Kumar Paudel ( ne, कुमार पौडेल) is a conservationist based in

Kathmandu , pushpin_map = Nepal Bagmati Province#Nepal#Asia , coordinates = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = Bagmati Prov ...

Nepal Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne, सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...

. He is the founder and director of the Greenhood Nepal. His work focuses on species conservation, wildlife trade and community-based conservation.

Education

He completed

MPhil The Master of Philosophy (MPhil; Latin ' or ') is a postgraduate degree. In the United States, an MPhil typically includes a taught portion and a significant research portion, during which a thesis project is conducted under supervision. An MPhil m ...

in Conservation Leadership at the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

MSc MSC may refer to: Computers * Message Sequence Chart * Microelectronics Support Centre of UK Rutherford Appleton Laboratory * MIDI Show Control * MSC Malaysia (formerly known as Multimedia Super Corridor) * USB mass storage device class (USB MSC ...

in environmental management from

Pokhara University Pokhara University (PU or PoU) ( ne, पोखरा विश्वविद्यालय) was established in 1997 (2054 B.S.) and is Nepal's fifth university. Its central office is located in Pokhara, Kaski District, Gandaki Province. Alon ...

and undergraduate in environment science at

Tribhuvan University Tribhuvan University (TU; ne, त्रिभुवन विश्वविद्यालय) is a public university located in Kirtipur, Kathmandu. Established in 1959, TU is the oldest university in Nepal. In terms of enrollment, it is t ...

Career

Paudel started his conservation career by writing

letter to the editor A letter to the editor (LTE) is a Letter (message), letter sent to a publication about an issue of concern to the reader. Usually, such letters are intended for publication. In many publications, letters to the editor may be sent either through ...

s in Nepal's major national dailies. Later in 2010, he co-founded National Youth Alliance for Rhino Conservation, that conducted various campaigns reaching out court rooms to parliamentary committee to drag their attention for controlling rampant

rhino A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species o ...

poaching in Nepal. In 2012, he founded a science-driven non-profit conservation organization called Greenhood Nepal. He worked as a research associate at

Lancaster University Lancaster University (legally The University of Lancaster) is a public university, public research university in Lancaster, Lancashire, Lancaster, Lancashire, England. The university was established in 1964 by royal charter, as one of several pla ...

in 2016-2017. In 2017, he joined ICCS at

University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...

as a Biodiversity Fellow. His research was supported by Rufford Foundation,

Environmental Investigation Agency The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) is an international NGO founded in 1984 in the United Kingdom by environmental activists Dave Currey, Jennifer Lonsdale and Allan Thornton. At present, it has offices in London and Washington, D.C. T ...

Conservation Leadership Program

British Council The British Council is a British organisation specialising in international cultural and educational opportunities. It works in over 100 countries: promoting a wider knowledge of the United Kingdom and the English language (and the Welsh lan ...

and other. He was awarded also awarded

National Geographic ''National Geographic'' (formerly the ''National Geographic Magazine'', sometimes branded as NAT GEO) is a popular American monthly magazine published by National Geographic Partners. Known for its photojournalism, it is one of the most widely ...

explorer grant to study pangolins

Areas of work

Paudel's area of work includes interdisciplinary conservation research covering wildlife trade, community-based conservation, political ecology, enforcement and science communication. He has advocated in favor of curbing illegal wildlife trade and scaling up pangolin conservation initiatives in Nepal. He is particularly known for conducting cutting edge conservation research on the ground and undertaking conservation intervention. Paudel traveled across the Nepal's prison interviewing wildlife prisoners in 2015-2017 as a research to why people commit wildlife crime and how others might be dissuaded from doing so in the future. Later, he published that research on Conservation Science and Practice and produced songs designed to raise awareness about wildlife regulations and the risks of participating in illegal trade. The songs were performed live across the communities around the protected areas in central Nepal. In 2018, Paudel filed a writ seeking action against the illegal use of wildlife parts in Nepal including by former Prime Minister, who displayed the pelt of a Bengal Tiger during an TV interview in his home. In 2023, he secured the landmark court ruling from

Supreme Court of Nepal The Supreme Court of Nepal ( ne, सर्वोच्च अदालत) is the highest court in Nepal. It has appellate jurisdiction over decisions of the seven High Courts (including eleven Benches of the High Courts) and extraordinary origin ...

to investigate rampant private possession and confiscate illegal wildlife parts in the country.

References

External links

*
Greenhood Nepal
Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Conservationists People from Sindhupalchowk District Alumni of Pokhara University {{Nepal-bio-stub