PLEASE vote for ant-poaching, conservation champion here in Nepal...

This post is also at Facebook.

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE WITH ONE ONLINE CLICK... Ramesh Thapa is one of the main reasons the tiger still exists in west Nepal.  Ramesh is currently Chief Warden of Bardia National Park and for over 30 years Ramesh has worked in high risk anti-poaching operations protecting wildlife in the area.

Ramesh is currently a contender for INTEGRITY IDOL which is a citizen campaign to highlight honest government officials.  Ramesh is currently working closely with WildTiger's Hemant Acharya in developing anti-poaching strategy in  the vulnerable western regions.  Ramesh is a true champion of the cause, please make a difference by voting for him.  www.integrityidol.org

I took this image of Ramesh a few mornings ago, one of several meetings with him over a couple of days as we discussed and planned for wildlife welfare.  His phone never stops ringing, his work day never ends, Ramesh is completely dedicated to the task... with integrity.
light honest government officials

Ghostly image as wild elephant makes his presence felt...

Things are always fluid here in Nepal and I ended up staying in Bardia an extra day.  In a few hours I catch the night bus back to Chitwan, hoping the journey will not be longer than 13 hours.

This wild tusker made his way into the hattisar (elephant stable) last night next to where I'm based.  We were sitting round the camp fire when we heard the commotion, that distinctive trumpeting of the great animal and earth moving thumps as he looked for food and then made amorous advances to one of the domestic elephants.

These things happen, they are part of living in or on the fringe of jungle and wild elephants come into conflict with humans often, every year people lose their lives and we all know that elephants are a species under threat as well.

We had to stand our ground to discourage him from wrecking the place but when he advanced we scurried, fast.  Over the years I've had to make haste away from elephants, rhinos, tigers and leopards but never bears, the animal I am very wary of.  When I was in the jungle with Asa, the young leopard and I would often come across fresh sign of Himalayan Black Bear, often footprints in snow.  When Asa become overly cautious, particularly in thick bamboo, we would back off.

In this case I limited the flash on my camera, I always try to keep my impact to a minimum.  I never go looking for wildlife as part of research, only their sign, if wildlife appears then so be it.

It's all about respect, balance.  There will always be conflict, nature is beautiful but chaotic.  We just have to keep learning about how we can live together with respect...

The presentation and meeting I told of in the previous posts has already produced some positive results.  I'll talk more about this soon, so much to be done, it never stops really but for the tiny percentage of people who really value wildlife we know it's worth it.  We have to grow that percentage so that the future of animals like the ghostly figure in the image is one of species survival, they have that right as much as we do.

Jai Bagh.

Big cats polarize thinking, emotions... but a rescue centre has to happen...

In many ways the enormity of this whole thing hit home again this morning.  I had just given a presentation with regard to big cat rescue and rehabilitation, I then had a walk back to the tiny bungalow I am staying in here in Bardia.  I thought about how it's going to be yet another Christmas away from family, I consoled myself with however incremental the gains are in proportion to effort, every meeting, every presentation, every kilometre walked from camera trap to camera trap, every cramped bus ride, every hairy motorbike moment, every seemingly endless jeep ride over narrow tracks with sheer drops of hundreds of metres, somehow means a step forward.

I look out and see a world that says it cares but doesn't really because if it did, big cats wouldn't be in this situation.  I see a tweet from someone wearing a suit and tie in a western metropolis, taking aim at a poacher or at a revenge killing of a big cat that has taken either human or livestock.  I meet the man earning one dollar a day to patrol an area in a buffer zone, trying to stop livestock grazing, keeping an eye out for poachers.  I open my inbox to all sorts of mail, big cats the theme but personal agendas abounding.  I get far more people wanting than giving, support is a fickle thing but there are a hard core of understanding souls, I whisper thanks in my mind.

The audience at the presentation are all highly experienced.  Wardens, biologists, anti-poaching personnel, an eclectic group of conservationists.  Every one knows the dire need for a rescue centre, a place where conflict and/or displaced big cats can be rehabilitated, maybe rewilded.  It will be a place for wild animals with a fierce spirit.  These are not captive cats waiting for their daily feed, they are highly evolved hunters, they are natural born killers.  Tigers and leopards of this type are the result of nature evolving into perfect predators, confront them at your peril, being stared down and launched at by a big cat is something I don't have words for, it would be insulting to the experience.

The men in the audience know this.  Human fatalities and economic hardship caused by livestock loss to big cats are issues that everyone in the room has had to deal with.  The dozen or so men understand what is at stake, they know how big cats polarize, how these animals provoke wonder but also a spine chilling fear.

