The world observed World Elephant Day on August 12, 2019 with the pledge to protect the endangered species.

Alarmingly, Nepal is loosing its elephant population at a faster rate than any other country that is home to the Asian elephant.

Nepal’s Elephant Population

Nepal has hardly about 100-150 elephants and out of this, two-three elephants are killed every year in elephant-human conflicts says Dinesh Neupane, a research associate studying elephants in Nepal for more than a decade.

“The number of annual deaths may seem small, but when we look at our population of elephants, it is alarming. We have a small number of elephants and they tend to give birth slowly, just once in two years, and in small numbers. So the population is not getting replaced,” said Neupane.

Factors for Sharp Decline in Nepal Elephant Population

The fact that these deaths occur due to retaliation from humans rather than poaching or natural causes is all the more worrisome.

Locals shoot elephants when they enter human settlements. Elephants also get electrocuted by electric fences setup by locals to keep the mammoths away.

“We have almost no elephant poaching incidents, which is a problem in India and some African countries. Therefore, all these deaths are because of the negative interactions between elephants and humans,” said Neupane.

These encounters have become a major concern for Tarai-based elephant conservationists. The conflicts not only result in the loss of lives in elephants but also in humans.

Elephants straying into human settlements result in nearly 12 human deaths per year and millions of rupees loss.

As per a study on the temporal and spatial patterns of human-elephant conflicts (co-authored by Neupane), most of the attacks occur in the night.

It has been observed that more number of human casualties are reported in winter while elephant deaths are reported between June-July.

One of the primary concerns of elephant conservation is habitat loss, which only increases such conflicts.

“Only 5.4 percent of the elephant’s historical and native habitat remains in the country. Much of their natural habitat has been fragmented due to human settlements and agricultural farmlands. We’ve also damaged their historical migratory routes. We have 45 percent forest cover and six protected areas in the Tarai but the forest areas are not connected, forcing the elephants to pass via human settlements and agriculture land,” said Neupane.

Another study conducted, also presented a picture of how land and home use practices were equally responsible for the falling elephant population in Nepal.

These include:

• Maize and Rice Cultivation
• Alcohol-producing Households
• Households with Banana Backyards

The study included a survey which reviewed the relation between land use and household practices and the elephant-related attacks.

The survey found that one-third of the alcohol-producing households faced such attacks, which also take happen in houses having banana backyards.

Research-Oriented Solution to Nepal’s Elephant Crisis

Neupane suggests that since human-elephant conflicts are trans-boundary issues, both India and Nepal should get together and solve the crisis by:

• Mobilizing local communities in conservation
• Improve mitigation measures
• Setup community orchards
• Conduct a study on the carrying capacity of both countries

According to Nepal Academy of Science and Technology Academician Dinesh Bhuju said that so far efforts were made only to control elephants or minimize the damage.

“We have always been very fond of elephants, but because of our deeds, this creature is disappearing. So far, all conservation and management plans are about confining them to protected areas. We have not been able to admit that we have encroached on their lands,” said Bhuju, also General Secretary at the Resources Himalaya Foundation.

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The Himalayan nation is all set to send its own satellites into the earth’s orbit by mid-May 2019.

Nepal has made its 35-year long dream come true! Thanks to two Nepali Master Graduates Abhash Maskey and HareRam Shrestha who have been developing these satellites at Japan’s Kyushu Institute of Technology – World’s No.1 academic operators for Small Satellites.

According to Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) Technical Department Chief Rabindra Prasad Dhakal, the duo has been provided NPR 20 million to launch the satellites named ‘Birds 3’.

The space equipment will capture pictures of various parts of Nepal daily and share information about its forests, floods, glaciers, hills, mountains, roads and Terai.

With this satellite breakthrough, Nepal will no longer be dependent on other countries for information gathering for which it spends a huge amount.

The initiative will also establish Nepal as a competent in terms of engineering in the international market.

NAST scientists and Nepal Science & Technology will be leaving to Japan at the beginning of Nepali New Year 2076 BS concerning the satellite technology.

Read More:

• NASA Live Streams Nepal’s First Nanosatellite Space Launch

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The Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba today emphasized on the need for establishment of an international level science research laboratory in Nepal.

Lauding the efforts of human resources (produced in Nepal) in international laboratories, Deuba said the government would strive to establish one such laboratory in the country.

“Whatever the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) is doing with resources and personnel at its disposal are satisfactory. But, we have a long way to go in this regard,” Deuba said in his address at the 40^th Academic Assembly of NAST in Kathmandu, today.

Deuba, who is also the Chancellor of NAST, further called on NAST to play a key role in Nepal’s holistic development through improvements in science and technology.

PM also stressed on the need for development of medicines through a research on medicinal herbs that are available in the country.

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