#HumanWildlifeConflict - Tension WILL lead to retaliation...

I've just got back to my laptop after a tense night and morning.  Those of you who follow my Twitter feed will know what is going on.  The tusker, huge male bull elephant, continues to wreak havoc and spread fear.  Lives have been lost and many buildings damaged, last night three more.  Adding to the situation is the fact that last night we lost a male tiger, hit by a speeding bus overtaking on the wrong side.

There's a lot of anger in the community, anger created by sleep deprived fear.  Conservation is becoming a dirty word to these people who to many are basically bottom feeders.  As someone who spends a lot of time, often living with these "bottom feeders", I completely understand their concerns.  The warden is doing his best as is the army but it has, as always, come down to resources.  At community level the rapid response team has been mobilized and I'll be spending the next few hours frantically trying to get support to resource the team.  A vehicle is a priority but for now the Park authorities will allocate to help with the bee audio system.

Tonight is critical.  Nerves are frayed.  The bee audio system I developed will work under the right conditions which include effective crowd management and cooperation.  But fear can interrupt the process very quickly, as happened last night.

Often I think about the amount of resource, time spent and emphasis on research for new species and similar.  I see people all the time posting images of "cute animals"... I see far too much of this thing called "awareness" not followed by action.  Right now, on the ground, the "bottom feeders" are feeling it.  Retaliation becomes inevitable when it gets to a certain stage.  And wildlife decline is the result, and that leads to? Well we all know and to be honest, I'll be the first to say, from the ground, well I f...... well told you so.  There are people completely divorced from the reality of the situation.

It's a time for less politics, more reality checks and resources to be allocated where they are really needed.

Merry bloody Christmas... from the ground.

Why it's so important to understand cause of death...

As a species we humans have the resources to do many great things.  We just have to make the right decisions...

The image is from a case where a leopard died a few days ago.  The big cat was found dead in a small stream and there were indications it had been poisoned.  However no post mortem was done.

We spent time in the area trying to understand the incident.  In every case there are certainties, probabilities and possibilities.  I've seen many dead leopards, been to many "crime scenes" where there have been fatalities of people, livestock and/or the big cats themselves.  Each case is different but patterns do emerge.

It's vital to get accurate information and in our increasingly noisy world that is not easy.  Getting a  post mortem done on a dead leopard in a country like Nepal is problematic and in many regions virtually impossible.  However where it can be done it needs to be.  If this leopard died of poisoning we need to investigate further to find out if it was accidental or deliberate, in which case it becomes a wildlife crime.  If the animal died of a communicative disease such as canine distemper that is crucial knowledge.  There are wildlife diseases which can wipe out populations very quickly.

Molecular dynamics, vet science, toxicology, human-leopard conflict and wildlife crime, these are all pieces in ever changing puzzles.  Protocols have to be in place so we can understand and act.  We're working on that, working hard.

In many ways, this work, it has to be personal.  Frustratingly, whenever there are lists of "amazing animals threatened" by either wildlife crime and/or conflict situations (the two are often related) the leopard rarely features.  Yet at ground level we know, on a daily basis, how bad the problem is.  If the image in this blog showed a tiger, elephant or rhino, my inbox would be extremely active.  Sometimes it feels like we're banging heads against brick walls, fighting for an underdog species in an underdog country.  Many times I think how the plight of the leopard is a microcosm of the problems here.

We're going to have to learn to live with leopards or they won't survive... and that would be catastrophic.  Leopards are vital ecosystem engineers, a species which doesn't exist solely in protected areas.  It's very concerning how many times I'm told in more and more areas "there seems to be less leopards here than before"... and in a country of such huge importance when it comes to biodiversity and ecosystems that is worrying.  When push comes to shove and the geo-strategic location between India and China plays out with water resources becoming more critical, well, I've written many times about the absolute necessity to keep ecosystems intact here.

I thank those who care about this situation and help.  The "Living with Leopards" concept will be updated at wildleopard.net before the end of November.  I've realized that we need to do more to get people to really understand the importance of the leopard, to improve protected status, to change perceptions and to create better coexistence.  I know we can do it.  We'll keep trying...

The man-eating leopards of the west, the need to be in field...

I write this as I prepare for another location shift where awaits several months of intense field work regarding man-eater leopards.  Attacks on humans by leopards are proportionately higher in Nepal than anywhere else in the leopard's global range.

Many thanks to those who read these blogs whether it's here or Facebook where I also have other updates.  This is just a short rant and the last for a little while until the "Living with Leopards" concept is more advanced.

I've had to spend quite a lot of time lately preparing documents for presentations and concept notes with regard to man-eating leopards, wildlife forensics and wildlife crime.  During this time I've kept a close eye on events in Johannesburg, the 17th Conference of the Parties for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).  Friends and colleagues have been battling hard for wildlife at that meeting.  There's been some success and some disappointment.  I don't really want to comment on that now although there's no doubt that for those in the big cat conservation game things will not be any easier with the decision not to give  Lions appendix 1 protected status.  Go to our Twitter feed at @WildTigerNews if you're not up with the play, it links to the relevant articles but with the trade in lion bones a stimulus to illegal wildlife trade in other big cat parts, it was a negative decision.

