18 Aug
2006 - Ghodaghodi, Nepal – Surrounded by marsh,
meadows and forest, Ghodaghodi Lake, Nepal’s lowest
lowland lake in the western part of the country,
has long been known for its rich biodiversity
and wildlife. But years of heavy exploitation
and poaching in and around the lake have threatened
the survival of many important species, including
turtles and crocodiles.
Recognizing the threat, WWF
and the government of Nepal — through the Terai
Arc Landscape (TAL) Programme, initiated a project
at the lake to improve the habitat of the marsh
mugger crocodile.
“The marsh mugger is not among the most endearing
species but they are an important part of wetland
biodiversity,” said Neera Shrestha Pradhan, WWF
Nepal’s Freshwater Officer.
“That is why we, together with
local communities living near the lake, have built
a reinforced sand bank. We hope this will become
a suitable nesting site for the crocodiles.”
Recently, a local monitoring
team found a number of footprints at the site,
evidence that the sand bank is already being used
by the marsh muggers for basking in the sun, and
potentially, for nesting.
Ghodaghodi Lake is one of four Ramsar wetland
sites of international importance in Nepal, and
is part of the Terai Arc Landscape. Located in
the shadow of the Himalayas, the Terai Arc covers
5 million hectares — from Nepal’s Bagmati River
in the east to India’s Yamuna River in the west.
It provides critical habitat for greater one-horned
rhinoceros, royal Bengal tigers, Asian elephants,
80 other mammal species, 47 reptile and amphibian
species, 556 bird species, and more then 2,100
flowering plant species.
As part of the Terai Arc Landscape
(TAL) Programme, WWF and its partners are working
to restore and reconnect 11 national parks in
Nepal and India to create one continuous landscape.
Improving the habitat for the
marsh mugger crocodile is just one small part
of species conservation and restoring the landscape.
In addition to reinforcing crocodile
habitat, WWF has helped a local youth form a community-based
anti-poaching operation, the first of its kind
in the region, to protect the wetlands and its
resources.
“This group is actively involved
in preventing poaching and encroachment within
and around Lake Ghodaghodi,” Pradhan added.
The anti-poaching group has
confiscated over 800 fish hooks, three boats and
nearly 200 gill nets. Several local poachers have
also voluntarily surrendered their spears and
even dugout canoes.
END NOTES:
• The marsh mugger crocodile
(Crocodylus palustris) is found throughout the
Indian subcontinent and the surrounding countries
of Nepal, as well as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh
and Iran. Sometimes exceeding 15ft in length,
the crocodile, eats fish, other reptiles, and
small and large mammals.
• The Convention on Wetlands
is an intergovernmental treaty providing the framework
for national action and international cooperation
for the conservation of wetlands and their resources.
There are presently 152 parties to the convention,
with 1,611 wetland sites, totaling 145.2 million
hectares, designated for inclusion in the Ramsar
List of Wetlands of International Importance.
• Nepal presently has four sites
designated as Wetlands of International Importance,
with a surface area of 23,488 hectares. They include
the Ghodaghodi Lake Area, as well as Beeshazar
and Associated Lakes, Jagadishpur Reservoir and
Koshi Tappu.
Trishna Gurung, Communications & Marketing
Manager
