Every year, up to 15 people are killed by tigers in and around Nepal’s Chitwan National Park, famous for its <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/is-wildlife-conservation-a-victim-of-its-own-success-in-nepal">conservation success story</a>.&nbsp; But this was not always the case — elders say there used to be many more tigers but fewer deaths. What changed? Long before <a href="https://chitwannationalpark.gov.np/index.php">Chitwan National Park</a> was established in 1972, the indigenous Tharu people and tigers coexisted, fostering a centuries-old relationship based on an understanding of each other’s behaviour. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-tarai-s-shrinking-forests">the Tarai </a>plains, especially Chitwan, gained fame for <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-tarai-s-shrinking-forests">tiger hunting</a> and proved useful as Nepal’s rulers employed hunting diplomacy by inviting British royals to extravagant hunting parties. Hunting expeditions would descend from Kathmandu in winter months to avoid malarial summers. The Tharu supplied rice, vegetables, goats, and constructed access roads.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250729160752_c9998ffdaa27ff3c251556bd472945bf6e648fdb4016d3b152cbef86f321c7f7.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20250729160752_c9998ffdaa27ff3c251556bd472945bf6e648fdb4016d3b152cbef86f321c7f7" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1146" loading="lazy" alt="Tharu people"> <figcaption>A US-supported DDT spraying campaign against malaria in Chitwan in the 1950s that opened the valley to trans-migration of farmers from the hills. The Tharu people were partially immune to malaria. Photo: USOM RECORDS, US NATIONAL ARCHIVES, COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND</figcaption> </figure>  Rana rulers also relied upon Tharu mahout expertise in handling elephants, navigating the jungle, and tracking wildlife for hunting. The Ranas and their guests killed an astonishing number of tigers. During a hunting expedition in 1850, Rana Prime Minister Jung Bahadur Rana personally shot dead 31 tigers. In 1876, during two weeks, British King Albert Edward VII shot 23 tigers.&nbsp; In 1911 King George V killed four bears, eight one-horned rhinoceroses, and 39 tigers. Rana Prime Minister Juddha Shumsher is said to have killed 433 tigers from all across the Tarai between 1930 to 1940. At the time, 90% of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/chitwan-s-bote-people-in-a-changing-world">Chitwan’s population </a>were indigenous Tharu, Bote, Musahar, with the Kumal making up the rest. While people were worried about their crops and food sources, they were also mindful of tigers, rhinos, and other forms of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/human-animal-interface-in-nepal-wildlife-corridor?%2F">wildlife</a>.&nbsp; The Tharu trapped tiger prey such as wild boar and deer for their survival, also understood that predators like tigers sometimes hunted their buffalos, goats, and cows — especially when they grazed in or near the jungle. To Tharu, this seemed only fair. “In 1973, just before the establishment of the<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/on-the-tri-junction-of-wildlife-conservation-conflict-and-co-existence"> Chitwan National Park</a>, my family owned between 200 and 300 cows, oxen, and buffaloes,” says Keval Chaudhary, 95. “Tigers killed four to five of my cattle each year, but we never hated tigers and never felt like killing them. It was coexistence — we shared the same land.”&nbsp; Shukhlal Chaudhary of Bachauli once told us there used to be significantly more tigers before malaria eradication in the 1950s, but that did not mean there was more conflict with humans. “We used to go into the forest every day, and were familiar with the routines of the animals that lived there,” he used to say. “The tigers rarely ventured into our village or killed anyone who lived there.”  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250729160756_e39f7bdb451f752b753b1d8fc4e590196afd5cd21e2456443557c2eafb6c5c82.jpg" data-media-id="editor_8" data-image-id="20250729160756_e39f7bdb451f752b753b1d8fc4e590196afd5cd21e2456443557c2eafb6c5c82" data-rendition-name="original" width="1915" height="1443" loading="lazy" alt="Tigers in Nepal"> </figure>  In the days before the National Park, the tiger population in Chitwan was probably bigger. The Ranas had laws against hurting rhinos and tigers, but more importantly, <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/comment/unsung-heroes-of-nepal-s-tiger-recovery">the Tharu also cared for the animals </a>and the jungle. This respect for nature runs deep in our tradition. The Tharu worship through the Gurau spiritual healer and honour the forest deity known as Bandevi. Says Aasha Ram Mahato, an 85-year-old resident of Madi: “हमरा पुजा करइ खुनिय जम्मा देवी देउता जससनेकी सोमेसोरबाणि, कल्की माइ, बिक्रम बाबा सब थारु देवी देउता क नाउ लेके हमरा सन्सारी बर्ना कर्साहु इय जेठवा नत एसार्ह महिनावमा हमरा इअ बाली बिर्ही बचावके, बनवका चिजुवा बिजुवा बचावके कहके हमरा बरसमा ३ चोटी पुजा कर्साहु एसार्ही बर्ना, लेरुवा पैठ हसे चैत पैठ बर्ना।” <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/5-myths-about-the-tharu">The Tharu </a>take the names of all the gods they worship — such as Somesor Baani, Kalki Maai, and Bikram Baba, and perform Sansaari Puja, a traditional ritual to protect crops, wild and domestic animals, insects, and everything in nature. This ritual reflects the community’s deep respect and spiritual bond with the natural world and is performed three times a year. Bikram Mahato, 65, recalls an incident six years ago when 10 people entered Chitwan National Park to cut fodder grass. A tiger was 50m away, silently watching them and preparing to attack. The group quickly decided not to run or scatter. Instead, they stayed close together.&nbsp; This smart and immediate decision prevented a <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/close-encounters-with-tigers-in-nepal">tiger attack</a>. It also depicts the Tharu indigenous community’s understanding of nature and wildlife, as well as their choice of coexistence and protection. The Nepal government and foreign aid organisations have mostly forgotten the history of Tharu–tiger coexistence and the community’s silent but c<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/conservation-at-the-crossroads">rucial role in tiger conservation</a>. Nevertheless, let us hope that the state will eventually acknowledge and pay tribute to the contributions of the Indigenous Tharu in protecting the forests and wildlife, especially the tigers, that currently make up Chitwan National Park. Birendra Mahato is an elected member of the Ratnanagar Municipality Ward 6 and Founder Chair of the Tharu Culture Museum Research Centre in Sauraha.