Everyone in the room knows how precious each individual big cat is, how it has got to that stage, that's something I don't need to mention.  It's about solutions... and quickly.

I walk back and pass an old woman with five goats, the loss of one would hurt the family.  I wonder how much the tweeter in the suit is spending on coffee.  Far away tonight that man may read about tigers behind the safety of his tablet while here the goat owner will forage in forest to feed the herd.  Different worlds and yet everyone expects.

A poacher and a wildlife trader will plan while an anti-poaching unit will feel the night chill in the jungle.  Millions will hit like buttons or contribute online to the outrage culture.  I will burn the midnight candle, and yes, it really is candlelight a lot of the time in this struggling country, because deep down, no matter how hard it is, how polarizing the subject, we have to have a rescue centre, we have to...

#VillageLife #Conservation #Connection #AntiPoaching #HumanWildlifeConflict

After some images and thoughts of village life from yesterday evening and this morning posted at Facebook and Instagram, lastly just a few more images from last night. I have a long association with Bardia but not for one second do I profess to truly know it. I raise my eyebrow a lot when I listen to foreigners come to Nepal for five minutes and are immediately "experts"... this place is far to complex to ever truly know. At a natural level all I can keep stressing is the need to protect, this country is vital in the scheme of things and the everyday issues that confront people here need to be far better understood if conservation is to be effective. I'll have more soon on anti-poaching efforts, human/wildlife conflict issues, passionate people involved... watch this space...

Far west Nepal, a place time seems to forget, but not really...

#tiger #leopard #wildlife #habitat #people... It's good to be in the far west, a place that for many years has dominated my thoughts and concerns.  It's big cat country with a beauty that in the right light seems abstract, a timeless creation... but with real time problems. So it's not the time for any western fantasy bullshit, the cold light of day has meant tiger skin seizures pointing to real issues. More than often ignored by policy makers behind desks in far away places, decisions made in coming days will have big bearings on precious big cat futures as well for the young who need to grow old here...

"You only have to look into their eyes to know you have to do the right thing"

Good to catch up with the rewilding team at NTNC - BCC in Chitwan.  Asis and I talked long into the night, strategy both for the short and long term the continuing theme.  Leopard cubs Tika and Ram are still in Stage 1 isolation working with their handlers Dr Asis Gurung and Tika Ram Tharu who are doing an excellent job.  Those who have been following this project will know the translocation to Stage 2 has been pushed back while we deal with the complex issues surrounding the program in the current challenging situation here in Nepal.  The young leopards are in superb condition, physically and mentally, and are exhibiting all the traits of behaviour we are working for.

Barely 24 hours after one long bus journey I'm about to board another for the demanding journey out west, a 10-12 hour overnight trip that my body never appreciates in the cramped seats but as Asis said last night "You only have to look into their eyes to know you have to do the right thing"...

ANTI-POACHING - Keeping it real at ground level and every rupee counts...

I'll have more soon on Hemant's (left) role in the increased anti-poaching work as the crisis makes this essential and also how WildTiger is stepping up involvement as a whole.  I'm not going to put any roses on this, things are not good here and even if there was a complete resolution now politically (unlikely) it will take a long time to recover.  Sadly, there is also a reality check needed for many, the endearing trait of "it will be ok" is actually counter productive, it is holding back action and is simply a bystander to the empty promises continually dished out at authority levels.

I'm in Kathmandu now (survived a nasty scare on bus trip here - see facebook) for some meetings that I pray will be productive.  A couple of people very kindly reacted with contributions when they saw my post (facebook) this morning describing how Chiran is getting warm clothes and a few sports items to the school in Simjung.  To be honest, every rupee counts, a business partner and I have funded internally for months now, my pockets are virtually empty.  I haven't had time to fundraise by pushing the sale of images, plus I really wanted to see how things played out here.  I've developed new strategy starting 1 January but honestly it's like working two fulltime jobs.  Two private photo exhibitions showed the possibilities, those people will go to leopard heaven as well, thank you.

The Leopard Rewilding Program has been affected by all this, one of the main reasons I'm in Kathmandu.  So much effort and resource has gone into this, we have to keep going.

It's a battle, it really is.  I know it's worth every effort, this country is so important as I've mentioned several times before.  I thank those who are helping, you do make a difference...

Pondering it all as another leopard gets beaten to death...

I remember when this image was taken in the Annapurna about two and half years ago, I thought I had a lot on my plate then... if only I knew...

