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Nature reflects our nature
illegal activities in protected areas due to lockdown across the country . Thus , a lot of news has been circulating about poaching , illegal timber smuggling and wildlife killings throughout the country which could promote cynical poacher ’ s network which will impact wildlife conservation negatively .
Shocks to the global economy like the COVID-19 pandemic affect every sector and we need serious discussion to be explorative of how to resolve the crisis in the field of wildlife conservation in Nepal from every sector after this extended pandemic . Dispersing the impacts among multiple sectors that offer potential conservation funding can help cushion the blow to wildlife centered businesses . After this pandemic , Nepal ’ s protected area management should learn its lesson and converge ideas emphasizing planning and designing all our protected in such a way that they be financially sustainable which requires a long time and intricate planning such that the management interventions are not donor dependent and resilient . This can be done by hiking the tourism revenues , increment in the budget on this sector from Government and efficient use of available manpower . The military troops supporting protected areas should be provided with modern equipment and advance level trainings to increase their efficiency and also promote CBAPU as incentive provided group rather than volunteers to further encourage them .
Further , International non-governmental organizations can support this crisis by channelizing more funds and technical assistance for smooth running of the protected areas . Different community based organizations and non-governmental institutions can assist in capacity enhancement of public by trainings , seed money and technical supports to increase entrepreneurship , modern agriculture and diversification of income . Adding on that , ensuring alternative earning opportunities along with their traditional employment for people living nearby protected areas is also a must as this model will help them to bounce back in case of such setbacks . Also incentive based conservation model rather than volunteering will boost their morale towards conservation and less likely to be lured by poaching networks .
In such harsh times , an individual effort also works wonders . Common people can aid small non- profit organizations working in conservation by donating , volunteering , helping spread their awareness around about their mission and works on social media platforms . Finally , voices can be raised by a person or group by creating genuine online petitions , signing them and circulating them to support conservation as such petitions receive the attention of the concerned authorities and influence affirmative decisions .
While pandemic is limiting human interference , nature is reviving itself and looks eye pleasing to most of us , the biodiversity in the third world is reckoned to be devastated due to many reasons . Thus , to ensure sustainable conservation and harmony between wildlife and humans , this agenda should be a top priority along with elaborate planning and ground work in Nepal post Corona crisis .
Sujita Dhakal ( Freelancing Wildlife researcher and Traveller ; MSc Forestry Graduate )
74 Year Book of Environmental Science