Mahendra Singh Limbu was retracing his steps up the Mewa Khola in 2018 when he and fellow lepidopterist Karen Conniff saw what looked like a new species of dragonfly sunning itself on a leaf. It was a female, but to ensure that it was indeed a new species they also had to find a male. So, they returned a few months later to the same spot with a scenic waterfall in the middle of a forest alive with songbirds and an orchestra of crickets.&nbsp; They took separate tracks along the brook, minutely inspecting leaves and pools. Limbu spotted a dragonfly and quickly took a photo, and gestured to Conniff to come over. They both examined the distinctive stripes on the dragonfly’s back: it was the same species, but more importantly, it was a male. &nbsp; Conniff submitted her paper to the German scientific journal, <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=19301#.XAj3DdszaUk">Odonatologica</a>, where after peer review it was published and the Microgomphus phewataali was <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/project-dragonfly">officially recognised as a new dragonfly species</a> endemic to Nepal. Its scientific Latin name is derived from Pokhara’s famous lake near where the dragonfly with the distinctive green and black patterns on its back was found. There are more than 5,000 species of dragonflies and damselflies, of which 140 have been recorded in Nepal -- some of them found nowhere else in the world. Like Microgomphus phewataali there could be many more dragonflies in Nepal which have not even been classified yet. Conniff has now returned to the United States, and Limbu continues to research butterflies, moths and dragonflies in Shivapuri, Pulchoki and other forests around Kathmandu Valley. He often comes to Pokhara to exchange notes with <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/and-the-metaphor-of-metamorphosis">another butterfly expert, Colin Smith</a> who has made Nepal his home and is known by his friendly nickname <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/and-the-metaphor-of-metamorphosis">Putali Baje</a>.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230811200820_9627c56f3d4875df0db6fbe0ffaee4f2e21676d273651622d88a1fe1635d225d.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20230811200820_9627c56f3d4875df0db6fbe0ffaee4f2e21676d273651622d88a1fe1635d225d" data-rendition-name="original" width="2000" height="1500" loading="lazy" alt="Dragonfly NT"> </figure>  In his last trip to Pokhara, Limbu returned to Mewa Khola to see how the dragonfly habitat was surviving against the city’s rapid urbanisation. What he found was worrisome. “It was much dirtier than five years ago,” Limbu said. “There was no water tumbling over boulders. The waterfall in the middle of the jungle had gone dry.” The slope was a tangle of pipes extracting water from further upstream to supply houses and lodges below, and Mewa Khola was dead. He made a desperate and futile search, but not only could he not spot the Microgomphus phewataali, but there were very few other butterflies and dragonflies in the undergrowth. In an interview with Nepali Times in 2018, Karen Conniff had already predicted: “The habitat of the dragonfly faces extreme stress from water overdraft for Pokhara’s rapidly growing tourism centre. The habitat could vanish in a few years if people do not stop drawing water from there.” For Limbu, the elation over the discovery of their new species is now overshadowed by a sense of dread about what lies ahead for Nepal’s endangered, and yet undiscovered, butterflies and dragonflies.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230811200820_b22d4e9c2e7ec7d9917af39fc5c57fba112a232961dfe58fc85a4f9a77d0e333.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="20230811200820_b22d4e9c2e7ec7d9917af39fc5c57fba112a232961dfe58fc85a4f9a77d0e333" data-rendition-name="original" width="2500" height="1875" loading="lazy" alt="Dragonfly NT"> <figcaption>Phewa Lake  in Pokhara. Photo: YUVARAJ SHRESTHA</figcaption> </figure>  Much of the dragonfly’s life cycle is spent underwater as larvae after hatching from eggs that are laid in clear still water near streams. Some larvae live for up to seven years underwater before maturing into winged adults. They live only a few weeks during which time they fly around to mate and procreate.&nbsp; In its brief life, the dragonfly eats mosquito eggs and larvae, but does not survive if there is no water, or if it is polluted. Researchers have also found that dragonflies found in Nepal migrate over unbelievable distances to and from Japan and Africa, riding prevailing winds. &nbsp; “Dragonflies are indicator species,” explained Limbu. “If you see fewer of them you know that the ecosystem is in danger.” Worldwide, insect populations have dropped drastically due to pesticide use, habitat destruction and the impact of the climate emergency.&nbsp; Pokhara Valley is an example of how unmanaged urban expansion can harm delicate ecosystems. The city is now repeating all the mistakes that Kathmandu made with similar consequences. In fact, Pokhara has even more biodiversity than Kathmandu because of its higher annual rainfall and greater elevation range from tropical valleys to alpine meadows below Annapurna. <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/pokhara-s-shrinking-lakes">Pokhara’s numerous lakes</a>, water bodies and wetlands also make it an ideal habitat for various insects, including dragonflies. Mewa Khola and its waterfall are flowing again after recent monsoon rains, but dragonflies need the stream to flow also in the dry season. On his recent trip, Limbu saw butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies, but they were common varieties found around Nepal. But on the recent trip, while stepping carefully through the undergrowth he could not stop himself from exclaiming excitedly: “Watson bush brown.” This was the new species he had discovered in Pokhara’s Banpale Danda in 2017, and he was happy to make its acquaintance again.