August 7, 2010
Orchid Extinction threat writ large
Nepal boasts more than four hundred species of the orchids, but lack of awareness and increasing market demand has endangered these rare species. Although the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of WIld Flora and Fauna (CITES) bans trade in orchids, the absence of a monitoring authority has led to a widepsread trade in the flower. Bhakta Bahadur Raskoti - who authored ' The Orchids of Nepal' after ten years of extensive research - said there is no barrier to orchid trade. While the locals sell it openly, contractors easily send the flower to India, China and even Japan and Europeon countries. " Locals collect various species from the forests and sell to contractors at throwaway prices. they neither know about their value nor the high market value', said Raskoti.
Nepal occupies 0.1 percent of the land in the world but has with 6,500 species of flowering plants that make for two percent of the total flowering plants in teh world. Orchids are the largest plant family in the country and accounts about 6 percent of the total flora of Nepal. This makes the country an ' Orchid paradise'. Raskoti has taken 900 photographs of 302 species in teh last decade. Resource crunch and lack of access to the districts has virtually disabled teh Department of Plant Resources. " We are the authorative body to look after medicinal and other herbs, but we neither have resources nor district offices, so it's not possible to monitor the trade,' said Dr. Krishna Chandra Paudel, Director General of the department.
According to Raskoti, beside medicinal value, orchids possess very high ornamental value. Hence their high market value in Japan and other Europeon countries. During field trips' covering a period of 10 years, he recorded 15 new species of orchids in Nepal. " Orchid distribution is extremely limited in range and their habitat has been heavily deforested in recent days, largely due to fodder, firewood and timber collection and overgrazing. Effects of climate change has increased the risk of extinction of many species of orchids, " said Raskoti.
Source : The Himalayan Times (Ramesh Prasad Bhushal)
August 4, 2010
2 held for possessing tiger skin, bones
Two persons have been arrested on Tuesday for possessing tiger skin and bones.Those arrested have been identified as Zakir Manihar and Bikram Dhobi of Ganeshpur village. They were found in possession of tiger skin and 1.7 kilograms of tiger bones.The arrested who have been handed over to Bardiya Forest Office may face up to 15 years in prison or Rs 100,000 fine.
Source: Republica
August 3, 2010
More birds critically endangered
More and more birds in Nepal are gradually getting enlisted in the ‘threatened bird species’ list, according to a UK-based bird conservation organization Birdlife International — which is the official authority for assessing the status of the birds for International Union for Nature Conservation’s red list.Experts say, population of several bird species has rapidly declined in the last two decades. The latest update of ‘threatened bird species list’ has moved Great Slaty Woodpecker (Mulleripicus pulverulentus) from the ‘least concerned’ to ‘vulnerable’ category.
Great Slaty Woodpecker is an inhabitant mainly of mature saal forests at an altitude less than 245 m from central to western part of the country.
According to Birdlife International, the global population of the species is estimated to be 550,000 but sadly, it is believed that its population worldwide has declined by 90 per cent.
Bengal Florican (Houbaropsis bengalensis) too has been transferred to ‘critically endangered’ from ‘endangered’ category. “IUCN signifies ‘critically endangered’ category as the most sensitive status for the threatened species. These two cases squarely indicate that our endeavour to conserve the birds is still inadequate. We must boost up our efforts to save these threatened species,” said Dr Hum Bahadur Gurung, Chief Executive Officer at Bird Conservation Nepal (BCN).
Bengal Florican is grassland inhabiting bird which has a very small, declining population.
Historically the bird was recorded from the east to west lowlands of Nepal but it has not been recorded in the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve for the last few years.Even though the species is one of the nine protected birds in Nepal under the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act-1973 and restricted to only few protected areas, it is still facing rapid population decline.Among 865 bird species found in Nepal, 35 species are globally threatened of which five species are listed in ‘critically endangered’, six in ‘endangered’ and 24 in ‘vulnerable’ categories.
Source : The Himalayan Times
August 2, 2010
Woodpecker variety a vulnerable species
BirdLife International, a global alliance of organizations working for the conservation of bird species, marked the Great Slaty Woodpecker, commonly known as Raj Lahanche, from 'least concern' to ' vulnerable' category last month. In Nepal, this bird is listed as 'endangered', meaning the species needs strong conservation efforts to protect its existing population. An updated report on IUCN Red List for Birds 2010 by BirdLife International, an official Red List Authority for assessing the status of birds for IUCN, said this species has suffered a rapid population decline over the past 20 years due to loss of forest cover throughout range countries.
However, the true rate of decline may be greater than currently estimated, and evidence of such decline may result in the species being listed in a more serious category in future, the report said. The total global population is estimated at 26,000 - 550,000 which according to previous levels of forest cover, may be a 90 percent decline at historical levels, according to a Monday press statement issued by Bird Conservation Nepal (BCN), a member organization of BirdLife International. Raj Lahanche's population has been reported in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Nepal, Thailand and Vietnam, among other countries in Asia.
Hum Bahadur Gurung, Executive Director of BCN said, " The new status of this bird will also affect the national status. There is a need for serious action on part of the government and other stakeholders to work for conservation and habitat management of threatened bird species. " With this new listing , globally threatened birds in Nepal total 35. Of the 865 bird species found in Nepal 35 are globally threatened, with five species ' critically endangered', six ' endangered' and 24 ' vulnerable globally'.
According to 1985 study, there were 14,951 Great Slaty Woodpeckers in Nepal but the number dropped to 6,051 in 2005.
Source : The Kathmandu Post (Pragati Shahi)
July 28, 2010
Tiger Skin Seized in Bhaktapur
WCN investigation team led to an effective tiger skin seizure on Wednesday morning July 28, 2010.
WCN with the support provided by Bhaktapur District Police made an arrest of three individuals - Rahul Shahi, 18 and Raju Shahi, 26 resident of Golmathe, Ward no 7, Bhaktapur District and Manoj Kapali, 30, resident of Panauti , Kavre District along with a tiger skin from Thimi, Bhaktapur. The seized tiger skin is 8 feet 7 inches long and 7 feet 7 inches wide.
The arrest was made while they were trying to sell the product. The convicted are in custody at Bhaktapur District Police Office for further investigation.
Source: WCN
