JUST A FEELING THIS IS A LUCKY ELEPHANT...

Of the Big 3 in South Asia I've been fortunate to have great sightings of wild tiger and wild rhino. Over the years I've seen wild elephant but not as much as the other two. This sighting a few weeks in Bardia, well, it just felt special. The giant wandered across the river bed, not a care in the world. I felt humble, privileged as I always do when viewing wildlife. There was also this feeling of hope.

Elephant numbers are stable in Bardia, two sizable herds move through the area as well as solo travelers. With rhino numbers also stable as well as the well publicized increase in the tiger population there is reason to be optimistic. We'll be having a report on Bardia in our last WildTiger Journal of the year in a couple of days. Hemant has been sending me excellent updates and great images. There is a period of reflection going on with anti-poaching legend Ramesh Thapa after 30 years service in Bardia being transferred to Chitwan National Park. Ramesh leaves behind a capable and motivated team.

The Community Based Anti-Poaching Unit (CBAPU) headed by Hemant is an integral part of that team. As 2014 draws near there is no backing off the challenges ahead. Here at WildTiger we have added Good Luck Elephants to the JaiBagh shopwww.wwildtiger.org/jaibaghshop The shop itself will have a big increase in available items in 2014. We want to extend our help to the CBAPU and ensure the future of the wonderful tiger, rhino and elephant habitat that is Bardia...

Ten $5 tigers and "postal oblivion" changing hair colour!

TEN $5 TIGERS AVAILABLE NOW at www.wildtiger.org/jackkinross plus till the end of the year you'll get a free mountain!

We've taken a hit. More than 20 T shirts have vanished into "postal oblivion" and I'm flat out trying to let people know and organize replacements to be sent as soon as possible. We're going to have to use a new, more expensive system. It's so difficult getting things fluent in this part of the world ... the colour of one's hair can become "fairer" very quickly! So I'm going to push the $5 tigers hard for a while to try and recoup what is a nasty financial loss ... oh to be back in the field soon!

WildTiger's man in the west, protecting his tigers...

AND THIS IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT... WildTiger's man in the west, anti-poaching leader Hemant has just sent me this image he took of one of the two tigers he saw today. He also saw two rhino while on patrol. Hemant is doing a great job, (as are others in my team, more on them soon) the support you give helps with that ... I have a feeling his sightings today will bring me luck with my own journey back high into snow leopard country shortly, through the land of the mountain tiger. Thank you for your support, WildTiger Conservation Research and Development - Real work being done by real people at ground level...

Human/Wildlife Conflict - Tiger attack ... never a straight forward situation...

21/12/13 - 8.32pm   I got a message from Hemant a couple of hours ago about a tiger attack in Bardia today. We'll know more tomorrow. This is always a difficult time, for the victim, the family, everyone associated with these situations. Protecting endangered species where humans and predators share habitat is ongoing problem solving, not as nearly straight forward as countless activists would have you believe when there is emotional outcry which distorts the facts. As someone who is dedicated to finding more knowledge of wildlife/human interplay in the field all I know is that we still know very little...

Garden invader, tiger food ... it's a precarious life in the jungle...

This chital (spotted deer) was a visitor to the garden in Bardia a few weeks ago.  I'm not sure why it was so unafraid of people, coming out of the jungle the way it did.  If we'd been tigers I'm sure it would have stayed away.  Oh the irony...

50 tigers in the area and thought to be about 90,000 chital.  If a tiger kills on average one chital a week, well you do the maths.  Of course there are many variables but whichever way it's looked at it's a precarious life in the jungle...

Tiger spotting but no longer... we need help from medical assistants...

TIGER SPOTTING...BUT NO LONGER... Research assistant Cecile, pictured here with Prakash in Bardia recently, has sadly had to return to France after being struck down with a serious illness. It's just one of those things, a fact of life when you are here long term. In the main, trekkers and tourists have few worries but for the locals and expats it can get really tricky. I've had my own battles over the years, as I've mentioned before hepatitis E almost wiped me out a while back.

This is why my appeal for help in the medical dispensary in Chomrong is really heartfelt. If you are a medical student or have a medical background of some sort email me at jk@wildtiger.org and we can talk about what would be a life changing experience for you in one of the most stunning landscapes in the world. Most importantly, you would be affecting positive change on the lives of others...

Smiles in leopard country above Chhomrong and keep those teaching, medical staff inquiries coming...

I'm in Pokhara at the moment sorting WildTiger stuff, a lot to be done.  A couple of weeks ago my good friend Alexiane from France visited me in Chhomrong.   Alex, a wonderfully talented professional photographer, is in the middle of the photo with Henriette (also French) to her left and Emma (English) there as well.  The image was taken at a place called Salaphu, not far from the school to which I have made a call for English teaching volunteers.  In conjunction with the locals I'm preparing an information package for prospective teachers as well as medical people to help out at the local dispensary.  Email me at jk@wildtiger.org if you're interested.

I was testing cameras in the area that day and it was nice to be joined by this Anglo/Franco team, c'mon, who said the French and English don't get along?!  Those who have been following my blogs would have read how Nilu, a Nepali guide, had to be trekked out very slowly and carefully to get medical help after contracting typhoid.  In fact, Nilu was Emma's guide up into the Annapurna Sanctuary.  So the smiles you see here turned to real concern the next day as Nilu's condition worsened overnight.  The idyllic mountain scenery has a flip side which can be revealed very quickly for people living in isolated communities.  This is why any help which can be offered is really appreciated.

For now Nilu is recovering well.  In the meantime my little cameras are doing their thing high in the Himalaya. I'll be back in the mountains soon to check on what treasures they have found...

A puja for those who need it and technology meets tradition...