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230811200820_736d4ec79d958c0a5da6146806c41eb6193c9420b08083727c75f2a4a0846a0b.jpg" data-media-id="editor_7" data-image-id="20230811200820_736d4ec79d958c0a5da6146806c41eb6193c9420b08083727c75f2a4a0846a0b" data-rendition-name="original" width="1250" height="941" loading="lazy" alt="Dragonfly NT"> <figcaption>Mahendra Limbu with moth expert Toshiro Haruta in Godavari in 1992.</figcaption> </figure>  Besides the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/pokhara-s-shrinking-lakes">140 species of dragonflies</a> so far classified in Nepal, there are 660 species of butterflies and moths. Limbu worries that many more unknown species will be extinct even before they can be classified because of the destruction of their fragile ecosystems.Limbu has been interested in insects since his school days in Godavari, and pursued entomology during higher studies in the UK.&nbsp; In 1992, he worked with Japanese biologist <a href="http://www.moth.jp/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Moths-of-Nepal-part-2.pdf">Toshiro Haruta</a> to collect Nepal’s moths and publish five books on the subject. Haruta was working on his next moth book, when he died in 1996. After that Limbu worked with Colin Smith ‘पुतली बाजे’, and is working on a book on the butterflies of Nepal. Meanwhile, he still visits Phewa Tal in search of the elusive Microgomphus phewataali, but the trail is getting cold. After a fruitless search last month, Limbu was sitting dejected on a boat to be ferried to the other side of the lake. Just then, a dragonfly fluttered by and sat on his companion’s shoulder. He told his friend not to move, and took out his camera to take a series of photos.&nbsp; Immediately, he recognised the insect. It was none other than the Microgomphus phewataali that had flown over to say, “Looking for me?” Limbu broke into a wide smile, feeling that all was not lost. But he is still worried about dry streams and unregulated destruction of the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/pokhara-s-shrinking-lakes">natural habitat surrounding Pokhara</a>. In a voice trembling with relief and trepidation, he said: "There is not much time left.”

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Saving Dragonflies to save Pokhara

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110131120/636ced339c7e80680e09adb0jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"/><figcaption>All photos: AJAY NARSINGH RANA</figcaption></figure>Nature प्रकृति (n.) All the plants, animals, and things that exist in the universe that are not made by peopleOxford DictionaryFrom the High Himalaya to the flatlands of Nepal, we in this land have been blessed with <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/between-existence-and-extinction-in-nepal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">nature at its most resplendent</a>.It is when we are prohibited from immersing ourselves in the wilderness like we are now, that we learn to value it even more. We relive the experience of sauntering along single tracks through forests of rhododendron this time of year, and ending up near a gushing waterfall. Or, climbing steeply to a high meadow to be greeted with an expansive mountain vista.Quiet walks inside misty sal forests of the Tarai, the horizon limited by the depth of trees. The heart skips a beat with excitement, scanning the undergrowth, ears strained for an animal’s footfall on dry leaves.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110131120/636ced379c7e80680e09adb1jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="1500"><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110131120/636ced399c7e80680e09adb2jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="1500"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>One does not need to go far. Just on the outskirts of Kathmandu, are terraces dyed yellow with mustard fields in Bungamati, glistening with dew as the morning sun burns away the fog.Nature plays a vital role in the spiritual and physical health of human beings, but cities expand and encroach upon the wilderness shrinking the spaces that the living world once occupied. Nature retreats, blighted by the pollution of sound, light, air and water.Being in nature changes us, allowing our rejuvenation. It allows us to contemplate the ‘being’ in human being. We find solace there, and are forced to think about how things should be, how they can be better. We can process creative thoughts and allow new ideas to be born. Above all, nature is much-needed therapy, a balm for our overburdened selves, and a journey of self-discovery.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110131120/636ced3c9c7e80680e09adb3jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110131120/636ced3f9c7e80680e09adb4jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="1500"><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110131120/636ced429c7e80680e09adb5jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="1500"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>The sounds of nature heal the soul, a respite from the onslaught of the urban cacophony that defiles our urbanised existence. Sitting silently on a fallen log, we listen to birdcalls from the forest canopy as the dappled light is filled with merry song. A light breeze brushes across the tops of trees, making the leaves sigh.Warblers flit from one branch to the other, more heard than seen as they refuse to sit still in their search for food. Birds like the Rufous Sibia whistle from a bush, while the crook…cru..croo call comes from a Spotted Dove perching on a nearby tree.