Need To Protect Nature And Wildlife

Nepal is a country of biodiversity. The country has diverse landscapes and climatic conditions ranging from the Himalayan region in the north to the southern plains, with the hilly region lying in between. It is the supreme duty of the government to conserve biodiversity for ecological balance. That is why the government has accentuated the conservation of nature and wildlife. As such, there are national parks, wildlife reserves and sanctuaries galore in the country. These places have varieties of mammals, reptiles, birds and other species. 

The government has established a network of 20 protected areas since 1973. Now, there are 12 national parks, one wildlife reserve, one hunting reserve and six conservation areas. Shuklaphant and Parsa Wildlife Reserves were upgraded to national parks in 2017. The protected areas cover mainly forested land ranging from the Terai to the foothills of the Himalayas to the mountains. There are 11 bio-climatic zones ranging from below 500 metres to above 5,000 metres. 

National pride

National parks are developed by central governments. They are located away from urban areas so that they are not disturbed by people and that there is less human-animal conflict. National parks are established in a natural state so as to enhance nature conservation and make them well-organised. They are taken as a symbol of national pride. They play a significant role in preserving wild animals. Within national parks, breeding centres are also run. Such centres prevent endangered and other species from going into extinction.  

In 1973, the first national park – Chitwan National Park – was established in the country almost one year after the establishment of Yellowstone National Park in the US in 1872. Chitwan National Park is famous for the Bengal tiger and the greater one-horned rhinoceros. It also has other species, some of which are endangered. The royal Bengal tiger and the greater one-horned rhinoceros are also considered endangered species. The national park is also acclaimed for diverse ecosystems. In fact, it is considered one of the best in Asia. 

There are two national parks enlisted on the World Heritage Site List. One is Chitwan National Park, which was declared a world heritage site in 1984. The other is Sagarmatha National Park, which was established in 1976 and accorded the status of a world heritage site in 1979. The national park is home to Sagarmatha (Mt Everest) and famous for the snow leopard and the red panda. It is also rich in biodiversity. Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, on the other hand, is recognised as a paradise for bird-watchers. There are over 800 bird species in Nepal. Most of such birds are migratory birds from the United Kingdom, Siberia and other places. The reserve is famous for the Bengal florican, an endangered species, birds of prey, songbirds, kingfishers, waterfowl and other avian species. 

Nepal is a tourists’ paradise. The country has many things to offer to tourists, both foreign and domestic. Nature lovers like roaming national parks, wildlife reserves, sanctuaries and conservation areas. They choose such places for recreation and for tranquility. Tourists may socialise with nature and wildlife and forget the ennui they experience at home. Such places also commend themselves to trekkers. The Annapurna Conservation Area, for example, is highly acclaimed as a trekking circuit.

It may be germane to note that the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) was set up in 1948. The IUCN is the first global environmental union and involves both governments and civil society organisations to attain the common goal of preserving nature and using natural resources in a sustainable way. The organisation has also focused on preserving biodiversity all over the world. The IUCN and its World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) have defined national parks as a Category II type of protected area. Such protected areas are designed to protect ecological and biological systems. They contribute to local economies by promoting educational, cultural and recreational tourism in such a way as to prevent a degradation of the the natural environment. Protecting native species and the communities living around them is one of the goals of national parks. 

Ambitious plan

Nepal is recognised in the world community as a champion of preserving nature, wildlife and natural resources. In today’s world, the conservation of nature is of paramount importance. National parks, reserves, sanctuaries and conservation areas play a pivotal role in conserving nature, wildlife and biodiversity on the one hand, while on the other they can be tourist spots. In a cash-strapped country like ours, tourism holds great significance. The government has announced an ambitious plan of attracting 1.6 million tourists during this fiscal year. A boost to the tourism industry would contribute to the national economy and also create additional employment. By managing national parks, wildlife reserves, sanctuaries and conservation areas, the flow of tourists to the country can be increased.  However, measures should be taken to ensure that ecotourism does not have a pushback on national parks and other similar places. 

Such natural places need to be improved a bit to attract more and more tourists. Additional infrastructure can be built to lure more tourists. Elephant and jeep safaris are there for tourists to observe nature and wildlife. Canopy walks can be built over national parks to have a bird’s-eye- view of nature and wild animals. For this, the government should come up with new strategies for building additional infrastructure and increasing facilities for visitors to national parks and other places. Being complacent with the existing infrastructures and facilities is not enough; the government and other relevant bodies have to keep abreast of the changing times and cater to the tastes of tourists. This is not difficult given the availability of technology. What is required is the will of the government.   

(Maharjan has been regularly writing on contemporary issues for this daily since 2000.)