So as I mentioned it's all go developing the "Living with Leopards" concept which is basically a path to better co-existence.  Things are at a perilous stage, many people and leopards losing their lives in South Asia.  The area in Baitadi where I'll soon be active has lost about 25 children to leopards in just under 4 years.  Retaliation killings of the cats take place, it's a vicious circle as I've explained many times before. A shoot to kill order by the Government was activated but the police team has not taken the life of a leopard in the last month since this decision was made. Using forensics (with partner the Centre of Molecular Dynamics Nepal) and technology including camera traps I'm hoping to resolve the situation before any further loss of life on either side.  I'm waiting for equipment to arrive in Kathmandu and I'll be continuing case studies involving human fatalities as a result of conflict with leopards just outside the valley in the meantime.  The need to understand and implement is at a critical stage.

As I've mentioned before, sometimes I feel a real degree of elitism has entered wildlife conservation.  There is so much blame firing everywhere and meanwhile the marginalized parties, the wildlife and economically struggling people living in the same habitats, still don't get enough help.  There's so much misunderstanding and generalization.  The trade in wildlife parts, so very connected to human-wildlife conflict, is a good example. It's a global issue yet only certain countries seem to be in the firing line.  Yes, countries such as China need a lot of change in this regard but there are courageous Chinese activists etc doing a lot more than simply firing a few shots from behind keyboards.

Wildlife trade is prolific in many parts of the world including the US and several Euro states.  We've got to look at the situation much more as a global problem.

Here in Nepal, WildTiger works very closely with the right people to combat illegal trade.  We'll be expanding on this when the WildTiger website is back up and running soon after maintenance.  There is info currently at wildleopard.net and there will be other platforms introduced shortly with regard to this side of things.  Colleague Pragati Shahi has done fantastic work, among others who are very committed to the task.  The "Living with Leopards" platforms will give the opportunity for interaction to increase communication regarding conflict issues and wildlife crime.

I guess that's it for the moment.  I'll tweet from the field but I'll get another post up before that starts in earnest. There's also an email due out to subscribers and long time supporters.  On a personal note it's a feeling of anticipation that in six or seven months I'll be able to head back to see family in New Zealand and Australia after a gap of several years.  A lot to be done in the meantime however, my focus purely on improving human-leopard co-existence.  Progress is being made but there's no time to waste when lives are at stake.

My thanks once again to those who support, you are a part of this.

With best regards,

Jack.

Many thanks to those who read brief blog yesterday re human-leopard co-existence...

Many thanks to those who read my brief blog yesterday re human-leopard co-existence, I got several messages. As I've mentioned, we're working hard on developing, testing, implementing tools, more soon on the "Living with Leopards" concept but I am concerned about the disconnect many have from ground level reality. This needs to change, we're working on that too.

Leopards turn man-eater for different reasons...

Right now I'm working on those reasons.  It's fundamental to understanding and putting repairs in place to this problem.  There have been hundreds and hundreds of deaths in the area that is Nepal and northern India over the last twenty years, we're still collating figures.

Fear is bred when an animal kills a human.  Retaliation is often the consequence.  Perceptions of the species involved are generally very negative.  There is blame, anger and a lot of confusion mixed with the fear.  Every incident is tragic, the deaths on both sides.

People, livestock (that vital livelihood of so many economically disadvantaged areas) and leopards are dying.  Here in Nepal the topography of the middle hills (they aren't "hills" as the rest of the world knows them, they are more like mountains) adds to the difficulty of the situation.  It's a situation that can never be completely resolved but it can be eased.

That's what we're working on.   Every day more issues seem to come up, this is a tough gig.  Poverty and a country that is struggling in so many ways are factors within this serious problem.  Human-Leopard co-existence is at a critical stage.  I'll write more about the "Living with Leopards" concept, the strategies and implementations involved, as it develops further.

Big cats - the privilege of the encounter, no room for elitism...

This blog is at Facebook (along with other updates) if you wish to comment

Any encounter I have with a tiger or leopard is a privilege.  I have no right to see a big cat, no one does.  If it happens it happens.  The experience itself always affects me.  It's not love, it's respect.  I feel protective but at the same time in awe.  The feeling is not totally about the animal before my eyes, it is more about what that animal represents, the sheer being that is nature and how humbling it is to realize the privilege I have to be connected to nature in its entirety, in all its forms.

I have always felt like this and events today only strengthened my resolve...

The people who live directly with tigers, leopards and such like are part of the fabric, an extremely vital part.  I have serious concerns about the growing elitism in conservation, something which is making it even more difficult for those who have to co-exist with such powerful forces as tigers and leopards.  I'm at an age now where my radar is more attuned regarding who is involved in wildlife protection, if they are truly genuine or not.  We humans talk a big game...

The people who live with tigers and leopards understand that, I have had many issues shared with me, more of late than ever.

It's a busy time.  There's been some strong developments in the "Living with Leopards" concept and some serious concerns raised too.  Some good people are fighting hard, walking the walk.  I thank those who support that.  In a country like Nepal it's easy to see the visible challenges but there are many not so visible, things that go on that need to be dealt with in a certain way.  There are days when those challenges seem as huge as the highest of Himalayan peaks.

But then maybe the sight of a tiger, in some form, a light in the darkness, shows the way...