Lama inspects a camera trap.

A few hours ago I read of a little girl who died of hypothermia down in the lowland Terai region. Many people cannot afford a decent blanket, the coming winter nights will end the days forever for some of those people.

A puja (Buddhist blessing) was held at the Cottage in Chomrong a few days before I dropped down to Pokhara. I'm arranging with Sushila (who you can see in prayer in the image, she is also world famous for her chocolate cake ... it featured in Time Magazine ... honestly!) for the Lama you can see here to have a Puja next month to bless Project Mountain Tiger. We'll also use it to bless those in real need right now. It affects me that people can't afford a blanket. There's so much bullshit in the world... I just wish everyone could think globally but ACT locally ... it's become too damn easy to click a like button and make inane comments about stuff they don't know about when they could actually get of their butt and do something locally.

In saying that, I'm lucky because I do get to collaborate with many good people who really do decent work on a local basis, it helps keep me "in hope" for sure. I just wish we could afford blankets for everyone this winter...

High altitude big cat habitat ... and teachers, medical people, please come, no fees!

The seeds for Project Mountain Tiger were sown on Christmas day 2010 during the last Year of the Tiger. So we're coming up to three years.  All projects WildTiger is doing here are related but this one is my baby because it's my legs doing the walking.  I'm really excited about what's coming up...

Yesterday Mila Gurung was a fantastic help in setting camera traps in challenging terrain.  It was essentially steep bamboo jungle.  In the image above Mila is standing in front of an area where he had a recent leopard encounter.  The great cat snarled at him "don't come any closer" ... Mila didn't go any closer...

The image below shows the type of terrain we were in most of the time.  There was also a lot of clinging to rocks where one slip would have resulted in one very broken kiwi.  We found fresh leopard scat and several resting places of the Himalayan black bear.  It was heady stuff.

As I mentioned yesterday I have been sending out tweets to try and encourage teachers and medical people to spend time here.  Well the response has been terrific.  I am sending out information packages soon and there will be more information online in early 2014.  I just want to stress their is no fee for this.  The costs are simply food, accommodation and the permit entry to the Annapurna protected area.  There is a range of activities one can do including trekking to the incredible Annapurna Sanctuary and maybe even helping me with camera trapping!  Similar opportunities will be available in Bardia in the Western Terai region as well.  Watch our online notifications...

The image below is Nilu resting during her brave trek out from Chomrong to Ghandruk.  Those who have followed my blogs will know of Nilu's great courage while we got her to the medical post.  Typhoid in the Himalaya is a serious business, one of many ways people can become unstuck when so far from help.

This is one of the many reasons I am motivated to help these mountain communities who will never see a road to their villages.  If we are to protect the tiger, leopard and snow leopard we must all play our part in helping the people who live in these remarkable but challenging areas...

Many thanks for all the supportive comments and actions.  I walk a few hours to Ghandruk now for a meeting with the Annapurna Conservation Area Project main man in the area, Paras Singh.  We're hatching plans so I'll have updates soon.  Tomorrow it's down to Pokhara for a week or so to sort out several matters including modifying a real time image transmission camera trap.

I'll also be picking up more clothes before I head back up here and the long Himalayan winter ahead...

Cheers Jack

Is the leopard laughing?

It's 1.38am now,
for nearly 2 hours the dog has barked,
I try to calm it, it doesn't stop,
is the leopard laughing?

More barks in the distance,
much noise, no sleep,
such distracted dogs, bark bark bark,
is the leopard laughing?

At least I am awake, feel strong,
4 nights ago I yelled out while sleeping,
I was being dragged out the window in my dream,
is the leopard laughing?

It's 1.43am,
the dogs still bark,
bark bark bark,
is the leopard laughing?

No sleep tonight I'm sure,
too much noise, no calm dogs,
the nocturnal hunter is king tonight,
the leopard is laughing its f...... head off...

Mountain ghost, will you show yourself?

THINGS CHANGE QUICKLY HERE IN THE MOUNTAINS... Further to my last post (earlier today) I'm heading to a different place to check some cameras. Some sightings, some disturbance, a strong, strong feeling...

There is a degree of tension. Everywhere I go I am asked "chituwa? chituwa? bagh? bagh? (leopard? leopard? tiger? tiger?)" and sometimes even "heung chituwa? (snow leopard?)"... People are looking for answers...

I would say probably leopard but no certainty. I got a civet on camera very close by last night but this animal cannot take down a goat ... and the goats are nervous.

It's dark now. There are clouds that look to drop snow. Tonight we talked of tigers in our dreams.

During the day I show photographs. This man has seen tiger. This man has seen leopard. This man has seen snow leopard ... ahhh, the mysterious snow leopard, the mountain ghost ... will you show yourself?

Are you as tough as these Himalayan kids?

Hi ho hi ho it's off to school we go.  Check out the footwear.  It wears out pretty fast when you have to walk five hours a day to complete your schooling.  These kids are on the infamous Chomrong steps (there's about 3000 of them) but they also face dusty trails strewn with rocks and tree roots... and of course in winter there's snow.  The cold season also means walking in the dark.

So if a leopard or other big cat takes a goat or sheep from one of these families the economic hardship increases.

There are so many issues.  Tourist trekkers want meat.  Farmers provide it.  Big cats have alternative food sources i.e domestic animals.  Lodge owners earn more money.  They start to eat more meat.  Herd and flock sizes increase to meet demand.  Leopards alter their behaviour.  Festivals mean goats for sacrifices and meat to eat.  Herders move their animals to high pastures during monsoon ... snow leopards go "hmmmm, I like the look of this..."

Winter comes.  Snow drives leopards and snow leopards to hunt lower.  Domestic animals become prey.

