Wildlife sightings increase in Nepalese conservation area

Kathmandu, Nepal - Sightings of wildlife in Nepal's north-east Himalayas have increased since the establishment five years ago of the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area. A snow leopard monitoring team is reported to have recently seen five snow leopards (two adults and three cubs) at an altitude of 4,970m, and chanced upon the remains of a blue sheep believed to be killed by a snow leopard. In addition, a group of pilgrims on their way to Pathibhara temple, which lies inside the conservation area, are reported to have recently sighted a wild yak. 
 
Kanchenjunga Conservation Area was established by Nepal's Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation and WWF-Nepal in 1998. Covering 2035km2 and located in the north-east corner of Nepal under the shadow of the world's third-highest mountain — the 8,586m Mt. Kanchenjunga — the conservation area adjoins the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in the north and Sikkim, India, to the east. In addition to being home to snow leopard, red panda, musk deer, and the Himalayan black bear, the area also boasts a wealth of ethnic diversity and a rich cultural heritage. 

The major environmental issues of the area relate to over-dependence of local people on forests for firewood, timber, and fodder; heavy livestock grazing; slash-and-burn agriculture; encroachment of agriculture into forests; and poaching and retaliatory killing of wildlife.

WWF-Nepal, the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, and the government of Nepal jointly initiated the Kanchenjunga Conservation Project with the establishment of the conservation area in 1998. The project's objective is to conserve natural resources and promote sustainable development in the area by strengthening the capacity of local communities and improving their socio-economic conditions. This includes forming user groups and user committees; creating a plan for tourism development; initiating income-generating activities; helping with literacy and capacity building; and helping to mitigate human-wildlife conflict. 
 
"Three snow leopard conservation committees have been formed, and an orientation programme was organized last year to discuss how community based organizations could best be mobilized for the conservation of the big cat," says Jhamak Bahadur Karki, warden of the conservation area and manager of the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Project.
 
"The orientation also discussed ways to minimize conflict between snow leopard and local farmers, and the initiation of a compensation scheme for livestock loss," he adds.

Another recommendation from the orientation programme was to strengthen cooperation between Nepal, India, and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China for the establishment of a Tri-national peace park between the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area, India's Khangchendzonga National Park, and the Qomolangma Nature Preserve in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. 

The Kanchenjunga Conservation Area is part of the Eastern Himalayan Broadleaf and Conifer Forests Ecoregion and Eastern Himalayan Alpine Meadows Ecoregion, two of WWF's Global 200 Ecoregions — a science-based global ranking of the world's most biologically outstanding habitats and the regions on which WWF concentrates its efforts. In view of the natural and cultural significance of the area, WWF recognized the planned establishment of the conservation area as a Gift to the Earth in 1997 — WWF's highest accolade for applauding good conservation work.

For further information:
Sangita Shrestha Singh
Communication Officer, WWF-Nepal
Tel: +977 1 4434820
E-mail: sangita.shrestha@wwfnepal.org