Make sure you follow the efforts of the Environmental Investigation Agency at CITES Conference of the Parties 17 (@EIAInvestigator on Twitter) and WildTiger is one of 49 signatories on tiger farming... some noticeable absentees on that list, more on that another day.  In a couple of weeks I'll have a comprehensive report on the "Living with Leopards" concept, it's about practical application to improve co-existence between big cats and the people living with them, both parties deserving equal respect.

Human - Leopard Co-existence - quick update on strategy...

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

Just a quick one as I'm getting a lot of correspondence on this issue and I haven't been able to get back to everyone.  Regarding conflict mitigation strategy it involves digital eye, forensics, an early warning (and deterrent) device and the biggie which is giving people a better understanding of leopard behaviour in conflict areas.  This last one is a concern because I frequently hear and read information which is off the mark. The leopard is the most successful, cunning and adaptable of the big cats.  When things are out of balance those attributes make the leopard the most deadly.  I am still constantly amazed what they are capable of and living with one extended my vision much further.  A massive amount of time and resource has gone into this, it really has been a case of putting  money where the mouth is.  There's a lot more to be done but we are making progress.  I'll update in a few weeks regarding the whole "Living with Leopards" concept.  I thank those who support this in a tangible way, it's about saving lives of people, livestock plus the leopards themselves and of course keeping ecosystems intact...
Cheers Jack.

#HumanWildlifeConflict #WildlifeCrime

With regard to issues such as #HumanWildlifeConflict + #WildlifeCrime the years have taught me it is certainly not about making friends or being popular, it is about doing what is right. There is a cost to this but that cost is always quickly diluted by conscience. Above all it is about fairness to innocent, marginalized parties... and truly understanding what they go through.

CO-EXISTENCE STRATEGY - Action rather than words...

About to see a couple of good people to further develop a leopard deterrent, something that can be worn by villagers at high risk times in high risk areas.  I've had to catch up on a lot of book work stuff this morning but in one of my journals I came across a quote from someone I respect a lot and is going to get a strong mention in my book, he said:

"The woman who bakes cakes, sells them and gives the money to real wildlife protection agencies is a far more effective conservationist than the scientist who spends his (or her of course!) whole time producing little read scientific journals in the name of 'research' ...in short, we live in a world of too many 'finder outers' and not enough doers".

Amen to that...

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

CAPTIVE CATS - It's all so bloody complicated isn't it...

These posts are at Facebook (along with other updates) should you wish to comment.

As I'm blasting through the past digging up images from certain events for certain presentations and documents etc, I found this image of a cheetah I took several years ago. It was when I was asked to investigate the way felids were being treated in certain institutions holding big cats in captivity. It was hard, I met people who really felt they were doing the right thing, with all the best intentions and I met others where it was simply about the dollar. For all the awareness, research etc, not a lot has changed but now that we are reaching tipping points for so many species in the wild, the roles and resources soaked up with regard to these types of places should be examined more than ever. But I'll be honest, bring these subjects up to the general public and in the main it's a case of eyes glazing over...

"Living with Leopards"... First guide book soon...

Hoping to have the first lot of booklets out soon re "Living with Leopards"... it's essentially a guide to co-existence with safety tips included. The first batch will go to a village in remembrance of a small child taken by a leopard there. Then we will just keep on going...

The deadly serious problem of human - leopard conflict...

Three children killed by leopard in about a week has once again led to speculation that leopard numbers have increased.  There is absolutely nothing to substantiate this yet and calls for a cull are very premature.  We do know for certainty that prey base has dropped in many areas (due to hunting and this is usually a socio-economic driven situation) and these areas have leopards seeking alternative food sources.  Dealing with problem leopards in the short term, repairing prey base and regional economies in the long term are the solutions.  This is not rocket science.  Knee jerk reactions will not help but support for grief stricken families plus training and applying resources for mitigation are urgent requirements.  Data shows leopards have caused human fatalities for a long time in Nepal (way more than tiger) but there is no doubt leopard behaviour is changing.  We have to adapt quickly or this carnage will continue.  On with the day...

"Living with Leopards" - middle hill realities...

In the image you can see the spot where six year old Rishi Ram Ghimre was taken by a leopard.  His mother was standing very close to him at the time, around 6pm, as the little boy played.  His body was found in a deep gully the next morning about six hundred metres away.  This is one of ten cases we're looking at, of children being taken by leopard in the area.  We'll be back at this site soon with mitigation strategy.  Leopards are very active in the area, a goat was taken close by just three nights before I took the image.

Each case has its own set of dynamics which need to be understood before applying strategy.  The location you see in the image is very near a school. This of course adds to the fear.  In this particular instance we could not speak to the parents of Rishi Ram, they have moved away, the trauma is just too great.  The locals were very helpful, they want and need help.

However each case does show up commonalities, some of them quite brutal in the way the children are taken and the difficulty for people as they listen to a screaming child being taken away.  Then there is the moment the child stops making noise and the frantic searching by villagers, usually with inadequate lighting.  There is a lot of fear and panic.

High vegetation crops close by are a common factor.  The leopard is the most stealthy, most effective hunter of the big cats.  These crops make perfect hiding places from which to observe and plan an attack.  Often they are nearby community or private forests, this is drama which  takes place in everyday Nepal, everyday South Asia, far from the protected areas like National Parks.