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110131120/636ced459c7e80680e09adb6jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110131120/636ced479c7e80680e09adb7jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110131120/636ced4a9c7e80680e09adb8jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>Apart from these larger life forms, there is the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/its-a-small-world/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">fascinating small world</a>. Tiny plants and animals that make a large part of what the forest is, and seeing it functioning in cosmic harmony reminds us of the importance of all species great and small in keeping the ecosystem in a state of equilibrium.The giant moss-covered tree trunk glows in a shaft of sunlight, and on the forest floor tiny wildflowers emerge from underneath blades of grass. Life here is reincarnated continuously from decay and death.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110131120/636ced4d9c7e80680e09adb9jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2000" height="1333"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110131120/636ced509c7e80680e09adbajpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>Nature nudges us to think of creation as not just a few species, but a collective and collaborative whole, supporting a multitude of life forms. This bonding with the primeval forces us to see our own existence on a timescale that transcends our short lives, it instils empathy and patience in ourselves.This is when we discern how absurd it is for a single species to dominate and control the world. Scientist and conservationist Rachel Carson once said: “In nature, nothing exists alone.”Let us celebrate Nepal’s natural diversity and cherish this fragile gift we were handed down by the creator, not to keep, but to protect. Nature provides us serenity, hope, and the knowledge to help us along the path called life.Ajay Narsingh Rana is a nature, wildlife photographer and, a blogger in prakritinepal.com, wilderness first responder, and a rural first aid trainer.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110131120/636ced539c7e80680e09adbbjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="1500">

Nature's fragile gift to Nepal

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109111144/636b85169c7e80680e0677d3jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"/><figcaption>All photos: AJAY NARSINGH RANA</figcaption></figure>Nature प्रकृति (n.) All the plants, animals, and things that exist in the universe that are not made by peopleOxford DictionaryFrom the High Himalaya to the flatlands of Nepal, we in this land have been blessed with <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/between-existence-and-extinction-in-nepal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">nature at its most resplendent</a>.It is when we are prohibited from immersing ourselves in the wilderness like we are now, that we learn to value it even more. We relive the experience of sauntering along single tracks through forests of rhododendron this time of year, and ending up near a gushing waterfall. Or, climbing steeply to a high meadow to be greeted with an expansive mountain vista.Quiet walks inside misty sal forests of the Tarai, the horizon limited by the depth of trees. The heart skips a beat with excitement, scanning the undergrowth, ears strained for an animal’s footfall on dry leaves.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109111144/636b85199c7e80680e0677d4jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="1500"><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109111144/636b851c9c7e80680e0677d5jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="1500"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>One does not need to go far. Just on the outskirts of Kathmandu, are terraces dyed yellow with mustard fields in Bungamati, glistening with dew as the morning sun burns away the fog.Nature plays a vital role in the spiritual and physical health of human beings, but cities expand and encroach upon the wilderness shrinking the spaces that the living world once occupied. Nature retreats, blighted by the pollution of sound, light, air and water.Being in nature changes us, allowing our rejuvenation. It allows us to contemplate the ‘being’ in human being. We find solace there, and are forced to think about how things should be, how they can be better. We can process creative thoughts and allow new ideas to be born. Above all, nature is much-needed therapy, a balm for our overburdened selves, and a journey of self-discovery.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109111144/636b851f9c7e80680e0677d6jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109111144/636b85229c7e80680e0677d7jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="1500"><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109111144/636b85259c7e80680e0677d8jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="1500"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>The sounds of nature heal the soul, a respite from the onslaught of the urban cacophony that defiles our urbanised existence. Sitting silently on a fallen log, we listen to birdcalls from the forest canopy as the dappled light is filled with merry song. A light breeze brushes across the tops of trees, making the leaves sigh.Warblers flit from one branch to the other, more heard than seen as they refuse to sit still in their search for food. Birds like the Rufous Sibia whistle from a bush, while the crook…cru..croo call comes from a Spotted Dove perching on a nearby tree.