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Nepal’s Tharu are tiger protectors

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110141152/636d02d29c7e80680e0a369ejpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1015"/><figcaption>Comunity discussion in Ghunsa. Photo: WWF NEPAL</figcaption></figure>Tucked in the sacred Himalayan landscape of the northeastern corner of Nepal, the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.cohttps/www.nepalitimes.com/banner/tracing-past-glacial-floods-in-kangchenjunga/m/banner/tracing-past-glacial-floods-in-kangchenjunga/">Kangchenjunga Conservation Area (KCA)</a>is home to the world’s third highest mountain ecosystem. It is also Nepal’s first conservation area managed by the local community.It was declared as ‘A Gift to the Earth’ by the Nepal government in support of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Living Planet Campaign in April 1997, and has a long-standing history of perseverance, resilience, and of striking a balance between conservation gains for people and nature.The KCA’s 2,035 sq km area hosts a vast assortment of biological diversity, it is part of the Eastern Himalayan Global 200 cross-border eco-region, and millions of people downstream depend on it and its water towers.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110141152/636d02d59c7e80680e0a369fjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="519" height="367"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>Recognising the significance of the region, there have been integrated efforts to protect its biodiversity and improve livelihoods of local communities. WWF Nepal’s engagement in the KCA dates back to 1995, when it first conducted a feasibility study followed by the inception of the Kangchenjunga Conservation Area Project (KCAP) in 1998.It was rolled out in partnership with local communities under the leadership of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation. After almost a decade, the government of Nepal undertook the historic step of <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/remembering-nepals-conservation-heroes/">handing over management responsibilities of KCA to local communities</a>on 22 September 2006 -- making it the ﬁrst protected area to be managed by the local community in Nepal.Community driven conservation hinged on the notion of increased community participation in decision-making and natural resource management, which has allowed the KCA to address key challenges such as forest degradation, human snow leopard conflict, and gender inequality.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110141152/636d02d79c7e80680e0a36a0jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="747" height="440"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>These initiatives have been critical in promoting women’s empowerment by enhancing their role in nature conservation and decision-making, particularly in natural resource management. Since its inception, KCAP has supported 35 Mothers’ Groups and helped them secure a critical role in decision-making and management.Starting off as a small network, the Mothers’ Groups have expanded to include a wide spectrum of activities including support for non-formal education to the older generation, and education for girls. There are cleanliness and health-hygiene programs, childcare, and initiatives to promote financial independence of women through saving and credit schemes.The Mothers’ Groups are a model for translating the rights of the women over natural resource management into action, and provide scholarships to girls from low income families through an endowment fund of Rs5 million in each group. It supports income generation activities and provides scholarships for students, particularly girls from vulnerable households. So far, 206 girls have benefited from scholarships.Community-based snow leopard conservation and prey monitoring has also begun in which citizen scientists have been trained to keep track of the endangered cats and their prey. This group uses a wide gamut of technologies from conventional sign surveys to camera traps, fecal DNA surveys and GPS collaring.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110141152/636d02d99c7e80680e0a36a1jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1779" height="1000"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110141152/636d02dc9c7e80680e0a36a2jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1779" height="1000"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>Already, the KCA’s presence is seen in increased forest cover, from 51,500ha in 1999 to 54,800ha in 2015. As a result, from zero <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/nepal-leads-in-snow-leopard-study/">snow leopards</a>in 1995, there were 293 of the animals moving between India, China and Nepal.  The return of the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/crying-wolf/">Himalayan wolf</a>is also encouraging, as is the increase in population of blue sheep from 1,167 in 2007 to 1,638 by 2015.While encouraging, there are still challenges like human wildlife conflict, especially with the return of the wolves. Even so there have been few retaliatory killings of wolves, with not a single case since the establishment in 2004 of Ghunsa Community Snow Leopard Insurance Scheme, supported by University of Zurich. There are four livestock insurance schemes with a revolving fund of Rs8.4 million, along with a Rs4.7 million crop damage relief fund.KCA has earned national and international recognition for its conservation success and takes forward the legacy of the Conservation Heroes who tragically lost their lives in a helicopter accident in Ghunsa on 23 September 2006, just a day after handing over the Kangchenjunga Conservation Area to the local community.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110141152/636d02df9c7e80680e0a36a3jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1779" height="1000"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>KCA has come a long way in the 15 years since. There are challenges ahead: representation and leadership of women in the Management Council of the KCA needs to increase. The role of local governments in the Council also has to be redefined.There is also the possibility of developing the Kangchenjunga region as a Tri-National Peace Park as a model of transboundary and regional cooperation for biodiversity conservation.The community-based Livestock Insurance Schemes have proved to be a successful human wildlife conflict mitigation measure, but this activity needs to be scaled up and integrated with the government compensation mechanism.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110141152/636d02e29c7e80680e0a36a4jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="998"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>Then there is the potential post-Covid boom to promote nature-based eco-tourism and green enterprises as alternative livelihood options for the communities.Environment and wildlife friendly infrastructure have to be designed to maintain ecological connectivity in the region, particularly with the new roads and hydropower projects in the region. <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/11-day-trek-is-now-a-days-drive-in-nepal/">Ghana S Gurung</a> is the Country Representative of WWF in Nepal and Snow Leopard Champion for the Global WWF Network. <img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110141152/636d02e59c7e80680e0a36a5jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="146">

