Newsletter / Blog
2011-09-26 ‘State of Nepal’s Birds’ - A major new report.
A major new report has been published entitled State of Nepal’s Birds 2010.
Produced by Bird Conservation Nepal (BCN; BirdLife in Nepal) and the
Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, it was
officially launched by Parmanand Jha, the Right Honourable Vice
President of Nepal, at a ceremony in Kathmandu.
State of Nepal’s Birds 2010 aims to raise awareness amongst
policymakers, the general public and conservation organisations of the
plight of Nepal’s birds and the responses needed to help secure their
conservation. It shows that, since the last assessment of Nepal’s birds
in 2004, the status of the country’s avifauna has deteriorated.
Of 869 bird species, there are now 149 considered nationally
threatened. One of the most notable changes is that there are 16 more
species on the nationally threatened list. “We were alarmed to discover
how many species are threatened with extinction in Nepal”, said Carol
Inskipp, ornithologist and lead author of the report.
Unfortunately, around the world natural habitats are being degraded
and biodiversity is being lost faster than ever, and Nepal is no
exception. As a result, the ‘ecosystem services’ provided by nature—such
as wild food, clean water and climate regulation—are being disrupted
and diminished, affecting human livelihoods. “Fortunately, the Nepalese
government recognises the importance of biodiversity and the benefits it
provides”, said Mr Parmanand Jha, the Right Honourable Vice President
of Nepal. “Successful conservation activities are being carried out
across the country, but more needs to be done”.
Nepal already has a protected areas network that covers over 23% of
the country, including some newly established areas. However, there are
still gaps including 12 Important Bird Areas that are currently
unprotected and may require consideration. “We know far more about birds
than most other groups of animals or plants. There is no doubt that the
state of Nepal’s biodiversity, as reflected by its birds, is getting
worse. Birds are sounding the alarm: it’s time to listen and scale up
our effort. |