WORLD ELEPHANT DAY 2017
- By : resourceshimalaya.org
- October 17, 2017
Environmental Graduates in Himalaya (EGH) had marked “World Elephant Day 2017” by organizing a talk event relating to issues and threats for elephant in national scenario. Two guest speakers, Dr Narendra Man Babu Pradhan, Wildlife Biologist and Mr Nabin Gopal Baidya, Senior Conservation Officer in Wildlife Conservation Nepal (WCN) were invited as a presenters among 38 graduates students and conservationists. Ms Binita Pandey, EGH Coordinator started the program with a welcome while Mr Sandesh Neupane, one of the EGH members introduced speakers among the crowd. Dr Narendra Man Babu Pradhan as a first presenter talked on the ongoing escalation of human population and resource development, and the resulting loss of habitat for elephants and increase in human-elephant conflict. Dr Pradhan through the recent data of Bardiya and Shuklaphanta area showed the significant variation on the human-elephant conflict intensity between seasons with extreme rate during the winter and the rainy season due to crop availabity in the field. He further remarked upon 80% of human causalities due to elephant can be minimize just avoiding negligence and ignorance made by human being. Mr Baidya, the second presenter through his presentation entitled “Elephant Conservation in Eastern Nepal: Issues and Challenges”, explained how the locals are restored to firing and poisoning of elephants making them hostile and turning their ire against villagers in eastern region of the country. He further emphasized on the implementation of the policies that discourages the migration of people to the elephant corridor. Community awareness towards protecting elephant’s habitat could be one of the effective measures to protect this umbrella species in accordance to Mr Baidya.
The program ended with a closing remarks and vote of thanks by Prof Dr Tej Bdr Thapa, Board member of Resources Himalaya Foundation.