The main common factor is the lack of natural prey species for leopards in these areas.  This is part of the vicious circle.  Deer, wild boar and other animals are hunted as bush meat, a food source for communities in economic difficulties.  You don't have to be a rocket scientist to work out the ramifications.  Livestock, dogs and sometimes people become the alternative prey for leopards.

The middle hills of Nepal are tough terrain.  Life is not easy in any of these areas anyway and issues since the recent earthquakes have added to the struggle.  Landslides, unreliable weather patterns (affecting crop production) and the harsh financial realities are part of life here.  Attempting to co-exist with predators like leopards means further stress.

We've come up with a number of strategies to help mitigate conflict, I'll enlarge more on this soon within the "Living with Leopards" concept.  There are a few legal matters to tie up but nothing is assured in the overall situation, it requires ongoing evolution of strategy.

Retaliation towards leopards in the name of safety is a natural reaction.  In the main people are incredibly tolerant, the frustration for many is the lack of help they receive in a seriously difficult situation.  Wildlife crime does lift its ugly head, it is an important factor, leopard skins and bones are worth a lot of money... and to people with limited resources, well, you figure it out.

This brings me again to the point that until economic hardship is alleviated this struggle will continue.  Yes, it's true there are a lot of illegal firearms still in these areas, a result of the war and one of the strategies we are implementing is to introduce the concept of shooting with a camera and not a gun.  But this takes resources and does not solve the problem of simply putting food on the table.

A couple of days ago, not far from where I write this, a female leopard with four cubs entered a padi field about a hundred metres from jungle and very close to a village.  The situation was monitored closely, the dart team was ready and locals were alert.  The mother leopard led her young cubs to safety, back to the jungle in the dark of night.

No one was hurt.  It was in an area, which by Nepal standards, has reasonable economic stability.

Get my drift?

More field work now but I'll update on the "Living with Leopards" concept soon...

The forgotten big cats but co-existence can work...

 When my work was more tiger orientated I literally used to get hundreds of offers of help and support was forthcoming. With the leopard it's different, barely a fraction. The irony is, and I've stated this several times, the leopard is probably ecologically the more important species, it is the tiger of the here and now because of its adaptability and range. There are critics but its interesting that I don't see them putting their money where their mouth is and by the time all bills are paid WildTiger will have sunk many many thousands into this work. Already the sum is considerable and concerning. But we won't stop because we know it's right and progress is being made. Environmental issues seemingly take up a fraction of people's consciousness, our ability to be sustaining seems wounded, fractured. In that respect the leopard is way ahead of us as a functioning responsible being on the planet...

Here's a link to the Environmental Investigation Agency's call for the leopard to receive strong support at the upcoming CITES Conference:

CITES Parties must keep the ‘forgotten’ big cats in mind

But there is the reality that living with leopards will always be problematic. In the images you can see firstly locals in front of the house where a six year old boy was taken and in the second one Bidhya checking a camera with some locals in the community forest. It's a high conflict area and co-existence with leopards, mitigation strategy is how we are trying to help.

CO-EXISTENCE CAN WORK... Another look at the powerful leopard that Asa and I shared territory with, the story I alluded to in my post yesterday. I'll tell the complete story at a later date including our encounter with this great cat and Asa's territorial dispute with him.

At the moment heart and soul is going into co-existence with these vital animals, the issues of conflict and wildlife crime to the fore.

I know the effort is worth it, I know there can be a more workable relationship but the very connected problems of marginalized people and marginalized wildlife have to be addressed. Have we the will as a species to address poverty? To really make an effort to address the many environmental concerns? Time will tell I guess...

Soon, the untold story of the powerful "Spotted Tiger" at Leopard Camp...

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I'm ultra busy with human - leopard co-existence issues at the moment so I'm behind in my comms, I ask people to be patient if I haven't got back to them yet.

Soon I'll tell of a situation I've never spoken about.  The reason I kept it quiet for so long is I didn't want people to be alarmed plus I didn't want to threaten the safety of the leopards involved.  Just for now though, those who followed the story of the leopard Asa's rewilding will remember how very reluctantly I had to twice cage the young leopard for a night at a time in the weeks leading up to when we finally separated.  This was because of increased human activity in the area, it was a very stressful time.  What I didn't say, and adding to the stress, was that there was a large powerful leopard in the area.  A series of camera trap images and my own encounter with this "spotted tiger" are part of the story at a time when I felt totally in tune with the jungle... but always conscious that there was formidable wildlife there far more attuned than me.  The incredible cunning of leopards has been brought home to me many times and another case study last week where a leopard snatched a six year boy made me think about Asa's and my
 time with the powerful leopard you can see in the images.  More soon...

#Human #tiger #leopard - serious conflict on a daily basis...

As I mentioned yesterday, I'm working in a serious conflict zone today  but here's a KP report on the latest loss of human life in Baitadi and some news from Uttar Pradesh (UP) of a tiger killing two people in 24 hours.

Via @WildTigerNews:

#India #HumanWildlifeConflict - Fear grips Uttar Pradesh village as #tiger kills 2 in 24 hrs http://toi.in/NBK83Y 

#Nepal - 26th victim in 4 years in region, death of 7-yr-old in #leopard attack rekindles fears among Baitadi folks http://bit.ly/2b7yzUJ 

Uttarakhand, UP and Nepal, all of the same region, are high conflict areas.  Big cats move over borders through these areas.  Genetic databases, conflict kits and better safety through infrastructure (plus education) are requirements across a vast region.  Economic factors play a large part in this and I'll say it for the millionth time, #poverty alleviation to help provide the infrastructure is key.

