DOLPA: The Shey-Phoksundo National Park, the biggest national park in Nepal, is counting the Himalayan blue sheep also called ‘naur’. The naur belongs to the category of protected animal.

Naur is the major prey of snow leopard, another endangered animal. The count of naur would be conducted with double observer method, according to park office.

The count begins from various six blocs including Jagdulla, Phoksundo and Saldang of the park. It is said the teams having 65 persons in total would be mobilized for the count.

The team will have representatives from the park, buffer zone consumers committee, poaching control committee, World Wildlife Fund and snow leopard conservation committee.

Park’s Chief Conservation Officer Saroj Mani Poudel informed that the naur count would give knowledge on the condition of both snow leopard and naur.

The count of the protected animal is conducted every year. It helps formulate security and conservation strategy for the park, he added.

Special training is provided to the team being mobilized for the count. The team visits 1,377 square km for enumerating the Himalayan blue sheep. It departs for the enumeration in a day or two, according to Poudel.

The 2019 census had recorded 4,136 naurs while in 2018, the number stood at 2,702.