Participating to save Kangchenjunga

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109181152/636be8ed9c7e80680e087891jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="3001" height="2261"/><figcaption>Murti Devi Chaudhary, chair of a community forestry group in Saptari says, “Wildlife are like the forest’s jewels” Photos: Teri D. Allendorf</figcaption></figure>The <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepals-highest-ever-tiger-sighting/#:~:text=A%20tiger%20has%20been%20caught,the%20mountain%20forests%20of%20Ilam&amp;text=A%20tiger%20has%20been%20caught%20on%20camera%20trap%20at%20an,the%20mountains%20of%20eastern%20Nepal." data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepals-highest-ever-tiger-sighting/%23:~:text%3DA%2520tiger%2520has%2520been%2520caught,the%2520mountain%2520forests%2520of%2520Ilam%26text%3DA%2520tiger%2520has%2520been%2520caught%2520on%2520camera%2520trap%2520at%2520an,the%2520mountains%2520of%2520eastern%2520Nepal.&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHxJD4WwjnKkFNan4bMU66TNK3O7A">camera trap photos</a> of a large tiger on a nighttime walk in Nepal's eastern mountains were thrilling. It was only a matter of time before we would find them exploring eastern Nepal, since forests there have been <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/tree-mendous/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/tree-mendous/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHMJRFjC5Q56n2iPaKGs78XYw1gnw">improving</a>. And tigers are dispersers.The endangered cats have been documented in <a href="https://kathmandupost.com/climate-environment/2020/12/12/tigers-sighted-high-in-the-hills-wildlife-experts-wonder-why-they-are-moving-north" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://kathmandupost.com/climate-environment/2020/12/12/tigers-sighted-high-in-the-hills-wildlife-experts-wonder-why-they-are-moving-north&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNELmzB_Bn2tB6NIqKXfxzaWQHMN-Q">many parts</a> of the western and eastern Himalaya. The number of tigers in Nepal grew from 121 in 2009 to <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-tigers-now-number-235/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-tigers-now-number-235/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHyYHYBf-ZFiJitzKi1W2LvgVm4uw">235 in 2018</a>, according to <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/how-many-tigers-in-nepal/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/how-many-tigers-in-nepal/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGvmnw6NGnSGoArEXNFNxlQj52fuA">a tiger census</a>, and Nepal was the first tiger range country to meet the international target of doubling  its population of wild tigers.It is possible tigers have been present in eastern Nepal for a while, and that only now the wider use of camera trapping is allowing us to prove their presence. People often say they see tigers, but without photographic evidence, it is often assumed they have seen चितुवा (<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/rise-in-tiger-numbers-make-leopards-raid-livestock/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/rise-in-tiger-numbers-make-leopards-raid-livestock/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNG0jfqiaoptCWoEA14f9r9eQfT3Qw">leopards</a>) and not बाघ (tigers).Other factors also probably contribute to tigers coming out in eastern Nepal. As villagers <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/9/3/84/pdf" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/9/3/84/pdf&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGBjd-nWQuc9ImBjdXsjQrfTqJlAQ">abandon farmland</a> and migrate for economic opportunities, wildlife find more habitat and space. In Europe, there have been reports of bear and wolf numbers climbing as villages and farmland are abandoned in a process called ‘<a href="https://theconversation.com/rewilding-as-farmland-and-villages-are-abandoned-forests-wolves-and-bears-are-returning-to-europe-119316" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://theconversation.com/rewilding-as-farmland-and-villages-are-abandoned-forests-wolves-and-bears-are-returning-to-europe-119316&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHNG9KB0Oehww2RYYpXUHXvMNid8w">rewilding</a>’.As wildlife populations increase, their sightings in unexpected places also go up. <a href="https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200929-how-wolves-and-bison-are-returning-to-europe" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200929-how-wolves-and-bison-are-returning-to-europe&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNH5U9SPFnmq8co-TvUpQlSJIDIS9A">Wolves are known to pass through European</a> cities and <a href="https://kathmandupost.com/climate-environment/2019/06/21/this-is-why-leopards-are-entering-our-cities-20190621195755" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://kathmandupost.com/climate-environment/2019/06/21/this-is-why-leopards-are-entering-our-cities-20190621195755&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFVFgZqRZdu9hqXWpRcrhIhz2fEgw">leopards</a>move from one forest patch to another in  Kathmandu Valley.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109181152/636be8f09c7e80680e087892jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="562" height="154"><figcaption>Tiger sightings</figcaption></figure>Blue dots are places tiger have been camera trapped in Nepal and Sikkim <a href="https://kathmandupost.com/national/2020/12/12/tigers-sighted-high-in-the-hills-wildlife-experts-wonder-why-they-are-moving-north" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://kathmandupost.com/national/2020/12/12/tigers-sighted-high-in-the-hills-wildlife-experts-wonder-why-they-are-moving-north&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608621325773000&amp;usg=AFQjCNECVxmegeQK-fwbZ8dmRlc8p-DrCQ">recently</a>. Black dots are from <a href="http://globaltigerforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Final-HAT-VERSION-28-AUGUST-20191.pdf" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://globaltigerforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Final-HAT-VERSION-28-AUGUST-20191.pdf&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608621325773000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGoA1lM1jl5Scz5yzxDmaBysj0sJw">Status of Tiger Habitats in High Altitude Ecosystems of Bhutan, India and Nepal (Situation Analysis) 2019</a>.The red dot shows confirmed tiger presence in the 1990s in Udayapur.Human-wildlife <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/close-encounters-with-tigers-in-nepal/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/close-encounters-with-tigers-in-nepal/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGlSNepxKqlnBukXV17yMvoLsiRww">conflict</a> is bound to increase as forests and wildlife thrive. But there is no better way to address these problems than with the full <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/unsung-heroes-of-nepals-tiger-recovery/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/unsung-heroes-of-nepals-tiger-recovery/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEmY66nWU_gtggS3FQBx5p7P8zlrw">participation of communities</a> to help create and implement mitigation measures that make sense to them.Spotting tigers in <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepals-highest-ever-tiger-sighting/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepals-highest-ever-tiger-sighting/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHwzNmLQ2JbVFZz3T7hxXhxrW3HyA">Ilam</a> is a reminder that excellent opportunities exist in East Nepal for conserving tiger and other wildlife populations like the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/how-humans-can-live-with-wild-elephants/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/how-humans-can-live-with-wild-elephants/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEAD_g4V3hCH7RIkDf_u5pd7kajiw">wild elephant</a>, <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/Dancing-to-freedom,4096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/Dancing-to-freedom,4096&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGo2idBextTTyjIKkOy1LKmwySDsQ">sloth bear</a>, and <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/protecting-pangolins-from-being-eaten-to-extinction/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/protecting-pangolins-from-being-eaten-to-extinction/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNECcACdohCnmnPiu3ddl2eDcDf1Wg">pangolin</a>. Recovering forests in the Chure and Mahabharat Ranges could become good habitat for these endangered species.There is no better way to protect wildlife in eastern Nepal than by giving <a href="https://www.intechopen.com/books/precious-forests-precious-earth/creating-modern-community-conservation-organizations-and-institutions-to-effect-successful-forest-co" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.intechopen.com/books/precious-forests-precious-earth/creating-modern-community-conservation-organizations-and-institutions-to-effect-successful-forest-co&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGoBMufpknqZ6Tb__Ch04aYquYj3g">local communities</a> the tools to manage their community forests for wildlife. Although community forestry has traditionally focused on managing trees and plants, there is no reason management cannot include wildlife.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109181152/636be8f19c7e80680e087893jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1125"><figcaption>Community forestry user group members being trained in wildlife conservation.</figcaption></figure>Nepal’s communities have been champions in protecting and conserving their forests, leading the world by their example. With the right training, policies, and incentives, they can achieve similar success with wildlife, including tigers.With the support of Nepali partners, NGOs like <a href="http://communityconservation.org/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://communityconservation.org/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFtuYhObmw_sl38IYzKijzCjr9iCg">Community Conservation Inc</a> has begun to bring together a network of communities and community forests in southeastern Nepal for the conservation of endangered tigers, bears, and elephants.Since 2014, the organisation has been partnering with the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/caught-on-camera-nepals-rare-fishing-cat/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/caught-on-camera-nepals-rare-fishing-cat/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGASqxATh0pj7qR8ZeocJSoostooQ">Small Mammal Conservation and Research Foundation</a>, Resources Himalaya, and Community Conservation Nepal, to build a network of community forests in the Chure from the Bagmati River to the eastern border.Communities in Nepal are already protecting endangered species like the <a href="https://www.redpandanetwork.org/projects/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.redpandanetwork.org/projects/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGmi6lVmeCOaYgbAVeigCj6gqazEg">Red Panda Network</a> project, the group that found the tiger in Ilam, and Nawalparasi's <a href="https://thehimalayantimes.com/lifestyle/environment/ex-poachers-turn-conservationists-himalayan-ghoral/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://thehimalayantimes.com/lifestyle/environment/ex-poachers-turn-conservationists-himalayan-ghoral/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNG5Ch22XgwoK5ATg_smg6-V5Prd6g">Ghoral Conservation Area</a>. Both demonstrate how communities can safeguard endangered species.While we should not romanticise people’s desire to protect wildlife, we also should not underestimate it. As Murti Devi Chaudhary, Chairperson of the Jharkhanda Community Forestry User Group OF Saptari District, told us during a meeting last year, “Wildlife are like the forest’s jewels.”<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109181152/636be8f49c7e80680e087894jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2272" height="1704"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>Community forestry in Nepal has shown that people can be the solution, not the problem, for protecting forests. The same is true for wildlife. Communities need to be recognised as the backbone of wildlife conservation. Investments in community capacity and policies to support them should be a priority.Nepal has the opportunity to become a world leader, not only in community forestry, but also in community wildlife management. And this would mean more fantastic photos and sightings of endangered wildlife in eastern Nepal.Community commitmentNepal can integrate wildlife conservation into community forestry by building:* Community capacity for wildlife conservation, including trainings in wildlife conservation for women, marginalised, and youth. Ideally, individuals could gain special training in areas that particularly interest them, like birds, mammals, plants, etc.* Capacity of forest guards and user groups to gather data on wildlife as part of regular activities, including camera trapping, with community forestry users’ groups buying their own cameras if they have enough income or through subsidies.* Networks of community forests linked across corridors, with community forestry user groups that communicate and share information about the wildlife in their forests.Teri D. Allendorf, PhD is a conservation biologist affiliated with the Dept of Forest and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Wisconsin, Madison and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in the US, and is the Board President of Community Conservation, Inc.

