November 7, 2011

Tributes to Dr. Pralad Yonzon (1951 -2011)

As a newly joined environment secretary, i deeply regret for not having met with this celebrated environmentalist and benefited from his insights and outlook before his sudden demise. Now, his unceremonious departure leaves us with a serious message as to how we can promote and enforce non-motorized, environment-friendly means and mode of transportation and get it popularized. My heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family and prayer for the eternal rest of his departed soul!
Krishna Gyawali, Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Nepal

Extremely saddened to hear the untimely demise of Dr. Pralahad Yonzon. A great loss to the nation especially in the field of conservation. May his departed soul remain in eternal peace. My heartfelt condolence to the bereaved family.
Kamal Thapa, Nepal

Heartfelt Condolence to the family of Dr Yonzon. Country has lost a great professional in Environmental Conservation. May his soul be in peace.
Dr Kaushal K Tiwari, MD (Hons), MS, IMCS
PhD Fellow in Cardiac Surgery, Italy

I am particularly saddened by the incident when he was upholding high environmental ethic while cycling. We should think of setting up something to honor his life long contributions and commitment to environmental ethic right into the point of death.
Hemant Ojha, Nepal

We lost a great soul, excellent professional and good friend. Our condolences are with the family to bear this loss.
Eklabya  Sharma , ICIMOD

I express my profound grief and sorrow at the shocking news of the untimely and tragic death of an eminent Conservation Biologist, a true human being, and a very dear friend Dr. Pralad  Yonzon. I have no words to praise his dedication, hard work and belief in himself that one person could make a difference in the cause one truly believes. He dedicated his life, his earnings and his profession to create an Conservation oriented organization which has become truly a platform for hundreds of young students, researchers, and practitioners to share and learn. We have not only lost a pioneer Environmentalist of Nepal but also a good Nepali citizen.
I express my deep sympathy and condolences to the bereaved family and peace and tranquility to the soul of true human beings. 
Madhav Karki, ICIMOD 

It is indeed a great loss to Nepal’s conservation community.
Eak Bahadur Rana, Nepal

I am sorry that the country lost a good man.
Surya Man Shakya, Nepal

It is indeed a  sad news and pround sorrow to all of us who know Dr. Pralad Yonzon. His donation of his prize money of USD 350,000 to build the Resources Himalayan Foundation Building is a strong evidence of how much he was dedicated to the cause of CONSERVATION. Let us cherish his dream and support the foundation as much we can from all aspects (financial, intellectually and morally).
Dr. Pradeep Man Tulachan, Royal Norwegian Embassy in Kathmandu

We have lost a great researcher, conservationist and person of integrity. It is a great loss for the conservation community and personally we have lost a very good friend.  Let us pray for the peace of the soul and may god give courage  to the family to bear and over come this shock.
Jagadish C.  Pokharel

Hard to believe the shocking news that Dr Prahlad Yonjan is no more with us. As far as I know, he lived a true life of his beliefs/values, and always made honest efforts to translate them into actions. I solemnly pray to the Almighty for  peace and eternity of the departed soul!
Vijaya Singh, UNDP

I was shocked and saddened to learn about the sudden demise of our dear friend Dr. Prahlad  Yonjon. I have known him for a period of over thirty years. He was more than a friend. He was very helpful, optimistic and championed the cause of conservation in Nepal, particularly the study of Red Panda. He paid special attention to young people and promoted the interest of marginalized and disadvantaged scientists. He had time for everybody. A number of times when I visited his office at Resources Himalaya, his office was always full of young scientists seeking advice which he readily gave. I send my deepest condolences to his family and the conservation community. He will be greatly missed.
Arup Rajouria

Dr. Yonzon was a true nature lover, highly qualified professional, a guru of new generation environmentalists,  and a champion of the conservation sector.  It is an irrecoverable loss. At this time of deep grief and sorrow, I would like to pray to the Almighty for an eternal peace to the departed soul and deep condolence to the bereaved family, friends, and the conservation community.
Netra Sharma (Sapkota), USAID/Nepal

Late Dr Yonzon was an environmentalist, conservationist and ecologist par excellence with a focused mind on Nepal's precious wildlife and the need for a prioritised strategy for conservation. Moreover, he was such a wonderful human being who could mix with everyone with a very warm disposition, amiable nature, simple behaviour and typically scholastic bent of mind always willing to help those who wanted his assistance.I have met very few persons of his single-minded dedication to research and study of nature with a wider variety and canvas starting from Red Panda to the Royal Bengal Tiger. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family at this tragedy. May his soul rest in peace. The best tribute to the departed soul will be establishment of a dedicated centre for wildlife research and conservation in his name for translating his dream into reality.
Madan Kumar Bhattarai

