Prakash Singh Thapa
Conservation of Bats in the Local (Peripheral) Communities around Caves of Pokhara Valley through Education and Awareness Programmes
Bats hanging on the trees, Pokhara Valley.
Handling the captured bat from nets for identification.
Radio programme-Conservation Talk, On Annapurna FM 93.4MHz, Pokhara.
| Town/Region | Country | Categories | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pokhara Valley, Kaski | Nepal | Bats, Indian Sub-continent, Mammals | 25 Nov 2009 |
Bat globally threatened with extinction and nationally endangered species is declining due to increasing human population & settlement area, lack of awareness, poaching, overgrazing and habitat loss etc. To minimize these threats and to protect these valuable species, strategic efforts need to be conducted in Pokhara valley that is possible only with the participation of local people.
In this one year package program, the project will basically focus on capacity building of local communities to support conservation actions, goodwill, awareness programs about bats and its conservation, participatory actions with special attention given to women groups, youth clubs, school children and also farmers.
The basic aims of the project are Creation of awareness and knowledge amongst local people about the importance of bat conservation using educational methods in order to protect bats and their habitats. It also aims for promoting and strengthening community-based bat conservation programme by encouraging youth and student activities.
A community based protection approach has no alternative for prompting the conservation on bats. The project will emphasize to change negative attitude of communities to reduce threats through their involvement. This project will also explore how extinction of bats affects on survival of whole living beings. People will be sensitized to their primary role in conservation of species biodiversity to keep bats species and human existence in future.
One year Radio programmes, Website creation, pamphlets/brochures, will help to share information locally and worldwide. Conservation boards and hoarding boards, etc. near bat caves will impart a positive impact on people’s attitude. Awareness programmes will help to people to trust bat as an element of ecosystem and their contribution to human existence and people will think of role to protect bats forever.
Youth awareness oriented activities, Adult Conservation Education will motivate adults people to conserve the bats habitat and discourage invaders, illegal hunters and poachers around the cave area. School teaching programme on importance of bats will help to enhance knowledge level of the school students about bats to sustain conservation activities in the targeted communities. Formation of youth and students’ groups, Conservation clubs, quiz & essay competition among schools, displaying cards among kids, youths and farmers group, encouragement and support for women and conservation education programmes will make a long lasting contribution to bat conservation.
For further information contact seasoniof@gmail.com