Villagers step up to protect Nepal’s tigers

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109191120/636befdb4b0ad905ca02efdajpeg.jpg" alt="" width="3001" height="2261"/><figcaption>Murti Devi Chaudhary, chair of a community forestry group in Saptari says, “Wildlife are like the forest’s jewels” Photos: Teri D. Allendorf</figcaption></figure>The <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepals-highest-ever-tiger-sighting/#:~:text=A%20tiger%20has%20been%20caught,the%20mountain%20forests%20of%20Ilam&amp;text=A%20tiger%20has%20been%20caught%20on%20camera%20trap%20at%20an,the%20mountains%20of%20eastern%20Nepal." data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepals-highest-ever-tiger-sighting/%23:~:text%3DA%2520tiger%2520has%2520been%2520caught,the%2520mountain%2520forests%2520of%2520Ilam%26text%3DA%2520tiger%2520has%2520been%2520caught%2520on%2520camera%2520trap%2520at%2520an,the%2520mountains%2520of%2520eastern%2520Nepal.&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHxJD4WwjnKkFNan4bMU66TNK3O7A">camera trap photos</a> of a large tiger on a nighttime walk in Nepal's eastern mountains were thrilling. It was only a matter of time before we would find them exploring eastern Nepal, since forests there have been <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/tree-mendous/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/tree-mendous/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHMJRFjC5Q56n2iPaKGs78XYw1gnw">improving</a>. And tigers are dispersers.The endangered cats have been documented in <a href="https://kathmandupost.com/climate-environment/2020/12/12/tigers-sighted-high-in-the-hills-wildlife-experts-wonder-why-they-are-moving-north" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://kathmandupost.com/climate-environment/2020/12/12/tigers-sighted-high-in-the-hills-wildlife-experts-wonder-why-they-are-moving-north&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNELmzB_Bn2tB6NIqKXfxzaWQHMN-Q">many parts</a> of the western and eastern Himalaya. The number of tigers in Nepal grew from 121 in 2009 to <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-tigers-now-number-235/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-tigers-now-number-235/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHyYHYBf-ZFiJitzKi1W2LvgVm4uw">235 in 2018</a>, according to <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/how-many-tigers-in-nepal/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/how-many-tigers-in-nepal/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGvmnw6NGnSGoArEXNFNxlQj52fuA">a tiger census</a>, and Nepal was the first tiger range country to meet the international target of doubling  its population of wild tigers.It is possible tigers have been present in eastern Nepal for a while, and that only now the wider use of camera trapping is allowing us to prove their presence. People often say they see tigers, but without photographic evidence, it is often assumed they have seen चितुवा (<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/rise-in-tiger-numbers-make-leopards-raid-livestock/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/rise-in-tiger-numbers-make-leopards-raid-livestock/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNG0jfqiaoptCWoEA14f9r9eQfT3Qw">leopards</a>) and not बाघ (tigers).Other factors also probably contribute to tigers coming out in eastern Nepal. As villagers <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/9/3/84/pdf" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/9/3/84/pdf&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGBjd-nWQuc9ImBjdXsjQrfTqJlAQ">abandon farmland</a> and migrate for economic opportunities, wildlife find more habitat and space. In Europe, there have been reports of bear and wolf numbers climbing as villages and farmland are abandoned in a process called ‘<a href="https://theconversation.com/rewilding-as-farmland-and-villages-are-abandoned-forests-wolves-and-bears-are-returning-to-europe-119316" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://theconversation.com/rewilding-as-farmland-and-villages-are-abandoned-forests-wolves-and-bears-are-returning-to-europe-119316&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHNG9KB0Oehww2RYYpXUHXvMNid8w">rewilding</a>’.As wildlife populations increase, their sightings in unexpected places also go up. <a href="https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200929-how-wolves-and-bison-are-returning-to-europe" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200929-how-wolves-and-bison-are-returning-to-europe&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNH5U9SPFnmq8co-TvUpQlSJIDIS9A">Wolves are known to pass through European</a> cities and <a href="https://kathmandupost.com/climate-environment/2019/06/21/this-is-why-leopards-are-entering-our-cities-20190621195755" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://kathmandupost.com/climate-environment/2019/06/21/this-is-why-leopards-are-entering-our-cities-20190621195755&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFVFgZqRZdu9hqXWpRcrhIhz2fEgw">leopards</a>move from one forest patch to another in  Kathmandu Valley.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109191120/636befde4b0ad905ca02efdbjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="562" height="154"><figcaption>Tiger sightings</figcaption></figure>Blue dots are places tiger have been camera trapped in Nepal and Sikkim <a href="https://kathmandupost.com/national/2020/12/12/tigers-sighted-high-in-the-hills-wildlife-experts-wonder-why-they-are-moving-north" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://kathmandupost.com/national/2020/12/12/tigers-sighted-high-in-the-hills-wildlife-experts-wonder-why-they-are-moving-north&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608621325773000&amp;usg=AFQjCNECVxmegeQK-fwbZ8dmRlc8p-DrCQ">recently</a>. Black dots are from <a href="http://globaltigerforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Final-HAT-VERSION-28-AUGUST-20191.pdf" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://globaltigerforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Final-HAT-VERSION-28-AUGUST-20191.pdf&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608621325773000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGoA1lM1jl5Scz5yzxDmaBysj0sJw">Status of Tiger Habitats in High Altitude Ecosystems of Bhutan, India and Nepal (Situation Analysis) 2019</a>.The red dot shows confirmed tiger presence in the 1990s in Udayapur.Human-wildlife <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/close-encounters-with-tigers-in-nepal/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/close-encounters-with-tigers-in-nepal/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGlSNepxKqlnBukXV17yMvoLsiRww">conflict</a> is bound to increase as forests and wildlife thrive. But there is no better way to address these