It's just after 1am and I'm still trying to get all the details about another leopard beaten to death on the Indo/Nepal border. We try and verify everything that gets tweeted at @WildTigerNews - this one may take a while and although I try and keep level on these things, it's getting harder because as I keep saying, it's got to the stage where for sustainability every single one of these wild cats is precious, vital. Another tiger skin has also been seized in west Nepal, there's been too many of late, once again a huge loss and without doubt the instability in the country is linked directly to the upswing in poaching. There are still issues to sort with the rewilding program but these recent deaths make me more determined to get that where it needs to be. Yeah, things to ponder right now...

High in leopard territory getting friendly with the vultures...

Well it's true actually :)  When I was living at Leopard Camp and had no human contact for several days I used to take comfort from the presence of these mighty vultures of the Himalaya.  Asa was of course company in his own right and sometimes the young leopard and I would sit and watch these giant scavengers as they floated in thermals near our jungle home on the ridge.

Yesterday while up high monitoring the area this guy swooped very close, one of four, I wondered if they recognized me.  Being alone up there with the remarkable biodiversity of the high mountains, it gives a perspective that in many ways I struggle to bring to words.  That's probably a good thing because it's the feeling itself that gives the power to want to protect this environment...

Himalayan hearts feeding the life bloods of Asia...

Good morning to Nepal and from Nepal.  Big mountains, big cats.  A post sunrise peak gladdens the heart of someone who respects, loves these natural monuments, are part of his being.

I've said before it's all too easy just to post images of dramatic landscapes and spectacular wildlife. Trying to attach words to the message though is key because it is not just their beauty we have to protect, it is their essence, their meaning, their place in the web of life.

These Himalayan peaks feed the mighty rivers which are the lifeblood of Asia.  The big cats, the wildlife in their ecosystems play their vital roles.  In making these posts I have to continually emphasize that, why Nepal is so important, why the problems here have to be addressed because ultimately the impact if they aren't is something that will affect everyone and everything.

Thanks to those who do get it and support what we do. 

Deep dark jungle, where leopards and bears roam...

It was so dark in the jungle high up today that camera traps needed their no glow LED to get an image, so no, I'm not really wearing white as I check another camera.  A thick fog rolled in shortly after and the temperature plummeted.  Even in the middle of the day the visibility up there was tricky.

Back down in the village now before heading back up tomorrow.  Looking forward to a meal with friends from the Sanjiwani Health Post, a crew who do a great job, I'll blog about them and the role of remote health clinics soon.

It's always slightly eerie checking cameras in that area knowing Asa could be watching.  I move quickly into leopard territory, keeping senses alert for pug marks, scat, scratch marks, scent spray, kill evidence, anything that can give clues.  But I don't want to linger in his area long, just pass through because that is how leopards operate, although we are still learning so much about these robust Himalayan cats compared to their lowland relatives.

I keep a close eye out for human disturbance as well.  As I've mentioned several times lately, there is increasing pressure on these areas because of  the shortage of cooking gas due to the crisis. Himalayan black bears have been active, best to avoid those guys, very feisty.

Many challenges but just have to keep on keeping on...

Nepal, incredibly beautiful, incredibly complex...

I love being in the Kaski.  It's a place where wondrous creatures roam the valleys, the ridge lines, the sky.  Tread carefully but behold the beauty.

Today though mixed feelings as friends of many years tell me of their struggles.  Nepal, never easy but right now harder than it should be.

As I write this the bigshots are in Kathmandu, arguing their cases.  It's sobering though that even if they come to agreement, the lives lost can never be returned.

The complexities of this nation are actually lost on many, it is too easy to be blinded by the beauty.  I've spent so much time now juggling tasks as things change I have no choice but to keep a close eye on political events as well as other factors influenced by this landscape that can deal so harshly.  When not working I read and I've got through many volumes of Nepal's history.  It gives me further insights into the complexities but how much does anyone really understand? Sometimes it's just best to gaze at the mountain for perspective...

Compelling, powerful life force and future proofing for these incredible species...

The sheer power of this tiger took me by surprise.  Countless connections and encounters with big cats (wild and captive) didn't really prepare me for this, it just shows how compelling these animals are.  A big cat born and living wild is very different to a captive born one that is to live its life in an enclosure.  This particular male had been involved in serious conflict situations, he is healing in an off limits secure area but his future is uncertain.

Nature and the human relationship to it is ever changing.  Living in areas where big cats roam is becoming more complex.  Conflict cannot be avoided.  The connection between habitat encroachment and man-eater is tangible.  Work is being done to reduce conflict but it has to be done in ways that are fair to both parties.  As I wrote recently the attitude has to be taken now that EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE WILD CATS ARE INCREDIBLY PRECIOUS, nothing less than that.