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109111144/636b85289c7e80680e0677d9jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109111144/636b852b9c7e80680e0677dajpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109111144/636b852e9c7e80680e0677dbjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>Apart from these larger life forms, there is the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/its-a-small-world/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">fascinating small world</a>. Tiny plants and animals that make a large part of what the forest is, and seeing it functioning in cosmic harmony reminds us of the importance of all species great and small in keeping the ecosystem in a state of equilibrium.The giant moss-covered tree trunk glows in a shaft of sunlight, and on the forest floor tiny wildflowers emerge from underneath blades of grass. Life here is reincarnated continuously from decay and death.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109111144/636b85329c7e80680e0677dcjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2000" height="1333"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109111144/636b85359c7e80680e0677ddjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>Nature nudges us to think of creation as not just a few species, but a collective and collaborative whole, supporting a multitude of life forms. This bonding with the primeval forces us to see our own existence on a timescale that transcends our short lives, it instils empathy and patience in ourselves.This is when we discern how absurd it is for a single species to dominate and control the world. Scientist and conservationist Rachel Carson once said: “In nature, nothing exists alone.”Let us celebrate Nepal’s natural diversity and cherish this fragile gift we were handed down by the creator, not to keep, but to protect. Nature provides us serenity, hope, and the knowledge to help us along the path called life.Ajay Narsingh Rana is a nature, wildlife photographer and, a blogger in prakritinepal.com, wilderness first responder, and a rural first aid trainer.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109111144/636b85389c7e80680e0677dejpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="1500">

<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110111152/636cd8329c7e80680e092e2djpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="666"/>Many of us have fond childhood memories of the जुनकिरी firefly, chasing these fascinating flashing bugs through fields and forests. Across the world and in Nepal, poets and singers have waxed eloquent about the blinking light of these nocturnal insects.But for a creature so adored, there has not been much of an effort to study the science and chemistry behind their luminescence, their distribution, or why they have declined sharply in number.Indeed, the bugs that were once ubiquitous in gardens, jungles, riverbanks, streets and playgrounds in Nepal have all but disappeared. Where did they all go?Fireflies belong to a family of beetles called Lampyridae and existed alongside dinosaurs 100 million years ago. But habitat destruction, rampant pesticide use, light pollution and climate change now threaten to put the lights out on all 2,200 species of fireflies so far identified.Fireflies are also ecologically important species as their decline indicate the degrading quality of wetlands. And yet, there is no detailed study about the status of the species in Nepal, their scope and habitat."Thousands of firefly species are found globally but the number of species and their diversity are unknown in Nepal. This is sad and researchers have not given any priority to these insects," says Hum Gurung, Regional Project Manager with Birdlife International Asia who is promoting firefly tourism in Malaysia.In the recent years, these charismatic beetles have turned into a major attraction for nature and wildlife tourists. In fact, their bioluminescent courtship displays draw over one million tourists annually to sites located in at least 12 countries, mostly in the Southeast Asia and North America.A new study published on the journal Conservation Science and Practice provides the first comprehensive review of the geographic scope, magnitude, focal species, and other attributes of the major firefly tourism sites worldwide.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110111152/636cd8349c7e80680e092e2ejpeg.jpg" alt="" width="893" height="796"><figcaption>Tourism threatens many stages in the firefly life cycle.</figcaption></figure>Gurung, who is a co-author of the study, says that the rapid proliferation of firefly tourism provides a timely opportunity to examine how such activities may impact local firefly populations, and to highlight the biological factors that make certain species especially vulnerable to tourism-associated threats.Here in Nepal, fireflies can promote a unique, insect-based night tourism that also promote the sky at night. These can bring economic, social, and psychological benefits to local communities and tourists alike.Fireflies can also be a ‘gateway bug’ to get tourists and locals alike interested in conserving many other insects, often ignored in favor of large and small charismatic mammals.But first, proper conservation mechanism must be put in place so that spreading firefly tourism does not end up destroying the very insect it is trying to promote and save.