U.S. Supports Equipment for Forest Rangers to Curb Wildlife Crimes

Kathmandu: The National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) handed over essential field gear and equipment to the staff of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) as part of the Combat Wildlife Trafficking in Nepal Project. The project is funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).

A formal handover ceremony was held at NTNC’s Biodiversity Conservation Center (NTNC-BCC) in Chitwan in the presence of the Director General of DNPWC, Dr. Ramchandra Kandel; the Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu, Jason P. Meeks; INL Regional Director for South Asia, Marcy S. Brown; as well as officials from the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu, NTNC, DNPWC, and Chitwan National Park staff.

The field gear includes medical kits, GPS units, binoculars, cameras, searchlights, tactical pants and shirts, field shoes, bags, Swiss knives, and headlamps. A total of 7,120 items worth over NPR 71.2 million (approximately USD 547,721) were handed over to DNPWC. Among them were 1,468 sets of tactical shirts, pants, field shoes, headlamps, and bags designed to aid staff working in difficult field conditions. Other equipment included 50 cameras, 50 medical kits and searchlights, 30 GPS sets, and 800 Swiss knives.

Speaking at the event, U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Meeks said the U.S. will continue to support Nepal in its conservation efforts to protect its rich biodiversity. He also highlighted the long-standing friendship between Nepal and the U.S. DNPWC Director General Dr. Ramchandra Kandel noted that the field gear will assist staff working under challenging conditions. NTNC Member Secretary Dr. Naresh Subedi stated that the U.S. has been supporting NTNC since its establishment, funding numerous projects related to conservation and combating wildlife trafficking. NTNC Director Dr. Chiranjibi Prasad Pokharel welcomed the guests and highlighted NTNC’s ongoing conservation efforts.

NTNC Senior Conservation Officer Ambika Prasad Khatiwada presented the project’s activities and outcomes, including its role in strengthening wildlife crime scene investigations. He shared examples of the project’s impact, noting that with its support, 127 district-level periodic coordination meetings were held across Nepal, engaging 3,175 officers. NTNC will facilitate the distribution of all field gear to protected areas (PAs) across the country.

NTNC Conservation Officer Gobinda Prasad Pokharel added that the equipment will help staff work effectively in the field. As an implementing officer for the project, he noted that it has supported more than 125 district-level Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) meetings and helped organize national and provincial-level conferences for judges on combating wildlife crime. The project aims to strengthen anti-poaching patrols, monitoring, and community-based wildlife protection.

As part of the program, NTNC also handed over a medical kit, GPS, binoculars, camera, searchlight, laptop, and walkie-talkie sets to the Mirgakunja Community-Based Anti-Poaching Unit (CBAPU) in Chitwan. The equipment, worth NPR 388,857, was provided under the project’s efforts to strengthen community-based anti-poaching initiatives. According to Pokharel, NTNC plans to hand over field equipment to 10 CBAPUs across the country.