KATHMANDU: Climate change has negatively affected and threatened species and wildlife, speakers at a program have said.

Wild animals are especially the most vulnerable, they said at a program organized by the US Study Abroad Engagement program, Kathmandu University at the Pavilion Hall, Durbar Marga, Kathmandu on Monday.

Professor at the KU, Dr. Bim Shrestha highlighted the relevance of the program and the initiations made by the US State Department Engagement program at KU.

Aimed at sensitizing the young learners and scholars of Nepal’s universities and Michigan State University (MSU) about the dire impacts of climate change on animals, the participants discussed various issues ranging from animal migration, poaching, and its impact on livelihood to the community forests.

Shrestha said animals in Nepal’s hilly and the Himalayan areas moved to Tibet and never returned to Nepal due to the impact of climate change.

Moreover, he said that Tibet has a large swathe of pasture land.

Similarly, Sarah Knight, State Public Diplomacy Officer, at US Embassy in Kathmandu, shed light on the US government’s efforts to sensitize the younger generation on climate change issues and called the young scholars to come up with more innovative ideas to address the grave issues like climate change.