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110111152/636cd8379c7e80680e092e2fjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2456" height="1632">“In Mexico, the rapid growth of firefly tourism over the past decade is thrilling but also alarming,” says co-author Tania López-Palafox. “We’re glad people can experience one of the world’s greatest natural wonders. But we also want to make sure the fireflies are still around for future generations to enjoy.”Lead author Sara M Lewis (co-chair of the IUCN SSC Firefly Specialist Group formed in 2018) of the Tufts University has spent three decades studying fireflies and highlights the need to recognise ecological requirements across all firefly life stages.The report further recommends minimising light pollution (bright lights from buildings, vehicles, flashlights, and even cell phones can disrupt firefly courtship rituals) to promote breeding success of firefly adults and protecting nearby habitat as the bugs spend most of their life cycle in a larval stage and require several months or even years to develop into adult form.In some sites, firefly populations have been threatened by tourists inadvertently trampling females and degrading larval habitats during their visits. A well-managed tour with trained guides is a prerequisite for sustainable firefly tourism. So is local communities educated about and motivated to protect firefly populations.Says co-author Wan F A Jusoh: “Local communities are the guardians of fireflies, and their stories and local knowledge carry the power to help protect them.”

The fading light of Nepal’s fireflies

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108131148/636a50499c7e80680e04fd50jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="900"/><figcaption>Pic: GOVINDA BHANDARI</figcaption></figure>Himal Khabarpatrika, 20-26 July At a time when pesticides found in vegetables imported from India are <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/editorial/toxic-pseudo-nationalism/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">causing a ruckus in Nepal</a>, several recent reports have revealed that Nepali vegetables are also heavily laced with pesticide residue.One survey by Wageningen University in The Netherlands, with the NGOs Phase Nepal and Progressive Sustainable Developers Nepal, found that pesticides were used excessively in vegetables produced in Gaindahawa rural municipality of Rupandehi district.Conducted in December 2017, the study found toxic residue in 86 samples of tomatoes, chilis, and eggplants. While all of the tomatoes and chilis were contaminated, 93% of eggplants had pesticide residues of 14 different kinds. The concentration was four times higher than the threshold permitted by the European Union (EU) in eggplants, 17 times higher in tomatoes and an incredible 49 times in chilis. The chemicals included organophosphate, organochlorine, triazophos, omethoate, chlorpyrifos, and carbendazim, most of which are banned in Europe.Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/editorial/toxic-pseudo-nationalism/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Toxic Pseudo-nationalism</a>, EditorialGovinda Bhandari of Wageningen University said farmers used the anti-fungal carbendazim 23 times on the same crop, which in Europe is allowed to be applied only twice. Triazophos and chlorpyrifos in vegetables damage humans' skin, nervous system, reproductive organs, eyes and kidneys, may cause cancer, and affect the foetus. The two pesticides are banned in Europe and the US, and they have added profenofos, quinalphos and carbendazim to the list.Nepal banned dichlorvos and triazophos five months ago, but they continue to be used freely. Bibek Acharya of the Oncology Department at Bir Hospital says: “Such chemicals affect our nervous system and can lead to malignancy.”Out of 183 households surveyed in Gaindahawa, researchers found that 44.3% used chlorpyrifos on vegetables while 76% used cypermethrin. Excessive use of cypermethrin harms not just human health but also kills useful insects, fish and life.Read also: <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/pesticide-laced-vegetables-continue-to-poison,1555" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Toxic tarkari</a>, Sonia AwaleEven though the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development says Nepal’s pesticide use is 396g per hectare, the Wageningen University research shows that pesticide use is many times higher (2.9kg per hectare) in vegetable patches. Research by ICIMOD 10 years ago agrees with the latter finding, concluding that 2.37kg of anti-fungus chemicals and 1.96kg of pesticides were used per hectare in Lalitpur.The government has not set limits for the use of pesticides on various crops. Some farmers have been trained in IPM (Integrated Pest Management) which controls pests and other plant diseases by deploying their natural enemies, but the practice has not spread.The research also found that farmers did not know about safety gear required while spraying, the safe period required after spraying and dosage. The study revealed that 90% of farmers knew nothing about the colour code for toxicity on pesticide containers.Read also: <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/heavy-pesticide-use-and-low-consumer-awareness-affecting-public-health,1394" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lethal veggies</a>, Sonia Awale<a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/Nepali-Times-Buzz-Dhanvantari-Poisoned-environment,738" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Poisoned