Nepal, India Cooperate on Transborder Conservation

By Deepak Gajurel

KATHMANDU, Nepal, October 10, 2002 (ENS) - Nepal and India have initiated a joint effort for the conservation of wild animals and plants in the border areas linking these South Asian neighbors. Both governments have agreed to monitor their common border regularly to halt illegal smuggling of timber, as well as poaching and trade in wildlife parts.

A consultative meeting of experts, government officials, park managers and foresters from Nepal and India held in the Nepali capital of Kathmandu last month decided to establish a permanent network for facilitating and catalyzing biodiversity conservation in the transborder areas.

The three day Nepal-India consultative meeting, facilitated by the WWF, was a follow up of preliminary discussions held in 1997 in Kathmandu and in 1999 in New Delhi.

Elephant bathing in Nepal's Chitwan National Park (Photos courtesy Anselmo Lastra)

These species are found in the Terai Arc landscape, the plains in the south of Himalayan range that stretches across Bhutan, northern India and central and western Nepal.

For an effective implementation of conservation plans and programs, Nepal and India have decided to hold field level meetings quarterly. To be held at the national parks and conservation areas, such meetings will review progress and take necessary action.

The experts, government officials, park managers and foresters of both governments agreed to prepare a database and share information regularly.

They will identify and implement research programs, and both countries will establish mechanisms for conservation.

The participants agreed they will make special efforts to identify migratory routes used by wild animals in the Terai Arc area. A detailed plan of action will be prepared for this purpose.

Conservationists view the new initiative as a step forward. "As we have shared protected areas and national forests at the borders, efforts by a single country have not been effective," says Tribhuwan University zoologist Narandra Sharma.

"It is encouraging that Nepal and India have joined hands in nature conservation. This will certainly reduce illegal activities along the borders," Sharma said.

The Terai region in India spreads across the eastern Rajasthan through Uttar Pradesh to Bihar and foothills of Jalpaiguri district in West Bengal. WWF India describes the region as densely populated and intensively farmed. As a result it has lost most of its original forests except for those along the Himalayan foothills.

The most important protected areas in the region are Rajaji National Park, Corbett National Park and Dudhwa National Park which are connected through forest corridors.

The Royal Bardia National Park of Nepal is joined with India's Dudhwa Park.

Nepal's Royal Chitwan National Park is linked with Balmiki National Park in India.

Nepalese rhino

In 1995, 45 elephants crossed from Dudhwa to Royal Bardia, says Rai. A rhino from India moved into Suklaphanta. In 1996, six tigers migrated from Nepal's Royal Bardia to Sohelwa in India.

Patches of forests at several points make it difficult to determine where the border between Nepal and India actually lies. These circumstances allow poachers to hide and flee in the absence of coordinated actions by both the bordering countries.

Conservation officials have decided to use diplomatic channels between the two countries to communicate about problems and issues that arise as they attempt to conserve biodiversity in the border areas.

Nepali conservation officials are encouraged by the recent development of joint conservation initiatives. "We have been attempting to establish joint actions for conservation between the two countries for a long time," says Batu Upreti at the Ministry of Environment. "With the new collective measures, we can now minimize illegal activities along the borders."

WWF says it is poised to undertake the single largest tiger, rhino, and elephant habitat conservation initiative ever in the Terai Arc. This project will link 11 protected areas along the base of the Himalayas, from Nepal's Royal Chitwan National Park to Corbett National Park in India.

The Western and Central Terai are two top priority areas for the greater one-horned rhinoceros, and WWF says extensive habitat restoration and rhino translocations will be part of this effort.