A conversation with leading wildlife researcher Babu Ram Lamichhane many months ago is still fresh in my mind.  I'm going to talk about Babu Ram and his work as well as many more of the characters involved in Nepal conservation as the months go by.  However, it was a comment on that occasion, while we were talking about the Leopard Rewilding Program, where he said we simply cannot wait for the status of the leopard to reach the critical levels of the tiger.  He used the word proactive.

I've thought about this a lot and while there is a lot of work being done there's also this frustration that globally many efforts are going round in circles as we weigh ourselves down with endless meetings and bureaucracy.  To effectively future proof these species we have to be leaner in some areas but more intense where it counts, on the ground.

The last few weeks have been complicated by the ongoing political/social crisis here in Nepal. The Leopard Rewilding Program has needed re-appraisal in strategy for reasons of security and safety.  This has caused sleepless nights.  We've come up with a solution now and in many ways it gets harder from this point but by introducing further technology as well as adhering to the principle of isolation, the team is ready to take the next step.  There'll be updates at wildleopard.net soon.

I'm heading back now for a few days to one of the places where it all began.  Checking and setting cameras in Asa's territory will bring further understanding.  Strategy has to evolve so that the future of big cats like the tiger in the image has an assurance.  We have to pour resources and time into this, it has to be a selfless, concerted effort... there's too much to lose otherwise...

Jai Bagh.

These posts (and others) are at Facebook if you wish to comment.

Trust...

Posts and updates are currently HERE

Keep on going... but is Nepal a failing state?

The image is one I took a couple of years ago on another part of the Terai but typifies life here for many. I haven't been out with the camera for several days now, I'm head down in my laptop finishing a report and trying to form strategy in ever changing circumstances here. Hopefully I'll be back in the jungle and mountains soon, I'm better there... but as I mentioned in a comment in the last post (on Facebook) these blogs aren't about me, they're about what's happening, an honest appraisal. With regard to projects the situation is making things increasingly difficult. I'll blog soon about a conversation several months ago about being proactive and future proofing, a conversation that motivates me.

The thing is life has become much more difficult for many than it should be in a world that actually has the resources. Here in Nepal an ugly question has unfortunately come up again in the wake of the humanitarian crisis, is the nation actually capable of ruling itself? The lack of leadership and vision and the continual blame everyone else game has worn thin and there are so many indications that India, the giant neighbour very much involved in the plight here, is losing patience. It has been pointed out to me several times now that Nepal's current plight mirrors situations where history has shown failing states being taken over. This type of talk makes for an uncomfortable backdrop when people are just trying to get by, are just trying to keep on going... and the continual problems of lack of electricity now compounded with the fuel crisis and resulting essential goods shortages just have to be dealt with.

If I am going to give a personal perspective the thing that concerns me is that the lack of good leadership has been tolerated so long by a nation used to hardship that there is little will among the very clever minds who do exist here to become leaders themselves, to really put their country first. I spend time with some of these clever young minds, I am fearful for their future and Nepal's identity. Once again, the more the situation worsens the more the environmental consequences will affect us all...

Where even poachers fear to tread...

While the world keeps finding new ways and reasons to kill its innocents, environmental protection must continue. There are still places that the wildlife is so feisty and the anti-poaching patrols so staunch that even poachers fear to tread. Keep people out of these places and we have a chance. They are not places for tourists either, even hard bitten researchers take solace on a dry river bed for moments out of thick, pristine jungle...

LEOPARD REWILDING PROGRAM (LRP) - Five years, 420 billion trees, a place for all to roam...

Thanks to those who read "In the tiger restaurant..." yesterday. The dream? A few people wrote to me about it, I don't know, it is what it is.

Imagine some action. If seven billion trees were planted a month, one for every person on the planet, there'd be 420 billion more trees in five years. Of course it'd have to be done properly, the right trees (giant or grass) in the right places but we have the knowledge. We have the resources too, it's just that we spend them on wars and things. Environmentalists hate wars because wars fuck things up.

We could create and rejuvenate jungles. There is no flag waving in jungles, and we could change the cowards, on both sides of this philosophical divide, killing innocents in all these wars. We could educate these people, bring them back to earth with a shovel and a sapling, we could even convince people they don't need a huge house. There are many things we could do.

We could say to this burgeoning outrage culture which calls themselves activists to take some real action. Don't get me wrong, I'm not against activism, it's hugely important, it's just that it's gone too far, it's easy to read the ones who are pretenders simply hiding behind a keyboard. So many... and if they could just learn about trees and then plant some...

