I often
start writing sometime around 5am. A
couple of hours later these blogs are a small reflection of what has been added
to journals or other text. Sometimes the
blog is a quick thought or two, at other times it’s more of a rant to get
things off my chest like yesterday’s piece about arse biting tigers.
People tell
me they like to support WildTiger because it’s not a faceless
organization. They like to read what I
write and see the images because they can connect to the thoughts. Thank you for that. Unfortunately wildlife protection has become
a battle zone in some places, that means
there is some information that cannot be made public. The image I’ve posted here, one of many I
took while meeting people at Kathmandu’s Durbar Square, perhaps reflects the
battle Nepal is in full stop, as it takes time to pick up the pieces a year on
from the first of two devastating earthquakes.
The rebuild is not happening fast enough, many people are still
seriously affected, that in itself is a
complicated story.
I’m not
bound by caste, politics or religion.
This doesn’t mean I can always publish what I think although there will
be a platform for more truth in the future.
With my own foray deeply back into anti-poaching work I felt some envy
yesterday when I talked to several friends who are wildlife researchers in
different guises. It was great to see
Tashi after a couple years, we've simply been on different mountains. He is doing fantastic work regarding snow
leopards and other carnivores at high altitudes. Paras is researching in the same region now,
it was wonderful to hear his passion, he too is doing great work. Earlier in the day I met with Som, I could
sense his excitement as he is only a few weeks away from a two and half month
expedition researching in north west Nepal, maybe a new bird species or two
will result. Messages from Asis
regarding the progress in the Leopard Rewilding Program brought back many
memories. Asis is doing a superb job
supervising that project and there may well be another young leopard being
added to it soon, Asis is totally suited to the task. Yes, I envied them all
somewhat, the irony I am right now stuck in the city when my heart is in the
mountains and jungles but anti-poaching is a far ranging challenge, it requires
being in many habitats and the seriousness of the situation means I would never
give a no to the call to help. The
hustle and bustle of narrow streets of Kathmandu is sometimes one of those
habitats... but tigerland is not far away now.
I guess the desire to be in wilderness is in part to just not want to see the many problems here right now. Burnout can happen quickly, state of mind and body have to be monitored no matter how good the coping mechanisms developed.
I guess the desire to be in wilderness is in part to just not want to see the many problems here right now. Burnout can happen quickly, state of mind and body have to be monitored no matter how good the coping mechanisms developed.
Nepal’s
challenges to protect its people and wildlife are influenced by issues going
back centuries, not just earthquakes and other natural disasters. I have an inner smile when tourists
start talking about Nepal in general terms.
Locals are always saying to me that no one understands Nepal, the
political and social divisions are so deep seated that even those born in this
country cannot fully grasp the situation here.
Nepal is a potpourri of complexities as deep as the massive river
valleys of the Himalaya, as diverse as the abundance of different wildlife
species through its mountains and jungles so my own thoughts are just a tiny
reflection of what goes on here but I do feel very protective of this country,
its people, its wildlife... so another day begins.
