BAHUNDANGI, Nepal – The heavy thud against the glass window sent Krishna Bahadur Rasaili’s heart racing. Stepping outside, he saw his granary lay in ruins, and an elephant was feasting on his hard-earned paddy harvest. For years, this has been a terrifying reality in Bahundangi, a village along Nepal’s eastern border with India along the […]
Tag: Nepal
Nepal PM sums up 2024 shift away from conservation: ‘Fewer tigers, less forest’
KATHMANDU — Nepal has too many tigers and too much forest, according to the country’s leader. The offhand remarks by Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli at a Dec. 26 event in Kathmandu on climate change sent shockwaves through Nepal’s conservation community. In one of the few countries on Earth where conservation efforts have made material […]
Tradition and Controversy at Nepal’s Gadhimai Festival With Water Buffalo, Rats, and Pigeons Sacrificed
In the small town of Bariyarpur, Nepal, a unique and deeply controversial festival takes place every five years. Known as the Gadhimai festival, it involves the mass sacrifice of animals in honor of the Hindu goddess Gadhimai, a ritual believed to bring prosperity and protection to her devotees. However, this tradition has become a flashpoint […]
In 2024, Nepal’s elusive snow leopards pounce into spotlight
KATHMANDU — The elusive snow leopard (Panthera uncia), often described as the “ghost of the mountains,” has captivated the imagination of researchers, the general public and mountain communities for centuries. Fables related to this enigmatic big cat have been handed down from generation to generation, weaving a sense of mystery and reverence for the cat […]
As Nepal counts its snow leopards, even the best estimate is still a guess
KATHMANDU — Scientists and government officials have embarked on the uphill task of coming up with a number, or even just a range, for the population of snow leopards in the Himalayan country. To do so, they’re having to rely on several fragmented studies carried out during different periods of time in different landscapes across […]