Insurance? What insurance?

Down on the lowland let's protect the tiger.  Yeehah!! We succeed in increasing the tiger population!! Many "likes" on Facebook!!

Meanwhile Mr Leopard is being driven out of his territory by the new tigers.  What does he do?  He looks at the farms, what does he see?

 "Hmmmm, I like the look of this..."

I could go on and on.  It's complicated.  Meanwhile the kids walk to school.

A long way.  Up and down.

I've got a lot of up and downs as well over the next three days so there'll be no contact.  I'm heading deep into snow leopard country hunting for data.

There's a lot to do...

Leopards are prowling, into the conflict zone and the toughest tiny kids on earth...

After the issues of last week it's been good to have a couple of normal days in the field.  Then again, normality around here right now means leopard attacks.  The image is a camera trap checking me before I checked it this morning.  This camera was just above a conflict zone where several sheep were killed a few nights ago. Later this morning I put in cameras in a steep bamboo jungle below another potential conflict zone where there is a goat herd.

There are so many issues surrounding human/wildlife conflict in this area.  I now have an evening and a day tomorrow doing "laptop time" and catching up with everything before heading back into the field.  I'll blog in more detail about what's going on before I leave.

There's a lot of walking.  It's either up or down.  There's no flat.  It's steep, in places damn steep.  I love it, moving through the mountains on foot is my favourite way of travel.  But please spare a thought for some of the kids here, primary school kids, they have a five hour round trip each and every day to get to school and home again.  Like I said it's steep.  These tiny kids are the toughest tiny kids on earth.  More soon...

Nilu the snow leopard is safe and we're closer to the mountain tiger...

Once again many thanks for the supportive messages.  It's been a topsy turvy week.  First of all the concern for two of my team involved in some tricky research.  They are safe.  Then there is just the pure contentment at being here in the mountains, a sense of true belonging.  And then the last few days my baihini Nilu, this wonderful strong snow leopard, faced a serious struggle.

Nilu is safe now.  Two days ago a team of us trekked her out to Ghandruk and medical help. Nilu's condition had deteriorated seriously overnight.  What is normally a five hour j0urney took close to ten.  I was rarely more than a metre behind Nilu as we crawled down into the Kimrong valley and then the long up again to Komrong Danda.  It was testing but her strength was truly inspirational.  A few times she fell back into my arms before gathering herself.  Nilu's pure will to keep going will stay with me forever.

Nilu has been diagnosed with typhoid. The photograph here is taken the morning after the trek, Nilu is trying to rehydrate and soak up some sun in Ghandruk.  She is now back in Pokhara and I have trekked back to Chomrong. She is in good hands but will be weak for some time.  I tried to call tonight but could not get through.  That's ok though.  She is safe.

I could not help but feel Nilu's effort that day in many ways was like the struggle of Nepal.  Fierce determination in the face of adversity.  I wont forget that day.

This morning before I headed back to Chomrong I had a very positive meeting with Paras Singh, the officer in charge of the area office for the Annapurna Conservation Area Office.  I first met Paras earlier in the year in Manang and was impressed with his passion regarding human/wildlife conflict issues.  We formed a bond very quickly and today made further plans in our collaboration for data collection here.  This involves camera trapping in some of the most dramatic landscape on our planet.

Like me, Paras is aware of the possibility of snow leopard, common leopard and tiger virtually co-existing in the same region.  The tiger is the key.  Are they still here?

Today I felt a little closer to knowing...

The bizarre case of the Himalayan self trekking dumb phone, my English "sucks" and Nilu, the mountain warrioress...

Things happen in the mountains.  Although I have to keep an eye on things far away including what my team are going through and awaiting reports re the sad news that a rare Gangetic dolphin was killed at Bardia, there is plenty going on here as well.

 Very strangely my phone is heading towards Annapurna Base Camp and I'm not with it.  Yesterday afternoon I was heading down the infamous Chomrong steps with my good friend and brilliant photographer Alexiane Le Gentil.  The idea was to test the sensors on a camera trap and also to hopefully catch up with friends of Alex trekking their way back from Annapurna Base Camp.  Not far from the river, the beautiful Chomrong Khola, Alex's friends appeared.  Rita from France and Emma from England were being guided by Nilu Gurung who you can see in the photograph.

Nilu wasn't well.  She had a running fever and was feeling very weak. The Gurung are stoic tough mountain people and getting Nilu to admit her condition was not easy.  I have been a guide so I know the feeling one has in just wanting to get the job done and not appear under duress in front of clients who are usually feeling the pinch themselves.  Nilu was not in good shape but at twenty-one and only a few months into her guiding career she was showing that typical Gurung determination.  However with me being nearly twice her size she decided not to argue when I insisted on carrying her pack up the Chomrong steps.

I went up as fast as I could realizing about halfway I had left my phone at the bottom. After I dropped off Nilu's gear at the Cottage I then dropped back to see how she was.  She was on her way to the Cottage ok under the watchful gazes of Alex, Rita and Emma.  I felt sure Nilu would get there so I then dropped down further to where I expected my phone to be sitting on the stone wall where I had left it.

Now any one who knows the Chomrong steps also knows they are not an easy exercise.  A friend of mine Peter has counted 3000 steps from the river to the Cottage.  Peter is a pilot so I would hope he is good with numbers. I got to the bottom and my phone wasn't there.

Up I go again. I get to the top and  Nilu was vomiting, a real concern but her fever has dropped.  Small in stature but strong in spirit Nilu was still being elusive as to how she really felt.  Painkillers and rest were the only options.  There is a tiny pharmacy in Chomrong, a bigger one in Ghandruk which is five hours walk away.  Guiding in the mountains often means carrying heavy loads so it is not easy work even when feeling fit and well.