It's a huge loss for the nation in the field of conservation. May lord give strength to the bereaved family.
Prateek Pradhan

It has come as a shock to hear that Dr. Pralhad Yonzon is no more in our midst. He was in every sense a person who not only spoke his mind but did what he had to do in the field of conservation. Having known him for over 35 years it ishard to believe that he is no longer going to be amongst us.My condolences to the family and pray to the Almighty for eternal peace to the departed soul.
Samson Rana

We lost one of the renowned and a dedicated person. The is also a lesson to planners, advisors, decision makers.  Our true tribute to him is to be active to follow his path and to lobby/influence/work for better road/traffic plan/ infrastructure where cyclist and pedestrians  can have safe way. We read everyday about many painful road accidents where many young children, women and family  lost their beloved one. but we [planners, engineers, policy makers, traffic people] have lost the sense and we take it as a  fate. Hope Dr Yonzon's tragic death will force us to do something on it. if we manage to save many other people in future from such avoidable accidents that will be a great tribute to him [Dr Yonzon].
Govind Raj Pokharel

I  express my deep sorrow for the untimely demise of a true biologist, a conservation veteran and my close friend,  who has contributed to shape Nepalese conservation history and also contributed to show case our good image around the globe. May I express my deep condolences to the bereaved family and pray almighty to let the departed soul remain in peace .The  contribution made by  Dr. Yonzon will be remembered by us and the generations to come.
K. C.Paudel
Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation

The news of Pralad Yonzon's untimely and tragic death is really sad and a great loss not only to all of us who have had known him but also to all conservationists. It is a immense loss to the country. When I was working in Bhutan as a consultant a couple of years ago, people used to remember him for his contribution made in the area of national park, biodiversity and forestry. I send my deepest condolences to his family and the community dedicated to conservation. We shall miss him.
Shankar Sharma
Washington D.C.

Those we love don't go away,
They walk beside us every day,
Unseen, unheard, but always near,
Still loved, still missed and very dear.
May your soul rest on peace, Dr Yonzon. May your dream of wildlife research and conservation come true in Nepal.
Dr Ramesh Khatiwada

A great national loss. My condolences to the family and my prayers for the eternal peace of the departed soul!
Bhojraj Pokharel

Deeply griefed with the sad news of Dr Pralad Yonzon's demise. This irreparable loss to his family  in particular is certainly a great loss for the  nation  also as  he  was a truely dedicated  human being involved in reparing the ecosystem and nature which are now acutely endangered due to human encroachment.
Pradhumna B Shah
Brazil

I am deeply saddened to learn the tragic demise of a dedicated environmentalist, conservationist and biologist Dr. Pralad Yonzon. I express my heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the bereaved family. It is a great loss to our
nation. May the departed soul rest in peace
Shanker D. Bairagi, Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations
New York

Dr. Pralad Yonzon was a bright star in the conservation community in Nepal and the South Asia region.  His demise, especially when added to the loss of the constellation of great conservationists in a helicopter crash a few years a, makes Nepal much poorer in the area of the environmental management and nature conservation. I had the privilege to work with Pralad jee especially while I worked for IUCN Nepal in the late nineties. Pralad was always cheerful, professional and willing to share the keen knowledge he had about wild life and natural resource sin Nepal and the South Asia region. He was a great teacher and an extraordinary team player. His work through Resource Himalayas, and through IUCN Commissions was greatly appreciated by the researchers and academics in Nepal and globally. His untimely death is a great loss to our society. I send my heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. We should also take this time to reflect on the state of traffic safety in Nepal, and the many lives that are lost in transportation related accidents in Nepal.  The government and the society should work aggressively in making urban and regional vehicular travel safer in Nepal.  During the past several years, I have felt that the streets of Kathmandu are almost like war zones. A long term and concerted efforts must be made to streamline the traffic and ensure pedestrian and vehicular safety.I mourn this big loss.
Ambika P. Adhikari, Dr. Des., AICP
Arizona State University, Phoenix, Arizona, USA

This is indeed a great loss to our country and the conservation community globally. We will miss him dearly. But I hope this unfortunately incident will inspire us to work for bicycle and pedestrian friendly transportation in Kathmandu.
Heartfelt condolences to his family and may his soul rest in peace.
Bhushan Tuladhar

Voices need to be raised in Nepal about safety on the roads and in the skies. Road traffic accident is the number one public health hazard but it is not treated as such. It kills many more people than HIV, malaria and a host of other conditions do. We need to remove the concrete road blocks which have killed many motor cyclists.
Dr Prativa Pandey,
CIWEC Clinic

