Nepal covers only 0.03 % of land area globally and 0.3% in Asia, but it posses a disproportionately rich diversity of flora and fauna. Although Nepal is small geographically, the elevation extends from 60m. above sea level in the south to 8848m. in the north. According to the Bird Conservation Nepal (BCN), so far, 876 species of birds have been recorded in Nepal which is about 8% of the total birds’ species found worldwide. The annual report 2072 of Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) shows that 210 species of mammals, 653 species of butterflies, 230 species of fish, 53 species of amphibians, 137 species of reptiles, 6973 species of flowering plants, are found in Nepal.
The Government of Nepal has taken this as a magnificent gift of nature and has been conducting different conservation activities with the collaboration of national and international organizations. However, due to lack of people participation, incomplete legal procedure, and negligence of concerned authorities, these conservation activities have not been effective. On the other hand, the high value and demand of wildlife and their illegal trade in the international market have been the serious problem.
Wildlife trade has been the second-biggest direct threat to species after habitat destruction. Experts at TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, estimate that wildlife trade runs into hundreds of millions of dollars. TRAFFIC has calculated the wildlife products worth about 160 US billion dollars that were imported around the world each year during the 1990s. This figure has been increased these days.
Many plants & animals are sold as food, pets, ornamental plants, and medicine. Over-exploitation of these activities may lead to the imbalance in nature and biodiversity. In our country, most of the wildlife hunting and trade is done by educated people. The ethnicity of arrests published by Wildlife Conservation Nepal (WCN) from 2005 to 2016 shows that 44% of the Matuwalis, 23% Bahun/Chhetri, 8% Newar, 6% Madhesi, 5% foreigners and 10% others were found to be involved in wildlife hunting and trade. This has been a great business in Nepal. Mostly age group of between 20-40 are found actively involved in this kinds of activities. Involvement of more than 8 people, shooter, runner, arms provider, market finder or broker and storekeeper has made hunting and trade easy.
Illegal hunting and trade of Tiger, Red panda, Pangolins, Leopard, Deer, Elephant, Owl, Himalayan yew (Lauth Salla), Caterpillar fungus (Yarshagumba), Marsh Orchids (Panch Aaunle), Red Sanders (Raktachandan), are emerging these days. The trade of Red panda for hides, leopard and deer for skins, pangolins for scales, musk pods, bear bile, tiger bones and skin, birds feathers, otter skin, rhino horns and elephants ivories are sold with a high price.
International drug smugglers were found to be using Kathmandu as a transit for smuggling wildlife body parts. Political patronage to the poachers and smugglers has made this issue more complex and challenging for conservationists. WCN reported that 74% of wildlife hunting and trade is found to be involved in Chitwan district followed by Nawalparasi (8%), Makawanpur (8%) and others 10 %.
National legislation and appropriate penalties for illegal wildlife trade are missing by country. Concerning the illegal wildlife hunting and trade is our prime duty to aware the local people, motivate the conservationists, pressurize the government and concerned authorities. Strict law and security system should be maintained in national parks, wildlife reserves, and conservation area. Conservation has also been progressed nowadays by the use of new technologies like poachersCam, aerial surveillance, drones and even the use of spy dog. Illegal hunting and trade have been a real threat to wildlife. As wildlife and their habitat can’t speak, we must all unite together with a common aim to protect them and we will.
Bachelors’ in Forestry
IOF, Pokhara