Action.

Then there would be places for all to roam. We owe the planet some rewilding because it is about the planet, not divisive religions, nations and extreme ideals. I changed my profile picture to our planet yesterday, no flag for me. We all live here, it is the planet that nourishes us, we owe it respect in return.

There are some of us who just not only want to get this message across, we want it to happen... so we've started. Want to swap jobs for a day Mark Zuckerberg? You'll have to bring your gumboots...

These post (and other updates) are also at Facebook if you wish to comment.

In the #tiger restaurant, avoiding wild elephants, bees attack, thinking like a leopard...

The Terai, the Himalaya, vital habitat which must be conserved for all our sakes. People spend so much time focused on what is inside them yet we are nothing without what is outside us...

In the first image Asis is removing bee stings from NTNC researcher Santosh who was stung 34 times in the head area and had to be hospitalized. It was a bit of a worry for a while as Santosh did suffer but he is a tough Nepali, he got through it. Santosh copped it the most at the back of the second elephant. Asis and I were on the first elephant in twelve foot elephant grass when we encountered the bees, we got through safely and then led the way quickly to the army post which was luckily only fifteen minutes away. The bees kept attacking through this time, there was too much risk in that habitat to dismount so smoke was used to drive the attackers away once we got to the post.

Asis, a former doctor, did a great job appraising the situation as the jeep was called and we took a direct line out to where we could meet it, once again with luck that it was only an hour away.

The ambiguity of Nepal's sometimes aggressive wildlife was clear the next day when as a smaller team we again traveled by elephant into a much more remote area as part of our scouting for the Leopard Rewilding Program. This time our concern was wild elephants which had been active in the area the night before. There was plenty of sign the herd was very close by as our mahouts did an excellent job avoiding them in dense jungle. This was a place away from safaris, it was a place for tigers, there was much sign of them and of their prey.

Making the right decisions at this point of the project is absolutely crucial. There are many problems we are dealing with on account of Nepal's current situation but being in a place where wildlife can roam without interference was powerful. It was deep isolated jungle, not a place for tourists. The only human footprints were of anti-poaching patrols... but we had eyes open for sign of poachers.

It's interesting but this question seems to come in waves, do I miss Asa, the Leopard of Hope? I think about him a lot when I'm in truly wild places but the answer is not a simple one as I've explained before. I had to, and still do, approach things on different level, thinking like a leopard, a different type of emotion comes into play. So no, I do not miss him in the way people ask, it is a different feeling. Perhaps my book will explain more but right now the focus is very much on Tika and Ram, the project as a whole, the future.

The night we came out I dreamed of a tiger running towards me. It was vivid, it was powerful colour and surprising because I do not usually remember my dreams. I don't know what happened, I woke suddenly but I'm hoping I thought like a leopard and climbed a tree... and then took a good look at the situation to make the right decision...

These posts are also at Facebook (along with others) if you wish to comment.

Keeping Focused...

Many thanks to those following these posts and the situation. I'm also getting many messages of support. Those who know me best are simply saying "trust your instincts" based on experience in pressure situations. I appreciate the simplicity of that because any further advice is moot as no one really has a firm grasp of what is going on here, it's simply not possible. There are incidents not being reported by media for several reasons so all I can really say is that the story here is many ways an untold one with an outcome way into the future. So it's really a matter of keeping focused on the day ahead...

This blog is also at Facebook (as well as additional posts updating the situation) if you wish to comment.

Keeping things cool by learning from wildlife...

FOLLOWING ON FROM POSTS YESTERDAY AT FACEBOOK RE THE CRISIS - Daylight is less than a couple of hours away, we're about to set off for an all day recce in the rewilding area.  Jeep and foot will take us into deep jungle.  We'll learn a lot and make decisions based on that.  A lot of the time we'll need to think like leopards.

The problems here in Nepal now are man made combined with an unrelenting landscape plus big time natural events such as the earthquakes.  Blaming governments, media, India, China, the guy selling rice down the track is pointless.  We all have a duty of care in this, a stake.  The small team today are all wildlife people with a deep respect for the jungle and its ecosystems.  There is the total awareness about the way biodiversity works together to keep things stable and moving, even if nature can be seemingly harsh sometimes.

When learning about research techniques it was always rammed home the simple principle of find the truth and tell the truth.  Don't add your own positive or negative spin, present the raw facts only. What I write about the situation here is based on that, my own feelings on it irrelevant in the wider context.  That being said it would be unnatural not to have a lot of concern and I do.  I'll keep saying it, if things go belly up here in such a crucial part of the world, the huge feeding system that is the Himalaya, then the whole world suffers.