I had the pleasure of knowing and working with Pralad over several decades and knew him and his work in Nepal, Bhutan and Vietnam. One thing yet to be mentioned much is that Pralad was always an unconventional and  provocative thinker, a trait which I think we all valued immensely, each in our own ways. He constantly challenged us all to formulate and test new hypothesis', one of the basic characteristics that advances science and understanding. As tribute to Pralad, may we always remember to continue challenging conventional wisdom, formulate and test new ideas rigorously and continue to move forward. Thank you Pralad for setting and following this high standard, even when it was uncomfortable. Pralad's tiger work at high altitude is a perfect example of this type of dedication.  
Brian J. Peniston
The Mountain Institute, Kathmandu, Nepal

I cannot believe that we don’t have Dr. Yonzon with us anymore. This news shocked many conservation professionals around the world who knew Dr. Yonzon and his exemplary works and lifestyle. Completely unexpected. He was a true conservation hero and role model for many that were trying to pursue a career in conservation biology and professionals around the world. He has touched heart and minds of many in Nepal and abroad. I have always treasured the mentorship that I got from him during my college days in Nepal that helped me pursue my career in conservatin. He was always a on-the-ground kind of professional and very supportive to
people who wanted to learn more. Despite many professional opportunities abroad he opted to be based in Nepal and continued to pursue his interest in helping local conservation leadership development until his last day. He will be dearly missed by the conservation community not only in Nepal but across the world. May his soul rest in peace. Our prayers are with his family at this difficult time.
Mahendra Shrestha

The loss of Pralad Yonzon is a huge loss for the conservation world and for Nepal. I only met him a few times, usually in the company of another great conservationist that we lost, Chandra Gurung. He clearly inspired many to think and act for the environment through his selfless example - i'm absolutely certain all Dr. Pralad's students will continue to work for the environment.
Devendra Rana, WWF International

I met Pralad ji about 8 years ago when he needed spine surgery following one of his advantageous trip. During his difficult surgery he was so confident with the treating team it made us comfortable, at ease but at the same time serious.His family was very supportive, always there when needed but hidden behind when we were at work.Today me and my wife are so shocked with this great loss to us, to Yonzon family, Resourse Himalaya Foundation, the nation and the entire international community of wildlife conservation. All of us have lost a great son of this country. May his great soul rest in peace and god give his grieved family power to overcome this tremendous pain. I think Pralad ji will be always with us and his legacy will continue with the new generation he has mentored.

Dr Basant Pant / Dr Bijaya Pant
Annapurna Neurological Institute, Maitighar

We pray his departed soul and for all of you to have the strength and courage to continue.
Siddhartha Rana

It is a great loss to all who are touched by his contribution, love and friendship. Everyone has to leave but such a sudden depart is disheartening and unprepared!
My belief has been that we all  should begin our acts with the END in mind. My heartfelt condolence to the all in his family and friends with a prayer for peace to his departed soul!
Neel Kantha Uprety

My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. May his soul rest in eternal peace.In my association with conservation area as Secretary on Ministry Forest and Soil Conservation for three years, Dr. Yonzon was one of the professional in conservation, without any string attached. His clear and focused views helped us in making many policies in that period.
Chandi Shrestha

In the tragic accident and subsequent death of Dr Pralad Yonzon, the nation has lost a great conservationist, dedicated professional and committed human being. His contributions in Nepal and South Asia were remarkable. He contributed a lot to promote a better understanding of the nexus between wildlife and natural resources. His dedication to the cause of conservation by supporting younger generation of the Nepalese from early on was indeed praiseworthy. I had met him a couple of times, and always found him very much engaged on the issues, exuding an affable personality.  This has also brought to our notice the stark reality of unfriendly roads of Kathmandu for the cyclists and pedestrians. More stringent rules should be put in place.
Gyan Acharya, New York

My tribute to a great soul and my teacher under whom I first got introduced and initiated to research work. May his soul rest in peace; my hearty condolence to family and friends.
Minendra Rijal

This is an extremely shocking and sad news for all of us who are involved in the conservation sector. Pralad was my classmate and we had worked together in the Nature Trust for Conservation for may years. I still have not been able to believe that he is no more with us. His untimely demise is no doubt, a great loss to our nation. May the departed soul rest in peace & provide the fortitude to his family to bear this irreparable loss & tragedy. He will be remembered not only for his goodness but also for his willingness to share his time and expertise with his colleagues and friends. It would be difficult to measure the impact he has had on the many people’s lives he touched, personally and professionally. I am really sorry to have lost such a good friend.
Basant R. Mishra, Temple Tiger Nepal

