Gyajo Lama Bhote
The project “Conservation of Asian Golden Cat in Community Forest of Taplejung District, Nepal” focuses on protecting the Vulnerable Asian golden cat (Catopuma temminckii) in the biologically rich but conservation-underrepresented mid-hill forests of eastern Nepal. These forests form a critical ecological corridor connecting protected areas of Nepal, India, and China, and provide habitat for several threatened species including the clouded leopard, marbled cat, and red panda.
Asian golden cat recorded on a camera trap in Taplejung District, Nepal. © Gyajo Lama Bhote / CLWG.
Despite the ecological importance, the region faces escalating threats from habitat degradation, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict. In Taplejung District’s lower belt, goat farming is the primary livelihood for many indigenous communities like the Sherpa, Limbu, and Rai. However, frequent livestock depredation by wild predators, particularly the Asian golden cat, has led to retaliatory killing of these vulnerable felines and, at the same time, economic hardship for local farmers. To address this issue, the project focuses on a community-led model for human-wildlife coexistence and wildlife conservation.
The project’s key conservation interventions include the construction of predator-proof goat corrals to prevent livestock losses and reduce retaliatory killings. Livelihood diversification through greenhouse farming and beekeeping will be introduced to reduce dependency on goat farming and forest resources. Anti-poaching units made up of local community members will be formed and trained to remove snares, monitor illegal activities, and patrol key habitats. These anti-poaching units will focus on prevention and awareness rather than punishment and law enforcement.
To monitor the presence of Asian golden cats and assess the effectiveness of conservation interventions, trail cameras will be installed at strategic locations. These will not only document the Asian golden cat but also detect human disturbances and evaluate ongoing threats.
Additionally, the project includes activities such as forest fire-fighting training for Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs) to combat and prevent forest fire incidents, the construction of conservation ponds to support wildlife during the dry seasons, and a feral dog vaccination and neutering campaign to prevent carnivore distemper virus transmission to wildlife.
This project is rooted in strong local partnerships and based on practical, on-the-ground experience. Through active community engagement, collaboration with local authorities, and integration with government plans, the project ensures long-term sustainability.
Most importantly, the project aims to safeguard the Asian golden cat and its habitat while improving community resilience and promoting a shared ethic of coexistence in the mid-hills of Taplejung District, Nepal.
Header image: Gyajo Lama installing a camera trap to record and monitor small wild cats in eastern Nepal, the project location. © Nahakul Bhusal.