Kathmandu, January 29

The government, in partnership with World Wide Fund for Nature, has launched a programme aimed at preserving ecosystem to protect endangered animals like snow leopard, red panda, pangolin and rhododendron forests in eastern mid-hilly areas of Sankhuwasabha, Taplejung and Therathum districts.

Organising a press meet today, it was informed that the programme was launched with the support of the forest department. The programme will be centred in Tinjure-Milkhe-Jaljale Complex of the area.

The WWF said the Tinjure-Milkhe-Jaljale complex is rich with more than 250 species of flora, including 17 endemic plants. Endemic plants are unique to every country. Out of the identified 31 rhododendron species in the country, 25 are found in the TMJ complex. The area is also a natural habitat of snow leopard, clouded leopard, leopard cat, musk deer, red panda and pangolin. The TMJ complex covers two ‘globally important eco-regions’: Eastern Himalayan Alpine Scrubs and Meadows and Eastern Himalayan Broadleaf and Conifer Forests.

Briefing on the project, Ananta Bhandari, program director of WWF, said that they were approaching a unique method of In-situ conservation with the participation of locals, local government, provincial government and federal government.

Bhandari said, “Apart from wildlife preservation with very little effort, the programme will also uplift the living standards of locals.”