October 25, 2011

Acting on the information provided by Wildlife Conservation Nepal (WCN) field informants, the Armed Police Force (APF) arrested four persons - Madan Prasad Dhungana of Patiyani-6, Chitwan, and Bhup Raj Pathak, Prem Lal Kharel and Keshav Mishra of Udiya-4, Nawalparasi with seven and half kilograms of tiger skeletons from Nijgadh, Bara on October 23, 2011, Sunday. The convicted has been handed over to Parsa Wildlife Reserve along with the seized skeletons.

The team was led by Sub-inspector Fanindra Gole who arrested them along with tiger´s skull, hoof and ribs.

Source: WCN

October 16, 2011

Six Smugglers held in Rasuwa

A group of smugglers allegedly involved in poaching animals and picking precious herbals in the forest of Langtang National Park has been held. A process to take legal action against the group has also been initiated. According to Chief Conservation Officer, Ramchandra Phandel, six smugglers and poachers have been taken under control along with 40 kgs of precious herbals and Red Panda killed in the national park.National park employees and smuggling control group arrested them from Dhokache forest area of Syafru VDC-3 on October 14 and handed them over to the national park administration Saturday. Among the arrestees are Finjo Nekar Tamang (50), Sugu Tamang (18) and Sarki Tamang (40) of Yarsa VDC-4 and Pasang Dawa Tamang (25), eighteen-year-old duo Name Dangwa and Purna Tamang of the VDC-5.The park administration said the arrestees may face 10-year-term jail sentence or the penalty of Rs. 75,000 or both of the action.

Source: The Himalayan Times

September 8, 2011

Leopard skin seized

KATHMANDU: Police today arrested three smugglers with a leopard skin from Jorpati. This is the second time leopard skin has been seized in the Capital in less than a week. The arrestees are Devraj Lama (28) and Sukman Tamang (28) of Kavre and Ganesh Babu Rai (27) of Solukhumbu. They were on their way to Tribhuvan International Airport to sell the pelt to a client for Rs 100,000 when a detective team led by Inspector Resham Bahadur Parajuli stumbled on them.

They told investigators that the skin was procured from an unidentified man in Sindhupalchowk. The trio will be handed over to District Forest Office, Kathmandu, tomorrow to charge them under the Forest Act-1999, said police. If convicted, they will be sentenced up to 15 years in jail.

Source: The Himalayan Times

August 23, 2011

Smuggling of pangolin organs to china rampant

The Arniko Highway has been increasingly used to smuggle organs of the pangolin into Tibet in recent times. The route is already notorious fro traffic in different endangered  wildlife species, officials said. Pangolin smuggling by this route is not a new phenomenon but frequent arrests this year of smugglers in possession of pangolin scales have shown the intensity of the trend. A total of 60 kilograms of pangolin scales was seized in three incidents this year alone. Three smugglers were arrested in possession of 14 kilograms of pangolin scales in two separate raids by police last week.

According to the District Forest Office (DF)), smuggling of pangolin organs seems to involve a remarkable number of Chinese colluding with Nepalis. Of the seven arrested last year, two were Chinese nationals and one of them bas been sent into judicial custody.The national park and wildlife conservation act 2029 list pangolins under the conserved category and bans any transaction and transporting of the animal. According to the act, anyone found trading  in the animal or its organs would be subject to a fine between Rs 50,000 to 100,000 or a jail term of five to 15 years or both. Pangolin scales and other organs are consumed profusely in China because of the traditional belief about their medical usage. They are also used considerably for decorative purposes.

Pangolin organs are generally traded in Nepal for Rs 30,000 per kilogram whereas the same weight fetches around Rs 80,000 in Tibet. Police officials said racketeers have been enjoying greater ease in  smuggling pangolin than others type of contraband mainly because of the portability of animal organs.
Around three feet long the animals are found amply in inner Madhes district like sindhuli, Makwanpur and Udayapur.

Missing of scales mysterious
Police have not gained a single solid lead after week-long investigations into the missing of pangolin scales from the stores of the DFO. “We are continuing with the investigations but have not yet had any clue,” said Inspector Beni Silwal.It was disclosed last week that some 46 kilograms of pangolin scales which was handed over to the District Forest Office by police last year, had gone missing from the office stores. The DFO and the District Police Office have been probing the case through two separate teams. Storekeeper Dilip Chaudhary has been detained for investigation.

Source: Republica