Human - Leopard conflict: More deaths on both sides...

Two more people killed by leopards in last thirty six hours in South Asia, including a six year old girl in Baitadi, west Nepal. On average it seems to be about one human fatality a week but it's worrying that not all get reported, particularly in India. We're also getting more and more data about killings of leopards here in Nepal not ending up in getting reported to authorities. Every day data comes through. Tomorrow morning I'm back in a high conflict zone where several children have been taken. Anti conflict implementation and training of locals the key. A lot of field work over next few weeks... months, years...

These posts are at Facebook (along with other updates) if you wish to comment.

Seeing through the eyes of wildlife...

I was up very early this morning writing in the chapter "I want to see a tiger"..."Yes but does the tiger want to see you" when a couple of articles came up and then got tweeted at @WildTigerNews:

Over-exploitation is the biggest threat to wildlife 

Civilization threatens wildlife more than climate

I guess those who truly care about this stuff will check out the articles but one of my own real concerns is the lack of thinking about the right of wildlife to live privately.  This has been an ever deepening subject matter for me especially over the last fifteen years.  Living with the leopard Asa and doing my best to see the world through his eyes, it certainly altered my vision.  Concentrating intently on understanding his reactions (when humans were about) really confirmed many of the thoughts I've had about wildlife tourism, scientific research as well as the exploitation mentioned in the two articles.

I'm not going into details now but one of the stories for my book is a discussion with a friend of mine, a Frenchman, six years ago. He was telling me of his passion for tribal masks and of an island where these masks have deep cultural importance.  When I asked Bastian when he will go to this island he replied that he never will, he cares too much to taint the place further, many tourists visit there already.

I've only ever had two people say to me similar answers when talking about their respect for wildlife.  It's a complex subject and is the theme of the chapter but in many ways is trying to understand the essence of the inward thinking of humans... at a time when we really need to be thinking outwardly, seeing through the eyes of others, including wildlife...

This post is also at Facebook (along with other updates) if you wish to comment.

"Living with Leopards" concept update coming soon.

Thanks for visiting this blog page.  These posts can also be found at Facebook (along with other updates) if you wish to comment.  I'll be updating about the "Living with Leopards" concept soon as we attempt to further improve human - leopard conflict mitigation strategy.

Another dead leopard, representative of a nation's struggles...

An early morning message (image via Ganesh Puri, District Forest Office) a couple of days ago telling of a dead leopard found in Lamjung came as no surprise. It's another incident in an ongoing situation. Cause of death was unknown and due to the location a full post mortem was not possible. It was a young cat, two to three years old and sometimes because of lack of resources it's not possible to ascertain if the fatality is the result of a conflict situation.

Anyone who reads these blogs knows that human - leopard conflict is an every day occurrence here in South Asia. Information coming through is constant, at @WildTigerNews (www.twitter.com/wildtigernews) we've just tweeted "Leopard Fear Spreads In Valparai And Kundadam Villages" which is a typical situation. WildTiger tries to verify this type of news as much as possible so we don't tweet everything that ends up in media. It irks that some orgs do, even though many of them are not even on the same continent.

Sensationalism can ignore truth.

Saying that though does not dilute the problem. Misreporting is often due to a lack of understanding of leopard behaviour and these marginalized cats, just like the scenarios for many of the marginalized people living among them, are victims of a lack of knowledge which in itself can result in spreading more fear.

Some facts are indisputable though. The deaths of over thirty people in yet another awful bus accident tragedy yesterday in Kavre, a high leopard conflict area we've got case studies in, was sobering. It was one of two accidents yesterday, four people died in Baitadi. This sort of news comes through a lot along with the endless dramas at this time of the year, monsoon means floods and landslides, tragic for people and wildlife.

Nepal's tough terrain and climatic conditions combined with political and economic woes means an often deadly cocktail. A young Nepali spending time on a training course in South India messaged me last night telling how surprised she is at how much more developed India is than Nepal. I wrote back that it was positive she can now make the comparison, it shows what is possible. Sush Maa, with her fighting spirit as always, wrote back how much she wants to help things improve here.

When the image of the dead leopard in Lamjung came through I could not help feel it was representative of a nation's struggles. I'm attuned to this type of news, it's part of the gig and shortly I'm back in a zone where several children have been taken by leopards. The sad thing about that is that once again, it's the marginalized who suffer the most. I'll keep banging on about it but we're in a holding situation until issues such as poverty are truly addressed. Until then, the images, the conflicts, the tragedies will keep rolling on.

I wonder when the world will wake up...

The marginalization of #wildlife and communities...

“Illegal trafficking is organized crime. Poaching is just an effect. People keep talking about the poachers because they’re more visible, while the real problem is that the cartels are too powerful. It has little to do with actual animals; it’s more about money.”

A recent quote from Ofir Drori. Amen to that. There is a lot of misunderstanding about the whole dynamic. My own experience, research and actions have discovered communities who are, and it's a word I'll be using a lot - DISENFRANCHISED. Manipulation and corruption by authorities, mafias, businesses and NGOs using everyday platforms (including social media) has effectively meant that marginalized communities are becoming more so. This flows through that the other main entity involved in this mess, ‪#‎wildlife‬, is becoming more marginalized as well.