problems than with the full <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/unsung-heroes-of-nepals-tiger-recovery/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/unsung-heroes-of-nepals-tiger-recovery/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEmY66nWU_gtggS3FQBx5p7P8zlrw">participation of communities</a> to help create and implement mitigation measures that make sense to them.Spotting tigers in <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepals-highest-ever-tiger-sighting/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepals-highest-ever-tiger-sighting/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHwzNmLQ2JbVFZz3T7hxXhxrW3HyA">Ilam</a> is a reminder that excellent opportunities exist in East Nepal for conserving tiger and other wildlife populations like the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/how-humans-can-live-with-wild-elephants/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/how-humans-can-live-with-wild-elephants/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEAD_g4V3hCH7RIkDf_u5pd7kajiw">wild elephant</a>, <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/Dancing-to-freedom,4096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/Dancing-to-freedom,4096&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGo2idBextTTyjIKkOy1LKmwySDsQ">sloth bear</a>, and <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/protecting-pangolins-from-being-eaten-to-extinction/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/protecting-pangolins-from-being-eaten-to-extinction/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNECcACdohCnmnPiu3ddl2eDcDf1Wg">pangolin</a>. Recovering forests in the Chure and Mahabharat Ranges could become good habitat for these endangered species.There is no better way to protect wildlife in eastern Nepal than by giving <a href="https://www.intechopen.com/books/precious-forests-precious-earth/creating-modern-community-conservation-organizations-and-institutions-to-effect-successful-forest-co" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.intechopen.com/books/precious-forests-precious-earth/creating-modern-community-conservation-organizations-and-institutions-to-effect-successful-forest-co&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGoBMufpknqZ6Tb__Ch04aYquYj3g">local communities</a> the tools to manage their community forests for wildlife. Although community forestry has traditionally focused on managing trees and plants, there is no reason management cannot include wildlife.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109191120/636befdf4b0ad905ca02efdcjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1125"><figcaption>Community forestry user group members being trained in wildlife conservation.</figcaption></figure>Nepal’s communities have been champions in protecting and conserving their forests, leading the world by their example. With the right training, policies, and incentives, they can achieve similar success with wildlife, including tigers.With the support of Nepali partners, NGOs like <a href="http://communityconservation.org/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://communityconservation.org/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFtuYhObmw_sl38IYzKijzCjr9iCg">Community Conservation Inc</a> has begun to bring together a network of communities and community forests in southeastern Nepal for the conservation of endangered tigers, bears, and elephants.Since 2014, the organisation has been partnering with the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/caught-on-camera-nepals-rare-fishing-cat/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/caught-on-camera-nepals-rare-fishing-cat/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGASqxATh0pj7qR8ZeocJSoostooQ">Small Mammal Conservation and Research Foundation</a>, Resources Himalaya, and Community Conservation Nepal, to build a network of community forests in the Chure from the Bagmati River to the eastern border.Communities in Nepal are already protecting endangered species like the <a href="https://www.redpandanetwork.org/projects/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.redpandanetwork.org/projects/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGmi6lVmeCOaYgbAVeigCj6gqazEg">Red Panda Network</a> project, the group that found the tiger in Ilam, and Nawalparasi's <a href="https://thehimalayantimes.com/lifestyle/environment/ex-poachers-turn-conservationists-himalayan-ghoral/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://thehimalayantimes.com/lifestyle/environment/ex-poachers-turn-conservationists-himalayan-ghoral/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1608620326024000&amp;usg=AFQjCNG5Ch22XgwoK5ATg_smg6-V5Prd6g">Ghoral Conservation Area</a>. Both demonstrate how communities can safeguard endangered species.While we should not romanticise people’s desire to protect wildlife, we also should not underestimate it. As Murti Devi Chaudhary, Chairperson of the Jharkhanda Community Forestry User Group OF Saptari District, told us during a meeting last year, “Wildlife are like the forest’s jewels.”<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109191120/636befe84b0ad905ca02efddjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2272" height="1704"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>Community forestry in Nepal has shown that people can be the solution, not the problem, for protecting forests. The same is true for wildlife. Communities need to be recognised as the backbone of wildlife conservation. Investments in community capacity and policies to support them should be a priority.Nepal has the opportunity to become a world leader, not only in community forestry, but also in community wildlife management. And this would mean more fantastic photos and sightings of endangered wildlife in eastern Nepal.Community commitmentNepal can integrate wildlife conservation into community forestry by building:* Community capacity for wildlife conservation, including trainings in wildlife conservation for women, marginalised, and youth. Ideally, individuals could gain special training in areas that particularly interest them, like birds, mammals, plants, etc.* Capacity of forest guards and user groups to gather data on wildlife as part of regular activities, including camera trapping, with community forestry users’ groups buying their own cameras if they have enough income or through subsidies.* Networks of community forests linked across corridors, with community forestry user groups that communicate and share information about the wildlife in their forests.Teri D. Allendorf, PhD is a conservation biologist affiliated with the Dept of Forest and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Wisconsin, Madison and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in the US, and is the Board President of Community Conservation, Inc.