 Meanwhile Najar is calling my phone but there is no ring tone, it's either off or no signal.  I'm really not too worried, shit happens right?  Nilu's problem is far worse than mine.  As time goes by we talk and form that wonderful bond of mountain people which is extra special between Nepali and New Zealanders since the great Everest days of Sherpa Tenzing and Sir Edmund Hillary.  Nilu becomes my little sister, my baihini.  She calls me Jack dai (older brother).  As we speak even further about our love of the mountains she calls me Jack Gurung.  I don't have many soft spots these days but Nilu certainly hit one.

Later in the evening Najar gets an answer on my phone.  It's trekking its way up with a guide.  Najar asks for it to be dropped off at a place further into the mountains where I will be in a few days.  It will be interesting to see if it is there.  There is a lot of laughter as we give my phone a life where it is wondering what the hell is going on.  Who knows where it will end up and if I will be with it.

After another amazing dal bhat dinner Alex puts through a call to her partner Bastian who is back in Normandy, France.  Alex hands the phone to me just before Bastian answers.  The internet signal in Chomrong is now amazing but the phone reception often isn't.

"Bonjour Bastian! It's Jack here!"

"Allo? Allo? Who eeez deeez?"

"Bastian it's me Jack!"

"Allo? Who eeez deeez with Alex's phone?"

"It's Jack!"

"Allo? Can you speak Engleeesh please?"

"Bastian I am speaking English!"

He hangs up.

Ok, you get it.  Bad phone line.  A lot of laughter.  Later on Alex gets through to Bastian who says he thought someone was speaking Nepali to him.  Alex explains it was me.  Bastian asks Alex to tell me my English sucks.

Today I put in camera traps very close to a recent leopard kill of four sheep.  It was good to show Alex, Rita and Emma how it all works and they enjoyed the mountain jungle.  We return to find Nilu feeling much better but I am still concerned about my little sister.  So tomorrow I will guide Alex down towards a jeep before I take a climb up to Ghandruk to pick up some medicine.  I'll then trek as fast as I can to Tadapani where hopefully Nilu will have got to safely with Rita and Emma.  It will be a longish day.

As I write this Nilu Baihini smiles her beautiful smile despite still not feeling great.  She has the spirit of the Gurung mountain people. Mountain people help each other out.

So I'll be away a couple of days. No problem.  I wonder where my phone is...

The honesty of the mountains and an uneasy night thinking about the truth...

The image is of Annapurna South taken less than an hour ago as I write this.  The dawn was completing its rise over this Himalayan giant as I watched from my current nest.  At over 7200m this peak is among several in one of the most impressive mountain ranges on our planet.  It is part of the Annapurna Conservation Area, one of my favourite backyards, a place with global importance as a model for community conservation.

I will be writing much about this region adding to what I have reported already.  This place has an honesty that grounds me.  The sheer power of nature is in your face and can stream through your bones if you let it.

Thank you for all the supportive messages over the last few days.  Yesterday I made a small post on a couple of platforms asking for a small prayer to support two of my team doing some vital work.  The nature of their task I cannot enlarge on for obvious reasons.  WildTiger involves itself in a flow of information regarding issues such as human/wildlife conflict, anti-poaching and illegal wildlife trade.  Because I have to coordinate things from different locations it means time is of the essence and I am not interested in bullshit. I'm only interested in well researched information.

Some information that came yesterday from my team is deeply concerning.  It gave me an uneasy night's sleep.

In these situations I draw on the past and look to the mountains for clarity.  The way forward, the answers as to how to proceed, they becomes clearer when one grounds oneself in the honesty of the mountains...

Best office in the world?

Greetings from my mountain base, Chomrong, Annapurna Himalaya, Nepal.  I arrived yesterday afternoon after a 2.5hr jeep ride and a seven hour walk.

It's fantastic to be here.  I've criss-crossed the country over the last two weeks for lots of necessary blah blah.  I'm not a short person and cramped bus, jeep and aircraft seats left me with a real need to trek hard in the mountains.  Even if I am in a group I don't use porters.  Kiwis carry their own stuff.  Once we realize we're not going to be an All Black (the national rugby team, best in the world) we head for the mountains with big loads on our backs.  I've been doing it for nearly four decades and yesterday's load of six cameras, a full sized laptop, other communication gear plus clothing and equipment for a Himalayan winter, well it hurt on the final uphill push.

But it was great.  Now I am at maybe the best office in the world.  And before I get any blah blah about how "lucky" I am, well, it does require effort, there have been times of real hardship that those close to me know about, but hey, I'm not complaining.  When you believe in something so deeply and commit your life to it surely you're entitled to times like this very moment where I'm sitting outside writing this in maybe the best office in the world.

The internet speed is fantastic so today is a day of catching up.  Tomorrow camera traps go into the field.  Human/wildlife conflict is the issue.  There are people hurting badly from livestock losses.  A better understanding of the wildlife here is the key.  There is much to be done.  Over the last three years I've interviewed many in this area.  In my pocket are three photographs I show.

"Which of these animals did you see?"

The photos are of leopard, snow leopard and tiger ... yes, maybe a mountain tiger, many are sure there is...

Watch this space...

UPDATE: DiCaprio's millions look to be heading in the right direction for the tiger...

 Further to my post a few days ago I have promising news. A lot of digging and some good early signs point to Leonardo DiCaprio's 3 million dollar grant to WWF having a real impact on tiger conservation here in Nepal. I'll have more on this later. Hemant gave a presentation to representatives from WWF Nepal, WWF UK and WWF Canada. As usual he did WildTiger proud.