Balance, in the way wildlife in its natural state attains is the only answer I have because I see it every day in wild places.

And a good laugh sometimes doesn't hurt either because things certainly are crazy here.  There are times to be deadly serious about it all as well.  In the main it's about keeping cool...

LEOPARD REWILDING PROGRAM (LRP) - Translocation very close now...

Ok, enough about the rugby (see posts at Facebook) except to say well done to both teams and I think the fact we're still number one just shows what a small country can do if they unite and put their minds to it.  I've spent a couple of hours reading online reports of the game, catching some highlights and yeah, it all seems a bit surreal compared to the state of things here in Nepal.  In the news reports there are often comments, usually by New Zealand and Australian supporters, many less than gracious... well you people should get yourself over here into the real world, it's just a game.  Well done All Blacks, you deserved it...

I'm delaying my written piece about leopard handler Asis Gurung (as well as a follow up about wildlife technician Tikaram Tharu) a few days as there's been a few twists in the tail here.  However, it looks like that despite the challenges and delays because of the instability, we are within days of making the translocation.  I've got fingers crossed there'll be no problems to prevent it.  I get people asking for photographs etc, can I just ask again that people understand that the isolation process with the cubs is critical to the program.  Yes, there are images from fixed cameras, valuable data but for security and ethical purposes we have to be diligent about how it all works.  This isn't a zoo.  The fact that I published so many images of Asa was to maintain support and promote a project that we are now evolving.  There will be updates but once again, security is key, especially with all the unrest here at the moment.

In the camera trap image here you can see the cubs are in great shape as they joust in the isolation area.  They also have their inside den area as well as plenty of jungle time.  Using non climbable walls means we can maintain an open top and we will take this thinking into future structures, I'll have more on this at a later date.  A great deal of thought, discussion and planning goes into the process.  We are constantly examining, researching and improvising.

So I'll have more soon as we count down the hours.  I did take inspiration from our Rugby World Cup win, the pursuit of excellence.  We're dealing with a whole different set of parameters here though.  It's a jungle, a real one...

Big wild cats, every single one is precious as the toll continues...

 It's got to the pointy end now hasn't it.  Recent reports about the alarming drop in African lion numbers, the extinction of the Eastern puma as issues along with the link I just posted on Facebook regarding increased trade in clouded leopards (link from @WildTigerNews Twitter feed) are examples.

About 3am a couple of mornings ago my phone shook with a notification.  I'm a very light sleeper.  I remember once at Leopard Camp I was asleep in the main enclosure when I heard a twig snap. In the moonlight I saw Asa leap out of a tree and head towards the noise.  I didn't see him for a couple of days.  I tried to track him but the terrain was just too steep, the sort of stuff only a leopard could deal with when hunting prey.  I remember thinking "you awesome animal, you precious, precious awesome leopard"...

But I digress, well, slightly.  The phone notification was simply someone putting a favourite tag on an image of a lion I took many years ago and posted on a photo sharing site.  I tried to go back to sleep but couldn't.  I wondered what the person saw in the photo, I wondered if they understood what was going on, if they really cared.

I've been wondering lately how many people really do care.  Big cat conservation needs steady, smart people capable of keeping their emotions in check in a confronting environment.  But it also needs massive support from people who do care about the situation, people who really understand the situation.  The amount of money some countries spend on weaponry alone on top of their individual living styles, just a small chunk of it could alleviate many of the poverty issues that affect habitat destruction.  I find it hard to reconcile this.  Even this weekend coming up the Rugby World Cup final will soak up billions.  As a New Zealander of course I'd love to see us win but would I swap that for the life of a single tiger, a single leopard, lion, clouded leopard, any of them?  No I wouldn't, not for second.  Who wins that game matters not compared to a situation where we have allowed these brilliant sentient beings, these magnificent ecosystem engineers, these superb wild cats to now be in such a perilous situation.

I probably wont even know the score until well after the game has finished.  We are translocating the two young leopard cubs in the Rewilding Program.  They will be handled with the utmost care.  They are precious.  The people involved will be level headed, we will all learn, we will do our best, it's a high stakes game... but not really a game, it's much more vital than that.

We need people to understand that.  And support it...

This post is at Facebook should you wish to comment.

The deep, primal connection that teaches us humility...

The dimension that is our connection to large, potentially dangerous animals is one we cannot afford to lose if we are to maintain our humility.  Long ago the mountains and jungles taught me what a tiny dot I am.  The wildlife that lives in these places exists in a way that teaches us sustainability, the true essence of nature.

