Conservation, Zero Poaching and Stockpiles Management in Nepal

Siddhartha Bajra Bajracharya, PhD

Executive Director

National Trust for Nature Conservation

NEPAL

Bangkok Conference on Science, Technology, and Innovation for Addressing Wildlife and Forest Crimes and Attaining SDGs

28 – 30 August 2018

Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand

Presentation structure

• Biodiversity conservation in Nepal

• “Zero poaching”

• Wildlife crime

• Wildlife stockpiles management

• Conclusion

Biodiversity Conservation

Sub-alpine

forests

Alpine and

Tundra

Upper

Temperate Forests

Temperate

broad-leaved forest

Tropical and

Sub-tropical forest

8,848m

60m200 km60m from MSL

Conservation in Nepal

• The protection of biodiversity in Nepal began with enactment of National Park & Wildlife Conservation Act 1973.

• Chitwan National Park was established as the first Protected Area in 1973.

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s

Sq. K

m

Growth of Protected Areas (Sq. Km)

12

11

6

12

Different categories of Protected Areas

National Park Wildlife Reserve Hunting Reserve Conservation Area Buffer Zone

23.39% PA with 40+ % forest cover

63% increase in the populaton

121

198250

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

2009 2013 2022Total Number

TX2

Tiger population

Adequate prey base to support growing tiger population

Chitwan

Rhino populationRhino population

Rhino mortality

Snow leopard population

6139 47

57 4981 73

166

2004 2005 2006 2008 2010 2011 2013 2016

Gharial Number in Chitwan

Number of Gharials Released 965

Gharial population

205195

141

111

5266 68

43 43

68 71 75

111

20

02

20

03

20

06

20

08

20

09

20

10

20

11

20

12

20

13

20

14

20

15

20

16

20

17

White-rumped Vulture

Vulture population

Bengal Florican population

ExistingSpecies Year

Elephant 2009-2018

Vulture 2015-2019

Bengal Florican 2016-2020

Tiger 2016-2020

Snow Leopard 2017-2021

Rhino 2017-2021

Gharial 2018-2022

Pangolin 2018-2022

Upcoming

Red PandaPheasants

Species Action Plans

Zero Poaching

365 Days of Zero Poaching

No poaching of RHINO

No rhino killed in the 365 days – (2011) (2013-14) (2014-15) (2017-18)

Technological intervention

Technological interventionReal time SMART patrolling

CCTV based surveillance

GPS-based Radio Collaring

ID-based Rhino Monitoring

Use of drone

Social interventionBuffer Zone community mobilization

Community-based Anti-poaching units

Wildlife Stockpiles Management

Wildlife Crime

• Wildlife trafficking involves many distinct markets, each with its own drivers & dynamics.

• The trafficking has a significant threat to many plant and animal species.• The World Wildlife Crime Report 2016 produced by UNODC shows over 164,000

seizures from 120 countries.

Confiscated Wildlife Parts

Major Species in Wildlife Trade

• Rhino

• Tiger & Its Parts

• Red Panda

• Leopard

• Shahtoosh

• Pangolin Scales

• Birds

• Musk Pod

• Elephant Tusk

• Turtle

• Snake

BIG 5s OF NEPAL

Wildlife Crime

• Wildlife crime is one of the significant threats to our conservation effort.

• Nepal is a source and a transit country.• This crime shows an increasing trend due

to:• Low awareness level;• Limited livelihood opportunities; • Weak law enforcement;• Porous border; and • Inadequate trans-boundary coordination.

Wildlife stockpiles management in Nepal

• The long-standing efforts of the Government of Nepal have created a large volume of wildlife stockpiles.

• The majority of such stockpiles was derived from two major sources:

a) Confiscation: Wildlife parts or products confiscated in wildlife crime cases

b) Natural causes: Wildlife stockpiles collected after death due to natural causes

Wildlife stockpiles management

• Growing attention has been given on ensuring adequate wildlife stockpiles management primarily from a ‘law enforcement’ perspective.

• High cost for the management of increasing volume of wildlife stockpiles.

• The potential for the illegal trade from the stockpiles could seriously undermine ongoing conservation efforts.

• Good stockpile management practices can help prevent leakage of stores into illicit markets.

Wildlife stockpiles management in Nepal

The wildlife stockpiles management system includes the following components.

• Stockpile inventory • Methods to handle all types of stockpiles (measurement, packing and storing)• Datasheet that capture all necessary stockpile information• Decision for further actions during handling

• Stockpile sampling• Laboratory samples for future research • Reference samples for law enforcement and education

• Stockpile database• A web-based database application

• Stockpile destruction • Destroy by burning

• Post-destruction • Monitor retained items and laboratory samples

Stockpile inventory

• Methods to handle all types of stockpiles (measurement, packing and storing)

• Datasheet that capture all necessary stockpile information

• Decision for further actions during handling

Stockpile sample collection

Laboratory samples for future research

Stockpile sample collection

Reference samples for law enforcement and education

Stockpiles database

• A web-based Wildlife Stockpile Database Management System (WSDMS) to record all information available on wildlife stockpiles in a systematic and efficient way.

• A data storage, analysis, and management tool for stockpiles of wildlife products.

• Designed for all types of stockpiles

Stockpiles database

Wildlife stockpiles burning

• The Government of Nepal made a decision to destroy stockpiles.

• 4012 items of 48 species were destroyed on May 2017.

• Wildlife parts of 18 species included in the CITES Appendix I were among them.

• 67 tiger skins and 357 rhino horns

• No ivory was destroyed in the destruction

• Detailed auditing of stockpiles was done before the burning.

Wildlife stockpiles burning(for the first time in 20 years)

Wildlife stockpiles burning

Key Challenges

• Effectively managing the network of the protected area system• Conserve to enhance quality of life of people• Doubling the tiger population by 2022• Maintain the legacy of ‘Zero Poaching Year’• Zero tolerance towards wildlife crime• Needs more effective ‘cutting-edge technologies’

Conclusion