Global Conservation and the Pandemic - Nepal
I met Hem in the 1990s on my first trip to Nepal and we have stayed friends ever since. Since then, he has gone on to achieve great things. As well as being among his country’s leading birders and conservationists, he won a Whitley Fund for Nature award in 2005 and is now the Zoological Society of London’s Country Manager for Nepal.
Above: I saw that iconic Himalayan wader the Ibisbill for the first time with Hem, on wintering grounds in lowland Nepal. This was the inspiration for a trek that we made one spring up the Langtang Valley to photograph the species on its high altitude breeding grounds. ©Paul Sterry/Nature Photographers Ltd
Living in the UK as I do, it is easy to become introspective and forget the global nature of the Pandemic. Now seems the right time to broaden my horizons and see how the rest of the world is faring. Here are Hem’s replies to a few questions regarding the impact of Covid-19 on Nepal.
Q: How has the Pandemic had affected you personally?
‘Covid-19 took me unawares. To stop the spread of the virus, our Government imposed strict lockdown measures which began in March 2020. As a result, my field studies, environmental and community workshops, and training programmes have been severely hampered. On a personal level, I am the father of two grown-up girls, one of whom has autism. More than me, they have both experienced psychological trauma and mental challenges the likes of which they have never had to face before.’
Above: the Langtang trek follows the course of the eponymous river and Crested Kingfishers were a familiar sight at the start. ©Paul Sterry/Nature Photographers Ltd
Q: How have travel restrictions and lockdowns elsewhere in the world affected Nepal?
‘Nepal depends heavily on Nepali people working outside the country and sending money home. A third of the country's economy now relies on this source of income. Lockdowns and restrictions abroad greatly have greatly reduced foreign employment for Nepali people, and in turn this has affected the national economy. In addition, Nepal is also dependent on tourists visiting the country for cultural sightseeing, wildlife-watching and adventure holidays (trekking, rafting and mountaineering). Visitors seeking adventure and wildlife have all-but vanished, along with the revenue they brought with them. All these income streams have collapsed and country is now suffering the consequences of this huge economic loss.’
Q: What effect has reduced tourism had on your income and life?
‘I have been involved in tourism and ecotourism in one form or another for more than three decades. This is the biggest crisis I have faced in my entire life. As a tourism entrepreneur, part of my income came from the travel business. No longer, and this situation has created great worries and had health consequences for myself and all those with whom I work, and who depend on me. In contrast to the developed world, there is little in the way of Governmental support in Nepal, and that which has been promised seldom seems to reach the people who need it most.’
Q: What are the consequences for wildlife of the lack of tourism and reduction in income?
‘Among the worst-affected in Nepal have been people engaged in nature-based tourism. At a stroke, many lost their means of living and some have started suffering from mental health issues. As I mentioned before, when someone suffers psychological trauma their whole quality of life deteriorates – you cannot separate mind and body. Unfortunately, among the local people who lost their livelihoods and Nepali-returnees from India (who lost their jobs due to Covid-19), some took to hunting and poaching. Increased incidences of these illegal activities have been observed especially with wildlife living outside the current network of protected areas. Just recently, things have improved slightly but poaching and hunting remain potential threats.’
Above: as Hem and I trekked higher, Little Forktails were seen on the side streams and gulleys that feed the main river. ©Paul Sterry/Nature Photographers Ltd
Q: Have attitudes changed among residents of your country towards wildlife and natural habitats since the onset of the pandemic?
‘Yes, absolutely, and generally in a really positive way. Especially during the strict lockdown period, people stayed at home, often with flowers and wild animals as their natural companions. Birds were the highlights and became the talk of the time. Suddenly many people started noticing them in their gardens! While lockdown's quietness helped birds to dwell in urban areas, many people did not realise that the birds had been there all along: they were seeing things because they had more time to look at things and because they were opening their eyes literally and metaphorically. The increased appreciation of nature by the public-at-large was profound.’
Q: Has it been more difficult to manage/look after important natural habitats without the income from tourists?
‘It has certainly been more difficult to manage our wild habitats and their natural inhabitants as a result of the Pandemic. Income from tourism played a significant part in supporting wildlife conservation. However, Nepal's Government has continued to support conservation and statutory institutions set up to protect the country's natural heritage. The Government is to be congratulated for this action.’
Above: for much of its length, the Langtang Valley’s slopes are forested and home to an array of charming birds such as this Chestnut-headed Tesia. ©Paul Sterry/Nature Photographers Ltd
Q: Is there anything else people in the so-called developed world should know about?
‘The Developed World holds the key with regards to protecting Planet Earth and its inhabitants, and can influence if not dictate the future of humankind. The First World in particular can take the lead and show humanity the paths it needs to take to reduce, then eliminate, the impacts of climate change. It can set an example by designating more land and sea as protected areas, and investing more to conserve global biodiversity, including by helping the poorer nations.
Excessive snow melt in the Himalayas, Arctic, Andes and Antarctic; fires in Australia, Amazon and California; hurricanes and cyclones causing coastal flooding in low-lying countries; droughts in Africa. These are all are my problems. They are all your problems too. How can I contribute personally, as member of a community, and as part of a nation, to help reduce these events? I am not sure I know. But I do know that it’s one Earth, and we should all be concerned about our Planet’s climate and the well-being of its inhabitants, be they plants, humans or our fellow animals. We should all invest what resources we can muster to tackle the problem and each do our bit for the betterment of the Earth.’
Above: using Langtang Village as a base, Hem and I were able to find and photograph nesting Ibisbills on the braided, glacial rivers they call home. Sadly, the entire village was wiped off the face of the earth by a glacial mudslide that was triggered by the 2015 earthquake.