environment</a>, Buddhi BasnyatThough Rapid Pesticide Residue Analysis Labs have been set up in seven places across the country, their data is inaccurate and not all of them are fully functional. Only the Food Technology and Quality Control Department has the equipment to test pesticide residue. But since the government has not set the maximum level, such tests are not done, says Keshav Naupane at the lab.There are 132 types of pesticides registered for use in Nepal, most of which are among the 635 tons of active ingredients imported in 2018 alone.On 17 June, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies ordered that vegetables and fruits imported from India should be tested at the border for pesticide residues, but the government withdrew the decision, claiming lack of infrastructure. Then on 10 July, the Supreme Court overturned that decision on a public interest litigation ruling, issuing a short-term interim order to not halt the testing of pesticide residues.Read also: <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=16290#.XTlqVvIzbIU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">You are what you eat</a>, Katy Elliot<a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=2329#.XTlqYPIzbIU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The dirty dozen</a>, Sunil Pokhrel

Banned pesticides are widely used in Nepal

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108121144/636a41189c7e80680e04a65ajpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1400" height="1051"/><figcaption>THE 6TH EXTINCTION: This orchid with medicinal properties, Dactylorhiza hatagirea, (Panchaule) is an endangered species.</figcaption></figure>Nepal is situated at the crossroads of four eco-biological domains to the north, south, east and west. The country’s great altitudinal range endows it with biodiversity that is the richest in the world in such a small area.Nepal is also the most densely inhabited mountain country in the world, and is squeezed between two of the planet’s most populous nations. Now, <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/on-thin-ice-in-the-khumbu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">climate change</a> has been added to the threats to the endangered life forms that inhabit Nepal’s fragile ecosystems.The United Nations released an apocalyptic report in Paris last week warning that one million animal and plant species across the planet are on the verge of extinction. The <a href="https://www.ipbes.net/news/Media-Release-Global-Assessment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Global Assessment</a> concluded that besides charismatic mammals, insects, fish and microorganisms, 75% of crops will vanish.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108121144/636a411b9c7e80680e04a65bjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1400" height="840"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>Here in Nepal, despite successes in nature conservation, species are <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/in-conservation-nepal-is-not-out-of-the-woods-yet/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">threatened by new infrastructure projects</a> like the proposed <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/economy-ecology-of-nijgad-airport/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nijgad Airport</a> and the East-West Railway, which are expected to wipe out 200,000ha of <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/who-now-owns-nepals-forests/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">forests</a>. Human encroachment of natural habitats, rampant pesticide use, poisoning of rivers and wildlife trafficking were bad enough, but <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/a-terrifying-assessment-of-himalayan-melting/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">climate change</a> now adds a whole new dimension to the threat.“In Nepal, we have usually focussed on big mammals. Those are important but the attention should shift to other species that are vital to maintain the ecological balance,” explains naturalist Tirtha Bahadur Shrestha. Indeed, the country may be losing insects and reptile species that have not even been discovered yet.For example, there has been little study of the impact of wetland destruction and the pollution of water bodies on insects and amphibians. A <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/project-dragonfly/">new dragonfly species</a> that was discovered above Pokhara’s Phewa Lake last year may become extinct since its habitat is so degraded. <a style="background-color: #ffffff; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=011870630917993763279:opm7uqsat-4&amp;q=https://archive.nepalitimes.com/page/what-is-the-buzz&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiCmp6Y_J_iAhUX7HMBHQ8GC4cQFjAAegQIAxAB&amp;usg=AOvVaw2E2ZhyyvROj1LguNUAI8MO" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bee populations have been declining</a> at an alarming rate due to the spread of pesticides, leading to a loss of farm productivity. The disappearance of insects and aquatic fauna has had a cascade effect on indigenous and migratory birds wintering in Nepal.“There is a crucial need of public awareness about <a style="background-color: #ffffff; letter-spacing: 0.15px;" href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/protecting-the-pangolin,3597" target="_blank" rel="noopener">less well-known species</a> — they may have important roles for the ecosystem that we don’t even know about yet,” says Sagar Dahal of the Small Mammal Conservation and Research Foundation.