I'm now in Pokhara after leaving Bardia a couple of days ago. It was with a heavy heart I journeyed on after a really wonderful send off from some of the community based anti-poaching (CBAPU) teams in the area. Community anti-poaching kicked off during the war years while the army had its hands full fighting the insurgents. Now the CBAPU teams are an integral part of the system in the Bardia region and beyond. There would not be a healthy sustainable tiger population without these committed people. I really love my involvement with these people, we share a common passion for conservation and I know they will be part of my life forever. The send off they gave me and the shared vision we spoke of really touched my heart.

Bardia really is the land of the tiger.

So in a couple of days it's back into the mighty Himalaya for the final part of my "Jungle to the Sky" year. More news soon from this region of the leopard, snow leopard and maybe the mountain tiger...

Let's hope no monkey business with Leonardo DiCaprio's 3 million...

Well of course there is some monkey business.  This is a rhesus macaque.  I took this image a couple of days ago.  The adults are being extra vigilant right now as there are many offspring.  It's great.

A big thank you for messages, support.  There'll be more detailed reports on the area soon.  I can assure you now that there are many positive happenings.  With sustained effort the future for the wildlife and people of the Bardia/Banke area is bright.

But the effort must be sustained.  Strategy must evolve.  Conservation in this part of the world is a serious business.

I've had several messages asking my thoughts on the recent 3 million dollar grant given by Leonardo DiCaprio to WWF to aid their Nepal tiger program.  Hmmm... ok.  I have spoken to friends who spent time with Dicaprio when he was in Bardia, they all said he was a straight up guy, genuine in his desire to be involved in wildlife conservation.

WWF? Well here's where it gets tricky.  All I will say is this.  WWF is not the only large scale conservation organization to be "clever" with their wording, their marketing of their involvement.  As someone who operates at ground level, dealing with the people who are doing the frontline work, I hear many things.  I prefer opinion based on research rather than emotive ranting.  I am not a supporter of a certain type of "clever" marketing.

I have had some solid relationships with large scale NGO workers over the years.  I keep my ears open and try to disseminate signal from noise.  I will expand on this subject at the right time.

All I hope is that the community based anti-poaching unit (CBAPU) I meet with this afternoon does actually receive some benefit from this DiCaprio grant because despite claims regarding giving support these guys receive very little or nothing from some large organizations making these claims.  I will be honest and tell you this makes me angry.  Everyone involved in conservation here knows how valuable these CBAPUs are and the vital role they have played in the now sustainable tiger population in this area.  Hemant, who is employed by WildTiger, has helped mobilize hundreds of youth to help protect the park.  I am proud of our collaboration but can never rest easy, there is so much to be done.

If you have recently bought a T shirt or a $5 tiger from us, you have helped.  Thank you.  Hemant now has a new camera after damaging the last one in a rafting accident while on anti-poaching patrol during monsoon. Dangerous work. Your support helps in many ways.

The frontline must be supported.  I really bloody hope this 3 million is spent wisely.  Administration costs are a fact of life but the way funds are filtered?  I'll be watching closely.

Watch this space...

The serious faces of anti-poaching...

                                   

It's been an interesting couple of days in Bardia National Park, Nepal.  That's not unusual.  Despite the tranquil outlook and apparent peace there's always something going on here.  It's been a busy time but I'm just happy with the mild temperatures.  Earlier in the year when I was here just before monsoon the average temperature was in the high 40s, great for seeing tigers, not much good for anything else.

I spent yesterday in the jungle with Hemant and Prakash of the Community Anti-Poaching team and my good friend Cecile from France but now living in Morocco.  Cecile is helping me as an assistant researcher for a few days and yesterday was her first Bardia jungle day.  We had a fantastic elephant encounter and great wildlife viewing in general.  No tiger but plenty of pug marks which are always great to see.

We passed through military outposts in the jungle.  The army is back at full strength in the area after a deployment for the election.  In the second image Hemant is consulting with some soldiers about activity in the park.  At the moment things are relatively quiet.  Bardia's great anti poaching record of late continues.

                                         

It's not just anti-poaching personnel who keep things in check.  We were informed late in the day a local was killed by an elephant.  The man had ventured into the park illegally to gather grass for his buffalo.  The wild bull elephant took offence to the man being in his habitat.

Hemant quietly told me what had happened.  It was a poignant moment because as many of you know his father was killed by an elephant but in completely different circumstances.  Hemant's father was a conservationist, a damn good one.

Things happen in Bardia.

I've been showing and discussing recent technology for anti-poaching work.  Tomorrow I give a demonstration of a camera trap system which can give an edge.  National Park wardens Ramesh Thapa and Ashok Bandari are enthusiastic about the possibilities of this system.  They are committed conservationists on the front line.  Over the years Ramesh has received many death threats.

As the sun set over amazing Bardia, Ramesh and I talked about the sacrifices that have to be made for this cause.  We both have long periods not seeing our children.  The irony is that it is for future generations we do this for.

It's worth it.

A man of wildlife and a must read book...

Many of you have read whenever I have written about Hemant's story.  I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your interest.  Now an anti-poaching unit leader, the loss of his father who was killed by an elephant affected Hemant deeply.  It still does.

Earlier this year Hemant told me something that touched me well within.  Although I had met Hemant not long after his father died our working relationship effectively started several months later.  We had a bond in our shared vision for community conservation and I was only too happy for my organization WildTiger to help Hemant where we could.  Near the middle of 2011 I became seriously ill, the "E" strain of Hepatitis nearly knocking me over completely.  I had to leave South Asia suddenly and ended up in an Australian hospital.