Sustaining sanity, thanks for the messages...

Many thanks for the all the messages over different platforms, there are a lot of thoughts and requests, I do my best to get back to people (I'm way behind), it's always a juggling act of laptop time and work in the field.

I wish all those who have weekends a good one and even if you don't have free time, try and keep sane, let's all try and get along.

I'm trying... but Nepal may run out of coffee in the process. Cheers Jack.

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

Wildlife seizures and environmental footprints...

There's no doubt that until the issues of human population, consumption and poverty are fully addressed by society as a whole, environmental/wildlife protection is simply about hanging on tight to what we've got. That battle will just go on and on until WE vote in governments world wide equipped and motivated to deal with these issues. It's up to us. It disturbs me that people don't understand how serious things have got. Believe me, at ground level, it's shaky. ‪#‎WakeUp‬
Far beyond the daily seizures of wildlife parts and serious human/wildlife conflict issues here in South Asia (read ‪#‎poverty‬ related in so many cases) it's the total incongruence of it all when reading (like yesterday's news) the per capita consumption levels (environmental footprint) in countries like Australia and the US (worst offenders but many others over the sustainable scale).
‪#‎NotWatchingTheOlympics‬ ‪#‎DoesntSeemRight‬ #TheyKilledAJaguar

"Living with Leopards" - Concept...

Many thanks for all the messages lately, I'm way behind in my comms, there's just so much going on. I'll be explaining the "Living with Leopards" concept soon, how it is being presented, the objectives etc. Human - Leopard conflict mitigation is the aim, the data is worrying, there is a lot to do. The image(s) are from a post shortly after Asa and I were translocated to our Stage 2 location in the mountains two years ago but the scope of "Living with Leopards" goes far beyond rewilding. It is about the raw realities of co-existence. My time with Asa before he went his own way was very much about furthering understanding of leopard behaviour. Over the last few years I've realized there is a lot of misunderstanding re leopard issues - conflict, poaching and perceptions. We keep moving forward in an ever changing dynamic.

Human - Leopard conflict: The zones of tragedy...

Getting an understanding of what occurred in a serious conflict situation is about keeping a very open mind. The loss of life, be it human, leopard or livestock means it is a very sensitive situation. In the images you can see Pragati and Bidhya examining the wounds of Sabim Balami. Sabim was attacked by a leopard in the maize field you can see just before the leopard's life was taken. I'm not going to go into the details here, there is still much to be understood about this conflict which took place a few days ago. The villagers did the best they could to remove the leopard from the area before things got out of control. The tragic loss of a big cat and several people injured was the final result.

These investigations and then analysis require the right skill sets. Biologists and geneticists are involved and the interviewing skills of someone like environmental journalist Pragati are absolutely vital. My own focus is very much on leopard behaviour. Technology in the form of a conflict kit is something we are working on getting further implementation. It's all about trying to reduce and prevent serious conflict. It's about saving lives and learning to co-exist.

Another serious issue and one that I have alluded to a lot lately is understanding the dynamics of living with potentially dangerous animals. I see a lot of "keyboard warriors" as well as even those active in conservation get wordy about issues they have no understanding of when it comes to serious conflict. In the main these villagers are people just trying to survive. Better education and management as to how to deal with these situations is an ongoing challenge but calling people "savages" from afar is gutless and judgemental. The over romantization of big cats is equally damaging. More on that later but in an image among these there is a school, between shrines to gods and jungle... jungle which is leopard habitat.

For now it's about implementing mitigation...once again, to save lives.

HUMAN - LEOPARD CONFLICT: Quick post - pain on both sides...

HUMAN - LEOPARD CONFLICT: When you look into the eyes of a leopard that has survived a conflict situation (many don't), you can see pain, fear and a lot of confusion. When you look into the eyes of a human who has survived a conflict situation (many don't) you can see pain, fear and a lot of confusion. And then there are the family members of victims...
Too many people on the outside of this are taking sides. All I can say is I would never give those people a job. There has to be balance. More soon on "Living with Leopards"...

This post is at Facebook (along with other updates not posted here) if you wish to comment.

No borders, the big cat quest to survive...

This is a just a quick post and I'll have more about the origins of this fantastic image, seemingly of a melanistic leopard caught on a camera trap in eastern Nepal a couple of years ago.  Geneticist Prajwol Manandhar sent me the image while we were having a fascinating online discussion last night.  Prajwol is a passionate leopard researcher among his other intellectual traits, one of the up and coming conservation scientists here in Nepal, a group of people who give great hope.

There is hope for big cats.  Leopards in particular are highly adaptable and like all big cats, highly evolved.  Maybe the leopard will change its spots, maybe there will be more black leopards evolving out of necessity.  Nature has many tricks up its sleeve.

But we must play our part.  The leopard is a crucial ecosystem engineer and it will live where it needs to live to survive. One of the things I love about wildlife is there are no borders, no boundaries in their minds. In a world where humans are choosing to be divisive rather than uniting, to me, wildlife shows the way.

Wildlife are true global citizens, no passports, just nature.  We must support that, for the sake of us all...

Human - Leopard conflict: More disturbing data presents itself...

