Nepal is home to some of the world’s most iconic wildlife — from tigers, rhinos, and elephants to lesser-known species like pangolins and medicinal orchids. Yet behind its breathtaking biodiversity lies a complex struggle against wildlife poaching, illegal wildlife trade, and habitat loss. In this episode of the Think Wildlife Podcast, we speak with Kumar Paudel, founder and director of Greenhood Nepal, one of the nation’s leading conservation organizations working to combat wildlife crime and promote community conservation across the Himalayas.Kumar shares his inspiring journey from a childhood in the mountains of Nepal to leading national efforts in biodiversity conservation. Through his work with Greenhood Nepal, he has helped transform the country’s conservation landscape — from early advocacy against poaching and corruption to the establishment of community-based monitoring networks and policy reform. Under his leadership, Nepal became the first nation to achieve zero poaching of rhinos, elephants, and tigers, an achievement rooted in strong enforcement, military protection, and deep community engagement.The conversation delves into the evolution of Nepal’s conservation success. Kumar discusses how community intelligence and local anti-poaching networks have become vital in protecting wildlife across national parks and buffer zones. Yet, he warns that while attention often centers on charismatic megafauna like tigers and rhinos, smaller and lesser-known species such as pangolins, tortoises, and orchids face rising threats from illegal wildlife trade and unsustainable harvesting.Greenhood Nepal’s work along the China–Nepal border provides critical insights into cross-border wildlife trade networks, revealing the motivations behind trafficking and empowering enforcement agencies through training, data sharing, and behavioral change campaigns. Kumar also highlights their pioneering research on orchid conservation, mapping over 500 native species — including more than 100 medicinally important orchids — and developing sustainable management plans that align with CITES compliance.The discussion also explores pangolin conservation, where Greenhood has led community outreach, identified priority habitats, and hosted Nepal’s first Pangolin Conservation Roundtable, catalyzing national policy action. Kumar explains how the team’s on-ground efforts — from habitat restoration to education and enforcement — have shaped the future of biodiversity management in Nepal.Beyond enforcement, Kumar reflects on the importance of compassion and understanding. His most memorable conservation experience came from visiting prisons and speaking with wildlife offenders, gaining firsthand insights into the socio-economic pressures that drive poaching and wildlife trade. His reflections underscore that sustainable conservation depends on addressing poverty, awareness, and opportunity — not just punishment.We also revisit Nepal’s remarkable success in tiger conservation, where populations have nearly tripled between 2010 and 2022, and discuss emerging challenges such as human–wildlife conflict. As Nepal continues to balance conservation and development, Kumar calls for stronger investment in coexistence strategies, habitat restoration, and community-led solutions.This episode offers an in-depth look at the intertwined issues of wildlife crime, community conservation, and biodiversity preservation in one of the world’s richest ecological regions. Tune in to learn how Nepal’s story of resilience, innovation, and collaboration continues to inspire the global conservation movement.About the HostAnish Banerjee is an early career ecologist, with a MSc in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation from Imperial College London. He is the founder of Think Wildlife Foundation and a biodiversity policy analyst at Legal Atlas. He is also the author of the following field guides:Field Guide to the Common Wildlife of India: https://amzn.in/d/2TnNvSEField Guide to the Mammals of Singapore: https://amzn.in/d/gcbq8VG#Nepal #tigers #elephants #rhino #wildlife #wildlifeconservation #wildlifecrime #poaching #wildlifepoaching #hunting #wildlifetrade #illegalwildlifetrade #conservation #biodiversity #biodiversityofNepal #biodiversityconservation #biodiversitymanagement #orchids #orchidconservation #pangolins #communityconservation #communityengagement5 Get full access to The Think Wildlife Podcast at anishbanerjee.substack.com/subscribe

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

Transcript

Related