Hemant told me that during this time he could not stand the thought of another loss in his life.  Not long after his father died I had sat next to the deep footprint the elephant had made as the massive tusker lunged at Om Prasad in his final moment.  One evening during my illness Hemant lit a candle for me at that spot.  Hemant told me how he prayed to his father to give me the strength to recover.

I did recover and have since visited again the spot where Hemant lit the candle.  As I write this I am less than a day from being back in Bardia.  A series of events complicated by the election process currently taking place here in Nepal means I have another of those grueling 15 hour bus trips to get to this jungle area which is never far from my thoughts no matter where I am in the world. Bardia is a special place.  Although my every day there is cherished there were two tiger encounters in one day earlier this year that will forever be etched in my mind, so intimate and unusual they were.

I will talk to Ramesh Thapa to discuss Hemant's progress and future.  Ramesh is an integral part of the anti-poaching set up in Bardia, he is one of the reasons this western Nepal national park has become one of the most important tiger habitats in the world.

Ramesh said to me recently that Hemant was serving conservation with honesty and integrity.  That pleased me immensely, surely it is all anyone can ask.  Conservation, like nearly every aspect in the world we live in, faces huge challenges compounded by corruption, dishonesty, ego and misinformation.  In saying that, there are also some outstanding people working with passion and dedication, particularly those at ground level.

Hemant is a face for human/wildlife conflict.  Despite his loss, Hemant brings to conservation the qualities that Ramesh talks about although his journey still has a long way to go.  More soon, watch this space...

But while on the subjects of tiger, honesty and integrity I urge you if you haven't already to read John Vaillant's epic book 'The Tiger'.  Our relationship with the natural world is examined as John recounts this astonishing true story.  The book reads like a thriller such is the power of this story.  The issue of human/wildlife conflict is a complicated one which is why the research needed to produce such a book needed to be of the highest quality.  Believe me it is.  You wont regret reading 'The Tiger' ... you'll come away questioning your own connection to the natural world as well as that of humanity as a whole.

A really powerful, enjoyable read ... do it!

Ok, I've got another leg in my journey coming up ... more from this land of the tiger soon...

Election tension... and what's this got to do with the tiger? Plenty, that's what.

Some interesting developments here in Nepal.  The Maoist party is well behind in the polls.  Party leader Pushpa Kanal Dahal has suffered a humiliating defeat in his electorate.  Dahal, known as Prachanda when he lead the insurgency which ignited civil war, is not happy.  He has called for vote counting to be stopped.

"There has been suspicious incidents during the collection of ballot boxes," says Dahal. "The counting should not move ahead without reassessing the process."

The Maoists are currently meeting and assessing the situation.  They currently lie third behind the outright leader the Nepali Congress Party and second placed Communist Party of Nepal, a breakaway party formed last year when there was disillusionment with the Maoist's direction.

Two days ago the country voted in a mood of hope.  The polls were as much about voting within a fair system as they were voting in a fair government.  The mood now is of increasing tension.  Everyone is praying for no bloodshed.

80,000 military personnel were deployed for this election.  The National Parks are protected by the army. The excellent anti poaching record of late is threatened while troops are away from their normal duties.

The tiger, the rhino, many species as well as the people are influenced by these current political events.

We all want resolution not revolution.  Conservation and politics are intertwined. There are many votes to be counted, let's hope they are. The tiger awaits...

Faces of an election...

Polling has closed at Nepal's second election.  An eventful day.  A woman gave birth at a voting booth, some bombs were seized, some scuffles broke out.  However, all in all, it was largely peaceful. Estimates are of a sixty-five percent voter turn out.  The counting is underway.

Here in Kathmandu it was fascinating.  The sun shone on a historic day in Nepal.  Hopefully I'll have a detailed report with some results within the next day or two.

For now we're off to a little Nepali kitchen for dal bhat, the traditional fare.  Maybe it is the first evening meal in a strong new beginning for Nepal...

A big thanks ... and an election challenge...

Many many thanks for support of late  I'm just crazy busy right now but will start blogging seriously from Nepal in a day or two. The election is on Tuesday and communications may be sketchy for a while. There will also be a WildTiger journal published shortly and well, if you want a T Shirt this year you have a day or so to order. Plenty more $5 tigers coming soon plus other gear. It's all at www.wildtiger.org
Cheers Jack

Milky Masala tea in the montains ... and thank you...

I don't really like having my photograph taken but last night I was posting several images on Facebook (www.facebook.com/jackkinross) re some of the people involved in the Nepal section of WildTiger when a friend posted this in the comments.  Milky Masala tea is my taste of Nepal.  Sitting down somewhere quiet for a few minutes, it just restores so much.

A huge thank you for the support of late.  $5 tigers (www.wildtiger.org/jackkinross), the world's coolest T shirt (www.wildtiger.org/jaibaghshop) purchases have helped with vital gear for my team ... and believe me these people work incredibly hard under testing conditions.  I really appreciate the encouragement through comments on the various social media platforms, I struggle to reply to everyone but soon from my mountain base, the cold Himalayan nights will give time to catch up.

We're all in this together.  Yes, there are sacrifices ... but they don't really feel like that when you believe so deeply...

Cheers Jack

Is there a mountain tiger?

I'm close now to my fourth trip into the Annapurna this year. This time I wont be coming out for a while. The other difference is that although my main base will be a decent day's walk from the nearest road it will have a more than OK internet signal. It means I can approach things differently. While the days will be busy there will be many nights back at base with my laptop and sleeping bag as company during this Himalayan winter. It'll give me the chance to better communicate what's going on in various areas of the Annapurna Conservation Area (ACA), a land of mountain and jungle where the interplay between people and nature is both fascinating and important. The ACA is of global interest as a template for community conservation. It is a land of the snow leopard, the common leopard lives there as well ... and there are many convinced the tiger still roams.

