheses about roles, motives and relationships within IWT. We are currently working on data analysis, with hopes that our results will help make for more effective and equitable enforcement-based responses to IWT.<br />
<br />
(I have written this blog after spending a year interviewing IWT prisoners in Nepal and it was originally published in <a href="http://jacobphelps.wixsite.com/enviro-policy-lab/single-post/2017/08/06/Time-in-prison">Tropical Environmental Change and Policy Lab</a>)<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5