Wildlife is one of the neglected career fields in Nepal but if we can develop ourselves as wildlife enthusiasts, it has plenty to offer to us
Having been selected as one of the candidates in Wildlife Research Techniques Training (WRTT) 2019, I was immensely overwhelmed and excited to explore more about my interest. WRTT is a remarkable training platform for students who are willing to develop a career in wildlife sector. This training is organized annually by Friends of Nature (FON), Nepal which is a renowned organization in the field of wildlife in Nepal. It is youth-led non-governmental, non-profit making, non-political organization working in the field of wildlife, environment and conservation which. The office was registered in 2005 with main aim to conduct research whilst providing environmental education and capacity building programs for youth around country. Wildlife is one of the symbolic features of Nepal and preserving it is very important for overall well-being of the country.
The first day of the noteworthy step toward conservation started with a bunch of young enthusiast graduates from different parts of the country congregating together in one place to learn and to explore. The theory session started on October 31 where we were introduced to our fellow trainees who represented different parts of the country and different educational background. Different faces, different lifestyles, different cultures but united by a single ambition: Wildlife conservation. The theory classes were designed in a way to make us aware about facets of wildlife conservation in Nepal and also to prepare us about field techniques that were to be practically taught in the field. Knowledge about the status, significance and importance of different diverse species of wildlife, efforts made for their conservation and way forward were disseminated during the theory session. These six days not just taught us about the wildlife but made our ambitions more adamant and our expectations high.
Thereafter, we proceeded toward most important yet challenging part of the learning: the field training, which was conducted in Chitre, a beautiful village in Parbat district rich in biodiversity. These 13 days accounted development of our professional as well as personal skills. We learned about plethora of wildlife species, techniques to study them and difficulties, their diversities as well as possibilities. Most importantly we got to flourish our personal skills with the presentation sessions, dramas and interaction sessions. Away from home with people we just knew few days ago and so much hectic schedule and hardship made us realize how real struggle looks like. We understood ourselves, our potentialities and revealed our hidden capabilities. We learned value of time and how to manage work and time efficiently. The hectic schedule and hard work were eye-openers for the fact that our ambitions and aspirations were not as easy as we contemplate but also there is nothing as such that is unachievable. The exchange of knowledge, stories of struggle and achievements of people from diverse fields broadened our horizon of knowledge and enhanced our confidence level. We understood how our country is endowed with so much wildlife diversity and capabilities yet how we are lagging behind in their conservation and promotion.
Wildlife is one of the neglected fields while choosing career in Nepal’s scenario. Very few people envisage making a career in wildlife primarily. But potentialities and diversities of wildlife in Nepal tell a different story. If we can develop ourselves as wildlife enthusiasts, wildlife field has plenty to offer to us, in terms of enriching our knowledge about preservation and also in terms of making us understand how their lives are tied to our existence.
The author is a fellow at Institute of Forestry, Pokhara
Email: shreyashibista11@gmail.com