While the polar ice caps melt, the rainforests shrink and we exploit our planet in so many ways, there are areas which can be saved. We must protect them. I'm looking forward to sharing some of these areas with you, introducing some of the great characters I've got to know over the years and continuing my own quest to help guard these magnificent habitats, their wildlife, their people...

TALKING is easy, WALKING requires action...

It's nearly two years since I started using social media.  I was dragged into it kicking and screaming.  For WildTiger to grow, I was constantly told I had to get with the program.  Initially I was happy for WildTiger to do so, I did not really understand why I should personally.  My head was in the sand.

I was getting over Hepatitis E at the time. I picked it up somewhere in south Asia.  It's the least common of the strains but it almost knocked me over.  I woke up in hospital one night, tubes everywhere, a nurse wiping my high temperature induced brow and about a million doctors debating if they should yank out my liver.  I found out later that the consensus was that they should but the boss doc over ruled.  I'm pleased he did.  I still have the liver I was born with and it's doing ok despite a few ups and downs.  Love your liver.

So I had time on my hands during my recovery.  I started clicking on my first like buttons and began tweeting the tweet.  Of course I'm glad I did.  I've come to know some great people and have less sand up my nose.  Like it or not, social media is part of who we are now.

This is not a commentary on the pros and cons, my knowledge is still very clogged by sand.  However from a conservation standpoint my initial reaction was there was a huge amount of misinformation out there.  There was this seemingly never ending blurb of comment made with the only rule seemingly being "why let the facts get in the way of a good story".  I had been warned about this.

Nearly two years later, having just spent a butt numbing week in front of the computer, I still see this.  Ok, while I admit I'm still sandy I'm not so naive that I don't realize that having a bullshit meter is vital in research and it is relatively easy to wade through the rubbish to find the good stuff.  However what concerns me, and I stress that being desk bound is placing me in a not favoured habitat, is that the amount of energy used by meaningless dribble online is really counter productive.  From a conservation standpoint it's almost criminal.

There are so many meaningless petitions out there that never see the light of day as a real form of protest.  There is ill informed, ego driven comment by desk jockeys who have never spent a day in the field.  Armchair activism has a hugely important role BUT it is only effective if backed up with research using credible sources.  Passion and emotion are important but if you apply the principle to a sports team, well, they might win a few games, knock over a few  of the top teams but at season's end they will be left in the wake of the units who planned, showed discipline and were unified.  Above all, winners train hard.

To win you have to train hard, put in the hours and use the best resources available.  You have to be honest, don't make stuff up.  Please, armchair activists, be considered and measured in your approach.  And above all, think globally BUT take ACTION locally.  Credibility is attained by those who back words with action.  Wherever your backyard is (look around, it's there), look after it.

If we all apply this thinking then maybe we'll vote in the right governments because they reflect who we are.  It's 3am, I'm ten days away from landing back in Nepal the day before the election.  It's a crucial election.  I've just been chatting to Nepali conservationist friends who are very concerned.  The military has been mobilized to try and keep things under control in volatile voting areas. This means key anti-poaching personnel are doing other things away from their normal duties at National Parks,  There is a strike, food prices are rocketing up.  It is a time of tension.  There is potential for humans and wildlife to suffer if things get out of hand again.

It comes down to doing the right thing.  What we type on a Facebook page, who we vote for, we have to considered and thinking.  Use the words wisely to get a good outcome.

And then get out and plant a tree.

Googly eyed for the tiger, wildlife, habitat, people...

This is the B&W version of the first $5 tiger.  I'm sending this out with all the orders so far and will do so for anyone who orders in the next 48 hours.  T shirt orders will get one to.

You see, I'm starting an email marathon.  In the next 40 hours I want to contact everyone who has ordered stuff, pledged, done anything to help with a personal email.  Normally it's impossible to do this, I have to rely on software or my team.  But the thing is you are making a difference.  A couple more laptops, a camera and other support are now possible because of your help.

Please remember it's not just about the tiger, it's a holistic thing.  The tiger is the symbol for all this, it just wouldn't have quite been the same if we'd called ourselves WildChicken or something, hey, that's another story, soon :) ... but it's true, there's a lot going on.  Because of your help a researcher into human trafficking will get gear...

It's all connected.

So after 40 hours I go and visit a couple of eagles and in about 48 hours I'll blog with some details of how it all works.  I'm more worried about this email marathon than any jungle or mountain because I know my eyeballs are going to get a hammering ... and I like my eyeballs.

Cheers Jack

$5 tigers at www.wildtiger.org/jackkinross

The world's coolest T shirt at www.wildtiger.org/jaibaghshop

"Eyes of Truth" - I'm selling my tigers for Nepal - First $5 tiger...

I wish I had a $1 for every mistake I've made, I'd probably have enough money to own the internet right now.  Of course, that would make me boss of the world.  One of first things I'd decree is that everyone didn't spend quite so much time on the internet. However I am grateful for the web because from now on I'm going to be selling my tigers ... and these first ones are just $5.  Check it out at www.wildtiger.org/jackkinross and you can see how you'll be helping.

I've taken thousands of animal and landscape shots.  Sometimes for work, sometimes for play.  I took "Eyes of Truth" nearly a decade ago.  That day it seemed this young tigress was looking straight inside me, I had nowhere to hide, it was a moment of pure truth.

I know that whenever I've strayed from the truth things haven't gone so well.  In conservation the truth hits you smack bang between the eyeballs on a regular basis.  Those things make you look deep inside at your own truth.

Conservation isn't just about protecting animals like the tiger, that is a very narrow, cop out way of looking at things.  Conservation is about everyday actions.  It's about things like taking public transport instead of the car.  It's about recycling rubbish.  It's about our individual examination of personal consumption.

