The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all parts of the global community. Nepal is no exception. The Society for Conservation Biology Nepal (SCB-Nepal) is concerned about how COVID-19 will affect our conservation communities in Nepal: practitioners, researchers and everyone. Although it is too early to make a conclusion about the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, SCB-Nepal is alarmed about its possible repercussions on biodiversity and our ability to continue conservation achievements. Considering the urgency of the situation, we call on the government of Nepal to take early proactive actions.

Nepal has made a number of remarkable conservation achievements in the recent decades. Many wildlife populations (e.g., tigers, rhinoceros, elephants, gharials, and black buck etc.) are known to be increasing and forest cover has demonstrably increased across much of the country. The COVID 19 pandemic has caused a sudden disruption of many regular conservation activities on the ground, and may put our achievements at risk. Nepal’s biggest loss of wildlife (e.g., rhinoceros poaching in Babai Valley) and deforestation occurred during the periods of political instability and social unrest, when conservation communities faced challenges in continuing their work in field. We are deeply concerned about recent reports of increased wildlife poaching and deforestation. Our frontline conservation staffs are in urgent need of safety equipment and resources, including better pay during such pandemics and other emergency situations.

The COVID 19 pandemic has forced us to cancel or postpone regular conservation activities. The national rhino count planned for this year, for example, has been suspended. Most importantly, many field-based and laboratory-based conservation researches have been severely affected. Some field data have to be collected in a specific season, and failing to do field work in these days means that researchers will have to wait until next year. Field works of many MSc and PhD students, for example, have been cancelled due to the lockdown. It would be not possible for these students to wait one year to collect data next year. Therefore, universities, funding institutions and government policy makers should develop an appropriate mechanism to address this issue in a timely manner.

Several reports suggest that such pandemics emanate mostly from transmission of zoonoses from wildlife to humans.  Future pandemic can start from anywhere in the world, including Nepal. In contrast to the natural disasters like earthquakes and volcanoes, pandemics are an inevitable consequence of human’s ever-growing intrusion into nature and illegal wildlife trade. This also means that the risk of future pandemics can be greatly avoided if humanity behaves more responsibly, and maximizes efforts to protect and restore biodiversity. SCB Nepal calls on the Government of Nepal to make more funds available for both research and conservation programs.

The COVID-19 pandemic has completely devastated Nepal’s nature-based tourism, which will cause a precipitous decline of revenue, critical to sustaining our conservation programs in protected areas and buffer zones. Local communities whose livelihoods depend on conservation and ecotourism are likely to face severe financial hardship in sustaining themselves.

Society for Conservation Biology (SCB Nepal) stands with the Government of Nepal in its effort in containing the pandemic. We must be reminded that a healthy planet is possible through restoring resilient ecosystems. We request the Government of Nepal to develop an appropriate strategy to build back a stronger and more resilient community, society, and country, and call for a concerted effort from all people from different walks of life to create a better future for our children and grandchildren.

For more information about SCB Nepal and to request for an interview, contact:

Ambika Khatiwada, Secretary, Society of Conservation Biology Nepal

Email: info@conbio.org.np

Mobile: +977 9851129853

About SCB Nepal

Society for Conservation Biology Nepal (SCB Nepal) is a not-for-profit, non-governmental and professional membership organization. Learn more on our website  and connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.