The monsoon has got bad press because Nepal’s tourism operators actively told visitors to avoid <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/managing-the-monsoon?%2F">the rainy season</a>. It is time to change that. The reason can be found right here in the vast alpine meadows of Central Nepal where this time of year you can walk on velvet grass of pastures abloom with delicate pink, red and yellow flowers as the mist rolls up the valley. There is no sound except the hum of bumble bees. &nbsp;&nbsp; There are dozens of places across high Nepal called Chaurikharka, which means yak pasture. But this particular Chaurikharka in Rukum East located at an altitude of 4,000m stands out for its serene beauty, rustic charm and bucolic setting. There is just the occasional chime of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/when-yaks-go-so-does-culture">yak bells</a> in the distance, and the sharp whistle of herders corralling sheep. &nbsp;&nbsp; The grass shoots are so fragile that one hesitates to step on them, the rounded ridges appear and quickly vanish in waves of mist. With the<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/before-the-next-monsoon"> arrival of monsoon</a>, these meadows are a soothing shade of green dotted with millions of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/the-anatomy-of-a-flower?%2F=">multi-coloured flowers</a>. Until very recently, it took a week or so to hike up to places like Chaurikharka, but with the expansion of the road network even to these far-flung mountains in the lap of Dhaulagiri, they are much more accessible. It is just a three-hour uphill from the Mid-Hill Highway on the border between Baglung and Rukum East.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250802130828_a0b06b494d751b2144ffbbf10894ea64b29e8aed844bc8c66171783abfaf4e16.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20250802130828_a0b06b494d751b2144ffbbf10894ea64b29e8aed844bc8c66171783abfaf4e16" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="Visit Nepal in the monsoon"> </figure>  Purists would say that such easy access devalues the sanctity of these remote high meadows, but it also means more people will be moved to treasure the experience, appreciate <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/natures-fragile-gift-to-nepal">the value of nature </a>so they can take steps to protect it.&nbsp; To be sure, the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/deadly-monsoon-in-nepal-turns-deadlier">monsoon season can be challenging for road travel</a>. The roads are rough even at the best of times, and in the monsoon they become muddy and treacherous, often blocked by<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/monsoon-deluge-in-nepal"> landslides</a>. But that could be precisely the kind of adventure that the more intrepid visitors crave. Improved road connectivity has already made Chaurikharka and places like Badimallika &nbsp;and other sacred lakes in the mountains of western Nepal popular with domestic tourists. What is driving this traffic is the urge to go to exotic new places and share videos and selfies on social media. Several of Nepal’s travel vloggers have visited Chaurikharka and popularised the place, enticing followers on TikTok or YouTube to retrace their footsteps. But even as they become more popular, these fragile and once-remote places should be protected from over-tourism.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250731110736_f97110b7cdc3e7f80d5877690948fc9f4c95a09c583deb23b07355491e6c5446.jpg" data-media-id="editor_8" data-image-id="20250731110736_f97110b7cdc3e7f80d5877690948fc9f4c95a09c583deb23b07355491e6c5446" data-rendition-name="original" width="1083" height="699" loading="lazy" alt="Visit Nepal in the monsoon NT"> </figure>  <h2>INCREASING FOOTFALL</h2> Chaurikharka is located in Bhume Rural Municipality of East Rukum, near the scenic valley of Dhorpatan in Baglung district. Even in the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/monsoon-culture">middle of the monsoon</a>, there is a steady stream of Nepali hikers trooping to these high pastures – especially during festival days like Saune Sankranti which this year was on 17 July and actually marks the auspicious beginning of the monsoon here. “This year the rains have not been as heavy and there have been some clear mornings when we could see everything from Dhaulagiri to Machapuchre,” says Khageswar Bhandari, who trekked up here from the road. “The flowers, the greenery and the snowy mountain views make this an incredibly unique place.”&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250802130824_1b9e26f2e9853fdfe69154bb42a7c9ea6da4bf4940efc1da99b304dcfbd7d3d9.jpg" data-media-id="editor_10" data-image-id="20250802130824_1b9e26f2e9853fdfe69154bb42a7c9ea6da4bf4940efc1da99b304dcfbd7d3d9" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1152" loading="lazy" alt="Visit Nepal in the monsoon"> </figure>  Chaurikharka is worthwhile to get to in any season, but it has a different charm during the monsoon. Word has spread and because it is now easy to get to from Baglung or even Pokhara, people have been flocking here.&nbsp; “Holidays and Saturdays see the largest crowds, with up to 500 visitors every day,” says ward chair Mankaji Pun of Bhume.&nbsp; There was a time not too long ago when local herders brought sheep, goats, cows, buffaloes, horses, and mules to graze here during the monsoon. Although there are still livestock around, animals have been replaced by visitors taking selfies. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-monsoon-and-nature-s-arithmetic">The monsoon, and nature’s arithmetic</a>, Tom Robertson Ward Chair Pun says infrastructure development is his main priority. A foot trail to Chaurikharka was built last year by the Tourism Division Office in Kohalpur, but access via the Raniwas-Koipa road section still remains challenging.&nbsp; “If we get more budget, we can improve the road and facilities to make Chaurikharka the main tourist attraction of this region,” says Bhume Municipality Chair Hom Prakash Shrestha. “After that, we hope to promote Chaurikharka as a top tourist spot.”&nbsp; Economic activity is also picking up with the arrival of visitors, but there seems to be a need to manage the makeshift sheds made of corrugated sheets that spoil the beauty of the place. Tea shops and lodges are also available but facilities are basic. Kuldeep Neupane took a three-day trip from Ghorahi in Dang to visit Chaurikharka recently, and says: “This is an ideal trip to make a quick getaway and let nature recharge your mind and body. And it is much more fun with a tent, to watch the sunrise over the Himalaya or the mist blowing in.”