Yesterday's work day ended up going close to nineteen hours.  I had been preparing info and images for upcoming presentations and more field work.  Later in the day Pragati alerted me to just released data from the District Forest Office (DFO) in Palpa regarding the amount of leopards killed there recently, alarming figures including eight in the last three months.  Cats had been beaten to death or died eating poisoned laid bait.

These killings occur because people's livelihood and safety are threatened by the big cats.  In areas struggling economically the loss of a goat or similar can have serious impact on a family.  Where we're testing mitigation strategy it's the loss of human life which has also been of great concern, many children taken in a area not far from where I write this.

Those who followed my Facebook posts in the last couple of days would have read of a successful rescue of a leopard in Lamjung, just one event of many.  In fact in South Asia it is a daily occurrence, conflict, rescues, a lot of deaths... people, leopards, livestock.

Keyboard warriors the world over get up in arms when a big cat dies in conflict.  I've come to realize that the huge percentage have no idea what the dynamics of these conflicts are all about.  The environmental, political, social and economic pressures in a struggling country like Nepal are lost on most, eyes are not open.

More data from DFOs will flow in over the coming weeks.  I've now got a morning fixing and preparing cameras, part of conflict kits being implemented.  In a world full of problems human - leopard conflict is another one. But for those affected by it, it's a deadly serious one.  There has to be fairness to all parties.   I've mentioned before one needs a very thick skin to do this work.  Well no skin is impregnable and the emotions that do come through have to be harnessed to make sure there is fairness.  There are people, leopards and livestock who need that fairness, that support...

MANY THANKS TO THOSE WHO HAD THE COURAGE TO CARE ON ‪#‎InternationalTigerDay‬ ‪#‎GlobalTigerDay‬

Thanks to those who took the time to read the previous posts (here and at Facebook) today on tiger farming. A big thanks to the team at EIA for coordinating the gang of 45 to speak out on this. It's another step. We all keep going.

In Nepal the world tiger often refers to any of the wild cat species including of course leopard and snow leopard. In many ways that is really appropriate because the plight of the tiger is the plight of many species. It's a complex problem. The issues of livelihood, poverty, education, politics, ego and the very big one of corruption add to the overall problem. I have to admit there are days waking up I shudder at the scale of the problem but it never takes long to remember that all effort is worth it.

Apathy and denial are also major issues. And another one, misunderstanding. This one worries me. When I hear and see some of the anti-human sentiment out there I realize a lot is going wrong with our perceptions. There is this belief that because of our population numbers we are not in danger. Nothing could be further from the truth, we lose the "tiger" and we are in big, big trouble, it is another sign our ecosystems are failing and we are failing our ecosystems.

The people who live among big cats play the most vital role. I'll blog again in a week or so re my own work in trying to mitigate human - leopard conflict, an issue that is creating tragic consequences and once again, is misunderstood by the wider public.

A lot to do, once again I thank those who have the courage to care... there is hope if we keep going.

‪#‎CloseTigerFarms‬ - COALITION OF THE WILLING AGAINST TIGER FARMING

‪#‎CloseTigerFarms‬ - COALITION OF THE WILLING AGAINST TIGER FARMING - WildTiger is a sign on among the 45 organizations and fully supports the following statement:

On Global Tiger Day this year, 45 NGOs are raising the alarm of increasing tiger poaching and call for ending all tiger farming and tiger trade.

July 29, 2016 - Today on International Tiger Day we the undersigned 45 non-governmental organisations are urging countries with tiger farms to adopt urgent action to end tiger breeding for commercial purposes and phase out tiger farms.

The global wild tiger population is estimated to be less than 4,000. These last remaining wild tigers are each threatened by trade for nearly all of their body parts – from skins and bones to teeth and claws – traded by criminals for huge profit. These products are consumed largely as exotic luxury products for demonstrating social status, such as tiger skin rugs for luxury home décor or expensive tiger bone wine.

Tiger bone is also consumed as traditional medicine. The main market for tiger products are consumers in China and Vietnam, followed by smaller consumer markets in Myanmar and Laos.
There are currently two primary sources for trade in tiger parts and products: wild tigers in ten range countries that are home to the last remaining wild tigers, and captive tigers largely found in four tiger
farming countries - China, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.

Tiger farming and trade in captive tiger body parts from and through these countries undermines tiger conservation efforts across Asia. Indeed trade in captive tiger parts and products stimulates demand for tiger products – be it from wild or captive tigers – and undermines enforcement efforts by making it difficult to know whether seized tiger products come from wild or captive tigers.

Tiger farms have expanded rapidly over the last few decades. In the four tiger farming countries alone there are approximately 7,000 – 8,000 captive tigers in large tiger farms, zoos and smaller
facilities that keep or breed tigers.

The wild tiger population has declined by over 95 percent over the last 100 years. 2016 has also marked a significant upsurge in tiger poaching and trade where in India more tigers were killed
in the first five months of 2016 that in the whole of 2015.

The tiger range countries where tiger populations are beginning to show signs of recovery have high levels of political commitment, strong laws and enforcement – and no tiger farms. Where tiger farms are present they only serve as an obstacle to recovery. In recent years China and Thailand have both delivered important new tiger conservation efforts on the ground. Despite this investment, the effects of tiger farms limit the potential gains from such work, as well as damaging those countries’ reputation in the area of species conservation.

