Vadodara – the city of crocodiles
The 4-million city Vadodara and the villages around are an example how humans and crocodiles can coexist successfully.
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NGO
The special connection of people and nature in Gilgit-Baltistan
Gilgit-Baltistan is a region that demonstrates like no other how our lives depend on intact nature around us. And it shows how vulnerable that makes certain parts of the world.
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A holistic conservation success story – Livestock insurance scheme to protect snow leopards
As elusive as this big cat is, for the agro-pastoralist population of the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan, snow leopards are a real threat. Here we meet the NGO that became the global pioneer of developing a livestock insurance scheme connected to this vulnerable species, which many countries adapted since. So what lies in the center of the conflict, and how can such an insurance scheme lead to the conservation of the snow leopard and at the same time support local livelihoods?
Trophy hunting as a conservation tool
Can trophy hunting benefit conservation? This is a heated debate. In Pakistan, we found many people that are convinced by their system and have plenty of benefits to show.
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From Mowgli’s jungle to the peaks of Annapurna
We are excited to arrive in the Annapurna Conservation Area, to spend the next few days hiking the Annapurna Circuit, enjoying a landscape cradled within the Himalayas and observing one of Nepal’s iconic ‘Conservation Areas’ through our ecologist glasses. What we found simply amazed us: remote villages and monasteries showcasing a beautiful intertwining of Hinduism and Buddhism, the shifting landscape from jungle and terrace farmlands through dense alpine forests and rugged slopes to the abode of eternal snow, constantly surrounded by epic views of the Nepalese Himalayas.
The Annapurna Conservation Area is the first protected area in Nepal that has allowed local residents to continue living within the boundaries after its establishment as well as play an integral part in the conservation of local nature.
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Protecting the underrepresented
Although rather small in size, Nepal is home to an outstanding diversity of plants, animals and ecosystems in a remarkable physical setting. The altitude varies between 60 m ASL in the subtropical Terai Arc to Mount Everest at 8849 metres. Within this range and diverse habitats, Nepal hosts almost 12,000 different species of flora, iconic animals such as the snow leopard, clouded leopard, bengal tiger, one-horned rhino, asian elephant, red panda and the pangolin. But what about those species and areas which don’t make the spotlight? Friends of Nature Nepal, a small team of passionate conservationists has been venturing into uncharted territories, rediscovering long-unrecorded species and stands up for the protection of many underrepresented or neglected species.
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Peace for conservation, conservation for peace – can the Caucasian leopard bring people together in the Caucasus?
Many of the world’s conflict zones are located in places where biodiversity is high. The Caucasus, being one of the world´s 36 biodiversity hotspots, is no exception.
‘Conservation and peacemaking has the potential to go hand in hand’. We took away this lesson from our journey in the Caucasus, where we met leading organisations and individuals in Georgia and Armenia working for the protection of the endangered Caucasian leopard.
As we see from the example of the Caucasian leopard, aside from all other things, biodiversity needs to also be protected from the consequences of armed conflict. However, it also offers an opportunity for people to come together, resolve conflicts, join in the protection of shared natural heritage and ultimately, build peace. And maybe, the Caucasian leopard can lead the way on this journey.
How FPWC conserves Armenia’s nature on the ground and on the screen
FPWC conserves Armenian wildlife in the Caucasus Wildlife Refuge, rescues animals through its Wildlife Rescue Center and organizes the SunChild Environmental Film Festival.
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Transcaucasian Trail – more than just a hiking trail
The Transcaucasian Trail is more than just a hiking trail. It gives local communities new appreciation for local nature, new sources of income and creates a new international community of trail-builders that get to know the Caucasus in a new way.
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The curious case of Armenia´s oil-covered storks
In 2017, the villagers of Hovtashen in the Ararat region of Armenia started noticing a strange phenomenon. The white storks they lived so closely with were not so white anymore – covered by a thick black substance, they were struggling to fly. As researchers and conservationists received the first alarm, they raced to help these iconic birds. Six years later, as we visit the Ararat plain, we see these contaminated storks with our own eyes and learn that putting an end to this disaster is still far away. But where does the substance come from and how can the contamination be stopped?
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