We cannot afford to lose these animals if we are to have any hope of keeping ourselves in check...

These posts are also at Facebook if you wish to comment.

Leopard translocation soon, vision becoming reality but courage of conviction needed

LEOPARD REWILDING PROGRAM (LRP) - Leopard cubs Tika and Ram will hopefully be translocated in the next few days.  I use the word "hopefully" as the ongoing civil unrest resulting in shortages of fuel and essential items is affecting most aspects of life here.

A pre-translocation team is prepping and will have the site ready before the cubs and the recently arrived jungle cat are moved.  A system is being developed where the cubs will only see their handlers during the transition.  The rest of the small "on  the day" translocation team will operate quickly and in near silence.  Right now the cubs are assimilating to transport enclosures and a den copy.  We are making sure no stone is being unturned to get this right.

The site itself is remote and confidential.  It will serve as a test location for the Rescue and Rewiding Centre concept.  A lot of ground work was done before site selection.

Courage of conviction is the key to success.  It's a time of total focus and selflessness, nothing short of that.  A huge of amount of effort and substantial funds have been needed to get to this point.

I'll post more as it all develops but I'm really hoping that this time round there is support and greater understanding for what we are trying to achieve.  Asa was integral as a pioneer, a flagship.  Tika and Ram represent the next phase and development.  It is the program itself however, how it fits in with ecosystem replenishment, that I am really going to be concentrating on in upcoming communications.  The overall structure is complex just like the web of life.  For now however it's total focus on the next steps in rewilding some precious wildlife because indeed, it is all precious...

The LRP is a collaboration of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, the National Trust for Nature Conservation and WildTiger Conservation Research and Development.

#LeopardRewildingProgram #LeopardTaskForce #RescueAndRewildingCentre #NeverGiveUp

About to leave to give a series of presentations re those hashtags.  Hoping transport goes ok while this fuel shortage is on.  Will take I estimate 10-14 days, up and down and across Nepal.  It's a pivotal time, all the hard work up till now channels into this.  Motivated by legacy of Asa, a future for Tika, Ram, all leopards, big cats, wildlife and the people who are part of it and support it.  Nothing is guaranteed but here we go...

This post is at Facebook if you wish to comment.

#Nepal - Fuel, fuel, where art thou? Everyone is affected by this crisis...

I'm in Pokhara trying to get stuff built for the Leopard Rewilding Program... the fuel crisis is affecting that, it's affecting everything. The image I took is of Chiran checking he has enough fuel to get Oju to school. He might as well take down the sign for his French Bakery, he is not baking, there is no one to bake for. The other images are taken from news reports throughout Nepal, queues for cooking fuel and petrol can mean lining up literally for days.
I just spoke to Bindu the Hindu on the phone, she just had a scary ride on top of a bus to get to another bus... now she keeps waiting, has been nearly two hours, for another bus so that hopefully she can get home to see her mother for the first time in months now that she has finished vet school exams.
Som GC has just messaged me with the shocking food prices that are hitting the Kathmandu Valley.
Somehow now I have to find a way to get to Asa territory to check cameras again.
Everyone is affected in some way...

#Nepal #People #Wildlife #Habitat - Inhuman blockade costing lives

INHUMAN BLOCKADE is the headline in an article for the English language version of Ekantipur written by Chanda Rana.  Chanda's fifty-eight year old uncle died of a cardiac arrest because he could not get to hospital on time.  Chanda, completely shocked by this, has done a survey of pharmacies and hospitals to find that there is an acute shortage of life-saving medicines as well as the ongoing issue of people struggling to get transport to medical help.

There are now reports of food shortages and price hikes of basic foodstuffs because of skyrocketing fuel costs.  Nearly everyone is affected in one way or another.  It is approaching festival (Dashain and Tihar) season and Nepal Oil Corperation are rationing fuel so that people can get to their villages as this is for many the only time of the year people see their families.

The ongoing agitation backed by Indian cooperation to instigate this blockade is crippling the country.  Post earthquakes it was always going to be hard here anyway.  Once again the lack of unity and solidarity which permeates through a country of over one hundred ethnic groups as well as that many languages is having a hugely negative affect.

I guess when I posted yesterday with a  Himalayan image saying come back to Nepal I didn't mean tomorrow... maybe next year?  No one knows when things will become easier, it's frustrating and often very tense.

From a personal standpoint my decision to stay and do what I can is not a gratifying one in any sense.  Not only is this situation paralyzing practicalities it is paralyzing minds meaning decisions are not being made.  You can imagine that leopard rewilding is simply not a priority on people's minds but there is also the serious problem of aid to earthquake stricken areas being seriously hamstrung.