We commend the recent bold enforcement efforts of Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), which in June 2016 seized 137 live tigers thousands of tiger skin amulets, 70 preserved cubs and other tiger parts from the “Tiger Temple” in Kanchanaburi Province.

The DNP has announced that it will investigate other captive tiger facilities implicated in tiger trade. This represents a significant opportunity for Thailand to end all tiger farming within its borders and to play a leadership role in the phase-out of tiger farms in the region.

Other countries should also take action to ensure that they are not implicated in the trade in captive tiger parts and products. For example, there appears to be a growing trade in tigers and their parts and products from South Africa. The United States also has a large number of captive tigers which may too become vulnerable to exploitation for illegal trade.

The world needs to wake up to the alarm bells ringing across the tiger’s range. It is clear that tiger farming and trade in captive tiger parts have done nothing to end the pressure on and trade in wild tigers. In September this year, world governments will come together in South Africa to participate in the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The CITES conference offers a significant opportunity for governments to adopt and call for urgent implementation of concrete measures to phase out tiger farms.

If wild tiger populations are to be recovered and secured, the international community must provide support to end tiger farming and all trade in tiger parts and products from wild and
captive tigers. We the undersigned, including those with technical expertise in managing captive tigers, stand ready to provide assistance to achieve the goals of Zero Demand for tiger parts and products and Zero Poaching of tigers.

1. Esther Conway, Manager, 21ST CENTURY TIGER
2. Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, Ph.D., Secretary General and CEO, AARANYAK
3. Toby Zhang, Executive Secretary-General, AITA FOUNDATION
4. Jo Cook, ALTA Coordinator, AMUR LEOPARD AND TIGER ALLIANCE (ALTA)
5. Jill Robinson MBE, Dr. med vet hc, Hon LLD, Founder & CEO, ANIMALS ASIA FOUNDATION
6. Susan Millward, Executive Director, ANIMAL WELFARE INSTITUTE
7. Rhishja Cota-Larson, President, ANNAMITICUS
8. Kris Vehrs, Interim President and CEO, ASSOCIATION OF ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS
9. Dr. R.S. Chundawat, President, BAAVAN - BAGH AAP AUR VAN
10. Carole Baskin, CEO and Founder, BIG CAT RESCUE
11. Will Travers OBE, President & CEO, BORN FREE FOUNDATION
12. Adam Roberts, CEO, BORN FREE USA
13. Sybelle Foxcroft, Director, CEE4LIFE
14. Sally Case, CEO, DAVID SHEPHERD WILDLIFE FOUNDATION
15. Dung Nguyen, Vice Director, EDUCATION FOR NATURE – VIETNAM (ENV)
16. Feng Yongfeng, Founder & CEO, ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST FUND
17. Debbie Banks, Campaign Leader, Tiger and Wildlife Crime, ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTIGATION AGENCY (EIA)
18. Ioana Dungler, Director of Wild Animals, FOUR PAWS INTERNATIONAL
19. Sulma Warne, Deputy Director, FREELAND FOUNDATION
20. Teresa M. Telecky, Ph.D., Director, Wildlife Department, HUMANE SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL
21. Nicole Paquette, Vice President, Wildlife, HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES
22. Grace Ge Gabriel, Asia Regional Director, INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR ANIMAL WELFARE
(IFAW)
23. Kumi Togawa, President, JAPAN TIGER AND ELEPHANT FUND
24. Prof. Nishikant Kale, President, NATURE CONSERVATION SOCIETY
25. Christoph Schmidt, Ph.D., Chair of the Board, PRO WILDLIFE
26. Sergei Bereznuk, Director, PHOENIX FUND
27. Adam Grogan, Head of Wildlife, ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS (RSPCA)
28. Bittu Sahgal, Founder – Editor, SANCTUARY ASIA
29. Simon Clinton, Founder & CEO, SAVE WILD TIGERS
30. Kedar Gore, Director, THE CORBETT FOUNDATION
31. Brian K. Weirum, Chairman, THE FUND FOR THE TIGER
32. Phil Davis, Founder, TIGER AWARENESS
33. Vicky Flynn, Manager, TIGERTIME CAMPAIGN
34. Julian Matthews, Chairman, TOFTIGERS
35. Mr. Prasanna Yonzon, CEO, WILDLIFE CONSERVATION NEPAL
36. Edwin Wiek, Founder and Director, WILDLIFE FRIENDS FOUNDATION THAILAND (WFFT)
37. Belinda Wright, OBE, Executive Director, WILDLIFE PROTECTION SOCIETY OF INDIA (WPSI)
38. Biswajit Mohanty, Ph.D., Secretary, WILDLIFE SOCIETY OF ORISSA
39. Kartick Satyanarayan, Co-founder and Chairman, WILDLIFE SOS
40. Dr. Md. Anwarul Islam, CEO, WILDTEAM
41. Jack Kinross, Coordinator, WILDTIGER CONSERVATION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
42. Georgina Allen, Director, WILD WELFARE
43. Lena Aahlby, Interim Global Director of Programmes, WORLD ANIMAL PROTECTION
44. Michael Baltzer, Leader, WWF TIGERS ALIVE INITIATIVE
45. Jonathan Baillie, Director of Conservation Programmes, ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON (ZSL)