Visit Nepal in the monsoon

Two weeks ago, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli announced jubilantly on social media that Nepal had achieved a historic annual growth of 81.8% in exports. He was right. Nepal’s trade did take a great leap forward compared to last year. But the dramatic rise was mainly due to processed soya bean oil.&nbsp; However, Nepal does not produce the edible oil it exports. In fact, the soya and palm oil that make up 44% of total exports are imported from Southeast Asia and South America, and simply re-exported, mostly to India.&nbsp; Under the SAFTA (South Asian Free Trade Area) Agreement, Nepal can export products to India duty-free if it has at least 30% value-added. Nepal’s traders have taken advantage of SAFTA even though the edible oils they export do not reach that value addition threshold. “The 30% value addition requirement is often only on paper,” says former commerce secretary Purushottam Ojha. “It is clear that simply packaging edible oils in Nepal does not fulfil the terms of the trade agreement.” Prime Minister Oli is aware of this, and even called Nepal’s export figures “fake” at an earlier event. The government is relying on other iffy figures to suggest that Nepal’s economy is strong and getting stronger. For example, the value of imports rose by 13.25% in 2024-25 compared to the previous fiscal year.&nbsp; Some of it was due to a jump in electric vehicle imports worth Rs 31.76 billion, but mostly it was because more wholesale soya oil was imported to be re-packaged and sold in India. The very fact that the government boasts about increased imports is an indication of how much it relies on taxing them for revenue. Touting such trade figures cannot be the basis to claim an economic rebound.&nbsp; “A jump in the value of imports can be interpreted as an increase in purchasing power, but it is not evidence of a stronger economy,” says economist Keshav Acharya. “Even though imports have increased, Nepal's domestic production and productive capacity have not improved.” Nepal Rastra Bank's semi-annual economic activity study report shows that industrial production was down in the first six months of the last fiscal year. This despite an increase in the number of new industries registered and investment commitments. Out of the Rs70.2 billion proposed foreign investment, Nepal received only Rs17.9 billion last year.&nbsp; Meanwhile, the rate of capital formation was limited to 24% last year, which is lower than the year before, suggesting that new investment, job creation and economic expansion all declined. If domestic production does not improve in relation to this year’s inflated trade figures, the outflow will put pressure on foreign exchange reserves like it did three years ago. At that time, Nepal borrowed from the IMF under its Extended Credit Facility Program to kickstart the economy.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2025080710084_2cdaaa5795828c4a7de93a0604ba884ef0a8b8f24cccd939f6c24e279ab6058f.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="2025080710084_2cdaaa5795828c4a7de93a0604ba884ef0a8b8f24cccd939f6c24e279ab6058f" data-rendition-name="original" width="1633" height="723" loading="lazy" alt="Nepal's bubble economy NT"> <figcaption>Source: NEPAL RASTRA BANK</figcaption> </figure>  The macroeconomy is on firm footing with foreign exchange reserves at a comfortable Rs2,520 billion in May, up 23% from last year. This was largely due to remittances, and partly due to a falling NPR exchange rate. Real estate transactions and the stock market index have also been climbing as a result of government policies to revive the sector.&nbsp; However, former executive director of Nepal Rastra Bank Nar Bahadur Thapa cautions: “This is not organic growth, it is the result of deliberate policy decisions to relax rules on real estate and stock markets transactions.” In reality, the sharp rise in land prices have increased the cost of production, and excessive monetisation of the real estate has become the main source of Nepal’s economic woes. The central bank has announced a slew of new policies, shifting the terms of loan repayment for industrialists and entrepreneurs, reducing interest rates, and injecting more working capital — all designed to inject adrenaline into the real estate and stock market sectors.&nbsp; When he was governor, Mahaprasad Adhikari made several financial reforms during the latter half of his tenure to stimulate the economy, including tightening credit flow.&nbsp; By the last fiscal year, additional financial reforms had resulted in a credit expansion rate of around 8%. As the pace of credit expansion slows, real estate prices have started to fall. This is actually beneficial to the economy, because it lays the foundation for improvements in land-related entrepreneurship, production, and the construction sector. Just because real estate and the stock market transactions increase, it does not indicate an economic turnaround — especially when manufacturing and productive sector continues to languish.&nbsp; “It is foolish to believe that real estate and the stock market have magically revived our economy. Agriculture employs more than half of the population, but it is in decline. Investment in the productive sector has not increased, and job creation has not increased.” Two years ago, Nepal’s industrialists, business leaders, and political leadership predicted a recession amidst a sluggish business, declining market demand, large-scale job loss, and a shrinking real estate and share market.&nbsp; Still, the economy grew by 3.36% in fiscal year 2023/24. In fact, Nepal’s economy has grown nominally over the last two decades even when all sectors of the economy are in decline.&nbsp; Says Keshav Acharya: “The growth in trade, real estate, and the stock market are bubbles. The real economy remains stagnant.”