There are so many cultural complexities contributing to this situation and similar problems in the past have not been learnt from.  As I keep saying, unless there is resolution the environmental impact will eventually affect us all... if it isn't already...

Truly great story just as USA issue untimely travel warning...

‪#‎Nepal‬ ‪#‎People‬ ‪#‎Wildlife‬ ‪#‎Habitat‬ - I've just woken up to this story in the Himalayan Times telling of a team transporting a piano to Thorang La pass so Karam Kim can play to inspire in a few weeks. It's a brilliant idea, well I think so anyway. It comes just a day after the US issued another travel warning based on the trouble here at the moment. Look I'm not saying it's easy here and to be honest from an operational point of view it's a bit of a nightmare (actually more than a bit) but for trekkers sticking to the main trails in the Annapurna, it's fine... and we need you to come. If you're unsure drop me an email at jk@wildtiger.org Check out the story HERE.  I love these crazy South Koreans smile emoticon They have been great visitors here for many years, they love to trek and climb... and have a good laugh. Great effort Karam Kim and team, good luck

Look into the tiger and you will see the mountain...

Well it's actually a metaphor for life and habitat but if you do look at the image closely, through the tiger you will see the mountain...

As I wrote yesterday at Facebook (and many times before) environmental disasters loom when things get out of control politically and socially. The previous post (at Facebook) re the pressure on forests due to the fuel crisis here is just an example, I've documented many, many more.

So if Nepal doesn't get it's house in order there is environmental fallout in one of the most important bio-regions on our planet, the Himalaya. China takes over? Forget it... their record is as bad as anyones, the shocking destruction of the megadams just one example. India takes over? Forget it... also dam hungry, and well just damn hungry full stop.

Nepal has to have a strong, environmentally conscious government or we are all in big trouble. I've been banging on about this for ages, I'm not one to say I told you so but...

Yesterday, after days of deliberation, with the consult of a colleague, I made the decision to keep going here. Will I regret it? Time will tell. All I know for now is that I have a hell of a story, believe me, you ain't heard nothing yet baby...

These posts are also at Facebook if you wish to comment.

‪#‎Nepal‬ ‪#‎People‬ ‪#‎Wildlife‬ ‪#‎Habitat‬ Placing value on what is really important...

This blog is also at Facebook if you wish to comment

‪ It's interesting how many messages I'm receiving that the world is not getting the news of what's going on here. I've just been watching Nepali news live and the image I put up in the post earlier today on Facebook (image above) is representative of exactly what is happening at the Sunauli border crossing, right now, as I write this.

Jane Goodall said apathy is our biggest enemy, she meant it in an environmental sense but I guess it applies to everything. Nepal is in big trouble, I don't actually know if the world knows it or not, my correspondence with some people reveals heads in the sands, yet with others they truly get it. Nepal needs more than tourists, it needs people who care, whether they are here or not, interestingly some of WildTiger's biggest supporters have never been here, they place a value in these things way beyond self, put the money where an airfare would be.

I don't have all the answers by any means, I can only see it for what it is. WildTiger and myself have committed to keep going here, and that is not an easy thing, there are people I miss as well as a craving for normality. I think environmentalists, conservationists, we're a funny lot, maybe we're driven by fear... fear of losing the real stuff, we've rubbed our noses in it and know it's a lot more important than so many other things that humanity has decided to give value.

Maybe if one child can click onto that today...

Images 6 October 2015 #Nepal #People #Wildlife #Habitat

 I'm going to posting more images of daily events, stuff going on with explanations at Facebook.

Beauty and the beast, the paradox that is Nepal...

Often we see what we want to see. Of course there is also the option of keeping eyes open and seeing the truth...

The monsoon shroud is lifting, exposing the greatest mountain range on earth, the mighty Himalaya. The rainy season clouds hid her from us but we knew she was there. The last twelve months has been a year however where no veil could ever be thick enough to hide the truth and the struggles that just seem to keep slamming. Three days ago another mudslide, six more children dead... it hardly made the news.

The disagreements continue, disgruntled parties have reaffirmed their plan to protest, goods are only sparingly making their way from the Indian border. There are very few tourists and I have never seen less smiles in this gob smacking beautiful country, a confronting, raw, real country where beauty is at one turn, a beast at another, you never know what you will see next, what will happen, the paradox that is Nepal.

To some it may feel as if Nepal has shut down... but it hasn't, there is life here in every form. We need to protect it... #people #wildlife #habitat