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108121144/636a411e9c7e80680e04a65cjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="558" height="658">Extreme weather caused by global warming has also led to a serious water shortage across Nepal, which in turn is profoundly affecting wildlife, medicinal plants, rare orchids and the insects that depend on them.The last major mass extinction on Earth 65 million years ago wiped out not only dinosaurs, but 75% of all species. It took the planet 10 million years to recover. But unlike previous extinctions that were caused by natural catastrophes, this time human activity is the cause.The loss of biodiversity and destruction of nature and its impact cited in the IBPES report are felt more acutely in Nepal due to the vulnerability of the Himalaya to climate change, deforestation, pollution and poaching.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108121144/636a41209c7e80680e04a65djpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1400" height="933"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>“Global environmental degradation will affect countries like Nepal more because of our sensitive topography,” writes IBPES researcher from Nepal, Uttam Babu Shrestha in a Kantipur op-ed this week. “Proposed large infrastructure projects will have lasting negative impacts on the environment.”Nepal has been <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/its-a-jungle-out-there/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">successful in curbing domestic poaching</a>, but it is a major transit point for wildlife contraband en route to China. The presence of smugglers means the country needs to be vigilant about a revival in poaching. It is a conduit for tiger and leopard pelts, rhino horns and other endangered species. Earlier this year, 200kg of <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/protecting-pangolins-from-being-eaten-to-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pangolin</a> scales bound for China were found at Kathmandu airport.“Nepal may be landlocked in every other aspect but it is land-linked when it comes to smuggling,” Tirtha Bahadur Shrestha told Nepali Times.The good news is that Nepal’s conservationists, planners and the government know what the problems are, as well as the solutions. The country also has vast experience in balancing nature conservation with meeting human needs. It just needs a long-term strategy and all stakeholders to work towards protecting our abundant biodiversity.

Sonia Awale

Between existence and extinction in Nepal

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221107171144/636936a29c7e80680e03fdefjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1090"/><figcaption>GOING GOING GONE: A female of the new dragonfly species Microgomphus phewataali discovered last year in Pokhara by naturalists Karen Conniff and Mahendra Singh Limbu. But the species may not survive at the current rate of habitat destruction. Photo: KAREN CONNIFF</figcaption></figure>The morning was warming up in late spring last year when entomologist Karen Conniff took a boat across Phewa Lake in <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=19301#.XAj3DdszaUk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pokhara </a>for one of her regular walks to look for rare dragonflies. She was in search of a rare damselfly species called Philoganga montana which had been spotted in the same location before. After reaching the far shore of the lake, Conniff tied her boat and climbed through the humid forest, paying special attention to springs in the undergrowth. But no sign of the elusive insect.Just then, crossing a small stream she spotted a black-green dragonfly sitting on a leaf spotlit by a ray of sunlight filtering through the forest canopy. She managed to take a few photographs before the dragonfly flew off, and she headed back down to the boat.Back in her room in Pokhara later that day, she downloaded the images in her computer and noticed that the dragonfly had peculiar-looking anal appendages, quite different from the ones previously found in 11 other known Microgomphus dragonflies found throughout Asia. Immediately, she knew it was a species not recorded in Nepal before.Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/pokharas-shrinking-lakes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pokhara's shrinking lakes</a>, Yuvaraj Shrestha<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221107171144/636936a59c7e80680e03fdf0jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>The process of publishing any new finding of a new species is a labourious one. It has to go through peer reviews and strict scientific scrutiny. Finally last week, Conniff’s paper was published in the German journal, <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=19301#.XAj3DdszaUk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Odonatologica</a>. It is now official: Microgomphus phewataali is a new species of dragonfly endemic to Nepal.Although she should be elated, Conniff is worried that the new dragonfly species and others may not survive at the current rate of destruction and pollution of Nepal’s springs and rivers.