Nepal’s bubble economy

The final investigation report on the crash of a Saurya Airlines jet on 24 July 2024 at Kathmandu airport has revealed flaws in the carrier’s technical operation procedures, poor monitoring by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) and gaps in the airport’s emergency response. Eighteen people including a child were killed, and only the captain survived as the plane plunged seconds after takeoff, crashing within the airport perimeter. This was the latest in a series of aircraft accidents in previous years, and further tarnished Nepal’s already poor aviation safety record and contributed to the country being retained in the EU’s air safety list. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The circumstances in the Saurya crash were different from the Yeti Airlines crash in Pokhara in January 2022 that killed all 72 on board, and two Tara Air crashes in February 2016 and May 2022 on approach to Jomsom that together claimed 45 lives. However, all four tragedies were a result of negligence of carriers and crew, failure to follow procedures, regulatory slackness, and overconfidence. The Saurya crash, especially, was a glaring example of how an ailing airline broke its own rules to allow passengers, including non-employees, a joy ride to Pokhara on a maintenance ferry flight. CRASH REPORT The Final Investigation Report prepared by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Commission and released on the first anniversary of the crash last week carried a long list of rules that were ignored or broken, and of regulatory failure. The first mistake was to cram spares, tools and inflammable chemicals needed for the aircraft’s C-Check in Pokhara into the cargo hold flouting its own ground handling procedures.&nbsp; There was no check-in of passengers, some of whom were not even employees – even though regulations say only flight and maintenance crew should be on board a maintenance positioning flight. Many brought their own luggage into the plane and stored it unsecured in the cabin. There was no flight attendant to give a safety briefing to passengers. The load and trim charts given to the flight crew were rough estimates, and the total takeoff weight of the plane was 18,300kg plus or minus 200 kg. That would still have been all right, but there was a glaring mistake in the speedchart Saurya pilots were using to calculate the minimum takeoff speed (known as VR), and it had been wrong ever since the 21-year-old aircraft entered service with the airline in 2017. FAULTY DATA&nbsp; The Commission probed Flight Data Recorder inputs from previous takeoffs of the Canadian-built CRJ200-LR in 2023-2024 and found that the undetected error in the speedchart had caused the plane to pitch up at an abnormal rotation rate at least 18 times on previous takeoffs.&nbsp; Any rotation rate more than 3°/sec is regarded as unusual. But on at least two occasions, this aircraft with tail number 9N-AME had rotation rates of 5.8°/sec and 5.5°/sec, the second one was when the pilot who survived was flying in March 2024.&nbsp; On this particular day, the plane’s rotation rate was 6.5°/sec, causing it to go into a deep stall soon after takeoff, the Commission report said. Essentially, the plane was not flying fast enough down the runway to take off safely.&nbsp; It is not yet clear whether excess weight, unsecured luggage, wrong centre of gravity were also factors, but relying on a faulty speedchart for the given takeoff weight, the captain flying pulled back on the yoke before the plane had reached takeoff speed and at a pitch angle that was too steep. The investigation report says the plane then went into a deep stall and started banking right with the stick shaking. At this point, the flight officer on the right hand seat is heard on the cockpit voice recorder saying: “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Sir, Sir, Sir…” It then banked left before the pilot flying turned the plane sharply to the right again in an evasive action to avoid the parking aprons of the international and domestic terminals. Had he not done so, there would have been a disaster of a much greater magnitude at Kathmandu airport that day. The plane scraped the runway with its right wingtip, collided with a container having helicopter spare parts, and plunged into a gully east of the runway, exploding in a fireball. The investigation also noted that the impact forces seemed to be survivable for some occupants. The fire trucks took unnecessarily long to reach the site even though it was inside the airport perimeter. The absence of an ICAO-standard runway strip, inadequate rescue drills, lack of training, and a blocked emergency service gate leading to the crash site were cited as other factors. &nbsp;&nbsp; <h2>Timestamp of a Disaster</h2>  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250731110724_39cdd04693994ce6e55a5b302905c0fa4884fe85bed21ff0779bb1439f3a5725.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20250731110724_39cdd04693994ce6e55a5b302905c0fa4884fe85bed21ff0779bb1439f3a5725" data-rendition-name="original" width="778" height="826" loading="lazy" alt="Flouting rules caused Saurya tragedy NT"> </figure>  11:10:34 - The Saurya Airlines CRJ200 on the takeoff roll from runway 02. It had a takeoff weight of about 18,300kg, but the pilot’s speedcard had a previously undetected mistake about the minimum takeoff speed. 11:10:55 -The plane with tail number 9N-AME goes into deep stall soon after takeoff because it does not have enough speed to lift its weight. The plane also has an abnormally steep nose-up attitude.&nbsp; 11:11:03 - Without enough speed to generate lift, the plane banks right, then left and right again in CCTV photos taken from the domestic apron (below). If it had not banked right, it could have hit the aprons and terminal buildings. Seen parked is Saurya’s other CRJ200 with tail number 9N-ANM.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250731110732_608132f7225c649125cca2691dd6a6bf930984c5b359e888d7ad9e5eacce3afd.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20250731110732_608132f7225c649125cca2691dd6a6bf930984c5b359e888d7ad9e5eacce3afd" data-rendition-name="original" width="770" height="555" loading="lazy" alt="Flouting rules caused Saurya tragedy NT"> </figure>  11:11:08 - The plane scrapes the runway with its right wingtip, and falls into the gully. The captain is thrown off the left side of the cockpit and survives. 11:11:15: Plane explodes in a fireball inside the airport perimeter. Firefighters take time to reach the site because of lack of access road and a blocked gate. Read the full investigation report <a href="https://www.tourism.gov.np/files/9N-AME%20AIC%20Final%20Report.pdf">here</a>.

Flouting rules caused Saurya tragedy

American artist Peter Makela was in Nepal in 2022 on a Fulbright scholarship when he experienced the Matya festival in Patan in which devotees made the rounds of the city’s shrines.&nbsp;
He joined the procession, walking through 2,600 stupa and 140 bahal of the town. That immersion left a lasting impression.
As part of Gallery Mcube’s international residency program in Patan, he put his inspiration to canvas in the exhibition Yala Yatra: Walking, Working, Worshipping. The exhibition also coincides with this month’s Matya festival.&nbsp;
Makela has visited Nepal often in the past 11 years but he mostly stayed in and spent his time around Boudha. “This time I stayed in Patan, put the sites I wanted to visit on my map, and off I went,” he tells us. “Each of my artwork is inspired by the stupas and shrines in Patan that I visited.”
The stupa and Ganesh are recurring motifs in his watercolours, and the elephant gods are located in chaityas — reflecting the interplay and blending of the Hindu and Buddhist faiths in Kathmandu Valley.&nbsp;
The stupas and Ganesh are painted in vivid red, yellow, blue and green against abstract backgrounds meant to represent the sky.
“I use the sky as a backdrop because the sky has no border,” says Makela. “The four colours represent the four elements, the different Buddha families and also lights bouncing off of a rainbow.”
The use of just four colours for all the artwork stands out, and combined with the absence of heavy canvases, frames or stands render Makela’s art striking in its simplicity.&nbsp;
The Ganesh is always holding something and the art also portrays the elephant god’s sacred vehicle, the mouse.
While his vibrant stupas and Ganesh reflect the tangibility of Patan’s tradition and heritage, it is as if the backdrops with their shades of grey and red and yellow capture the soul of the city’s shrines.
“If you look closely, there is a sense of form and formlessness at the same time,” he says.&nbsp;
Makela walked 108 kora around the shrines during his exploration of the town, and in the process developed a spiritual connection with Patan’s heritage and traditions.&nbsp;
The exhibition connects with visitors on a deeper, more spiritual, level as well. And with it, they feel a sense of pride as well as the need to urgently preserve Patan’s heritage for future generations.
“Peter’s inclination and approach towards Nepali art and culture is fascinating, and it reflects in his work,” says Mcube curator Manish Lal Shrestha, whose international artist residency program promotes Nepal’s cultural heritage. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Yala Yatra: Walking, Working, Worshipping
1-5 August&nbsp;
10AM-7PM
Gallery Mcube, Patan

community-conservation

Nepal’s Tharu are tiger protectors

Participating to save Kangchenjunga

Villagers step up to protect Nepal’s tigers

Villagers step up to protect Nepal’s tigers

Visit Nepal in the monsoon

Nepal’s bubble economy

Flouting rules caused Saurya tragedy

Walking, working, worshipping in Patan