KATHMANDU: A Nepali initiative focused on conserving forest dogs has been ranked among the top six projects worldwide in a competition organized by the European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOCA).
The project, titled “Promoting Tourism in Nepal through whistling hunters,” is led by the Wildplaces group in collaboration with the Friends of Nature organization.
To secure the top position, the project must win an online voting competition that began on Monday and will continue for 14 days. If successful, it will receive funding of Rs 4.4 million for research and conservation efforts in Madi Rural Municipality, Kaski.
The dhole, or forest dog, is an endangered species with an estimated global population between 949 and 2,215, of which fewer than 500 are found in Nepal. Once widespread across Nepal until the 1970s, the species has now been recorded in only a few locations due to habitat loss, food scarcity, and human-wildlife conflict.
The Friends of Nature organization rediscovered the species in Madi-2 Tangting through camera trapping in 2017 and 2021, after it was believed to have disappeared from the Annapurna Conservation Area.
These forest dogs face threats from conflicts with local communities. Conservationists stress the need for public awareness programs, water source development, waste management, and nature guide training to protect the species.
Project director Raju Acharya believes that winning the EOCA competition would significantly contribute to both forest dog conservation and tourism development in Madi Rural Municipality.
The public can help Nepal’s project secure the top spot by voting at: https://www.eocaconservation.org/vote.
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