“The habitat of the dragonfly faces extreme stress from water overdraft for Pokhara’s rapidly growing tourism centre,” Conniff told Nepali Times. “The habitat could vanish in few years if people do not stop drawing water from there.”Dragonflies have survived for 325 million years on Earth, and the early ones used to have wingspans of up to 2 metres. But never have these creatures faced a threat to their survival as serious as they do today <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=19301#.XAj3DdszaUk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">from human-induced habitat destruction</a> pesticide use and <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=19301#.XAj3DdszaUk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">climate change</a>. These agile and brightly coloured living fossils are now hovering on the brink of extinction.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221107171144/636936a89c7e80680e03fdf1jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="385" height="400"><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221107171144/636936aa9c7e80680e03fdf2jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="534" height="500"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>Scientists call dragonflies ‘bio-indicator species’, meaning their very presence is proof of a healthy ecosystem. But when dragonflies start disappearing, it also shows that streams and ponds are going dry or polluted with toxins.“Dragonflies are very sensitive, most of them require an absolute pristine habitat and as soon as humans mess that up, they are gone,” explains Conniff, who has been living in Nepal for more than a decade.Conniff co-authored the paper on the new dragonfly with noted Nepali butterfly expert Mahendra Singh Limbu, and the two often go exploring for butterflies and dragonflies on Pulchoki Hill, or in other parts of Nepal. They decided to name the new species Microgomphus phewataali after Pokhara’s Phewa Lake.Says Limbu, “With the disappearance of every dragonfly, you know that nature is being disturbed. We humans cannot afford to disturb the ecosystem balance.”Besides toxins, the other looming threat to insects is climate change. Europe has lost nearly 90% of its insects in the last 30 years, and in America, the population of migrating monarch butterflies has dropped by 90% in 20 years. Climate models estimate a loss of 45-99% of the suitable habitat for various species of dragonflies and damselflies by 2080 in north-eastern US. When Britain found that one-third of its dragonfly species were endangered, it opened the first ever dragonfly centre to protect what was left.Of more than 5,000 species of dragonflies found worldwide, 140 species are found in Nepal of which a few are found nowhere else. Pulchoki on Kathmandu Valley’s southeastern rim is a hotspot for dragonflies and there has been a steady decline in butterfly and dragonfly populations there. The reason is mainly due to the pumping out of water by tankers to meet the city’s needs, the damming of the Nagmati in Shivapuri and pollution at picnic spots and riverside garbage dumps.Rare species like the Epiophelebia, an intermediate between the dragonflies and the damselflies that used to be found only in Shivapuri National Park have probably disappeared after its stream habitat was tapped for water supply downstream.Dragonflies begin their lifecycle as eggs and spend much of their life underwater as larvae, some for as many as seven years. Once they mature into winged adults, time is limited. Most live only up to few weeks, and since water is their primary location for eating and mating, they do not survive if ponds and springs dry up or are polluted. Dragonflies are even known to control <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=19301#.XAj3DdszaUk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">malaria </a>and <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=19301#.XAj3DdszaUk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dengue</a>, since they feed on mosquitoes.“In addition to cleaning up mosquitoes, dragonfly also preys on other insects that infect paddy fields, effectively increasing agricultural productivity,” explains Conniff.Dragonflies also undertake astounding migrations: some species found in Nepal have travelled across the Himalaya from Japan and Taiwan. Others fly on, riding prevailing winds across the Indian Ocean from India to Africa. But climate change has thrown off their migratory patterns and disturbed their natural lifecycles.Nepal has been internationally recognised for its conservation efforts. It is all set to be the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/its-a-jungle-out-there/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first country to double its tiger population by 2022</a>, and <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/blogs/thebrief/2017/01/29/1000-days-of-the-rhino/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rhino poaching has been stopped</a>. But while the focus is on charismatic mammals, Nepal is losing the battle to protect its valuable trove of insect species. Dragonflies are in direct peril because of the destruction of aquatic habitats.Says Conniff: “It is important to educate people about wetland conservation and watershed management. Getting more people interested in nature and finding innovative ways to manage water is an effective approach.”Read also:<a href="https://nepalitimes.atavist.com/whats-the-buzz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What's the buzz</a>, Sonia Awale<a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=18976#.XAj1ltszaUk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"Wetlands are not wastelands"</a>, Bhrikuti Rai<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/page/decline-in-birds-of-migration-nepal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kathmandu's silent spring</a>, Sonia Awale

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Banned pesticides are widely used in Nepal

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