Protective gear provided to honey hunters

By Nabin Raj Kuikhel,Lamjung, Mar. 29: Hanging from fragile fiber ropes in sharp cliffs that can make one’s head spin, local hunters have been harvesting cliff honey in Lamjung for generations, risking their lives.

To ensure their safety, protective equipment has been provided to those engaged in the traditional practice of cliff honey harvesting across various locations in Lamjung. The Honey Development Centre in Godawari, Lalitpur, has conducted an awareness training programme and distributed protective gear to the honey hunters.

Hunters from Ghanpokhara in Marsyangdi Rural Municipality-2, and Taiche village in Ward No. 6 have been provided with modern rope bundles and safety equipment. The traditional ropes made of bamboo and plant fibers, commonly used in villages, tend to deteriorate over time, which is why stronger and more durable modern ropes have been provided, said Tirtha Kumar Shrestha, head of the Honey Development Centre in Godawari, Lalitpur.

On the same occasion, the Himalayan Cliff Honey Organisation donated safety equipment to the honey hunters of 13 villages. The organisation’s director, Sunil Kadel, stated that they provided protective gear such as helmets, jackets, gloves and boots. He mentioned that equipment approximately worth Rs. 60,000 was distributed. 

According to the organisation, safety equipment has been distributed to honey-hunting teams from the villages of Ghanpokhara, Upper Chipla, Naiche, Simi, Ludi, Top Gaun, Siurung, Bhujung, Naya Gaun, Taghring, Lower Chipla, Lower Ghanpokhara and Taje.

Before distributing the protective gear, a training was conducted on the condition of cliff bees, precautions to be taken during honey harvesting, and safety measures. Resham Bahadur Thapa, a beekeeping expert and chief at the Honey Development Centre, shared insights during the training session.

This rare practice of honey hunting, unique in the world, continues annually in Lamjung’s Ghanpokhara, Siurung, Taghring, Bhujung, Dudhpokhari, Bansar, and Dhodeni, among other locations. Honey hunting, also known as “honey harvesting,” has become a tourist attraction and a source of income, according to Sudip Khatri, head of the Agriculture Knowledge Centre, Lamjung.