It's about the truth.

I hope you'll buy my $5 tiger ... and maybe a few more down the track.  It's just an email away.  You'll be helping us work in Nepal conservation.  You'll be helping us with the truth.

Cheers Jack.

RIP to two young climbers, the mountains decide...

RIP to the two young climbers who died on Mt Taranaki back home. There seem to have been many losses lately. Those of us who spend a lot of time in the mountains know that beauty and tragedy can be a micro second apart. I've had four decades in the mountains, my respect only grows, my awe already absolute. While we'd all like to be as sure footed as a snow leopard there is always the realization that the mountains can be unforgiving, when it's time, it's time. Condolences to the families, they understood that this pair departed doing something they loved. It's not a feeling to describe, only to know...

Real sounds of nature are wondrous and meaningful...

This guy is the Green Grocer (cyclochila australasiae), one of the loudest insects in the world.  The noise this cicada makes is one the great sounds of the Australian bush, iconic.  A hot, hard day in Ku-ring-gai yesterday rewarded us with fantastic wildlife, the Green Grocer males dominated the senses with their shrill song which can get up to between 120 and 150 decibels.  Fantastic.

It's a real noise, natural.  We live in a world now with so much extra noise, much of it very unnatural. One of the most important skills in research is recognizing signal within noise.  I've been in this game a long time and I'm still learning constantly.

My apologies for not making much noise myself lately.  I'm getting a lot of messages, comments, I really appreciate it.  It's simply impossible to get back to everyone right now, I've got a lot of stuff going on.  I'm finalizing work on camera traps to get them right for the upcoming Himalayan winter which is going to be a big transition from the early Australian summer I'm in right now.  I will have though, from my Pokhara base, time to do some catching up when I come out of the mountains.

I'm excited about the upcoming $5 tigers, they're really going to help our project work.  Hemant needs a new camera! He had an unfortunate mishap while bravely doing anti-poaching work from a raft during monsoon in western Nepal.  The T shirt sales are helping with gear a lot, thank you :)

The Big Cats of our minds, we love them, we kill them...

Real men do not kill wildlife unnecessarily.  Real men protect wildlife.

Watching a wild animal in its freedom is a beautiful thing.  A gunshot shatters that beauty.  A gunshot shatters many things.

A few days ago I was sent an image.

The email I received the image in indicated the three leopard were shot in a trophy hunt in Zambia.  The image shocked me on two counts.  Firstly the atrocity.  Three beautiful animals, dead, held up by three killers (I'm not going to use the word "men" here, I can't because they aren't).  Secondly the confusion.  Zambia proclaimed earlier this year it had banned trophy hunting.

I'll deal with the confusion first.  I'm not so naive to believe that the announcement by Zambia's Minister of Tourism and Arts, Sylvia T. Masebo, would be enough to totally stop big game hunting in the nation.  At the very least it makes the killers criminals.  Masebo said that hunting licenses had "been abused to the extent they threatened animal populations."  Some African nations have either banned trophy hunting or are in the process of doing so.  Other countries haven't.  South Africa has a thriving trophy hunting industry.  Americans are by far the biggest clients in an activity which draws people from all corners of the globe.  The industry has been frequently linked with the illegal wildlife trade, most notably and most recently the trafficking of rhino horns.

So at this point you can kill an innocent animal legally in some countries and not in others.  I have contacted the Zambian Government and several non-government agencies seeking clarification on the situation in Zambia. Communication is ongoing so I'll have information on that front at a latter date.

To the atrocity.  It didn't take much to get supposed IDs of the three killers in the photograph.  The image had been doing the rounds on the net for a couple of months.  I simply don't have time to check everything going on with the hundreds of campaigning groups out there.  Many of these groups operate through social media only.  I network with analysts who send me information relevant to my work.  So I hadn't seen this image before it popped up in my inbox.  I see a lot of awful stuff, both digitally and in the flesh.  I'm fairly good at not letting emotions get in the way of the task at hand.  However something in this image triggered a wide range of feelings.

I thought at first that it was simply because leopards had been on my mind a lot of late.  I'm in Nepal soon using a variety of data collection methods regarding human/wildlife conflict, mainly in the Annapurna area. Leopards (Common Leopard,  panthera pardus) are often involved in these conflicts, they have a big liking for domestic goats.  I've developed an enormous respect for the leopard.  They don't have the rock star status of the tiger or snow leopard.  They are a highly efficient predator operating in a rapidly shrinking range.  They have to evolve accordingly.  Human/wildlife conflict is a by-product of that.  That's not going to stop, it's the new nature.  The Annapurna Conservation Area, the largest protected area in Nepal and a work in progress template for community conservation globally,  is an important landscape to help understand this issue.

Leopards kill more humans than lions or tigers do.  I have to admit that when alone off the beaten track in leopard territory I sometimes feel vulnerable.  I wouldn't describe it as fear, more a strong sense of awareness, caution.  There is also the realization that if attacked the chances of a good result for me aren't great.  Would I fight back? Of course.  I probably wouldn't have time to engage the corkscrew on my Swiss army knife and I doubt my camera would be much use but I would do my best.

If a leopard attacked me it wouldn't be doing it for fun.  I would be prey. A meal or two.  I totally accept that. Fate would have brought us together.  I've either ventured too far into the leopard's habitat or circumstances such as a depletion of natural prey mean this stealthy big cat would have sought me out in a "human habitat". However it would happen it would simply be nature taking its course.  

The three killers in the image killed those leopards for fun.  Don't give me any bullshit about primal instincts, funding for conservation, economic benefit or any other crap.

They did it for fun. As simple as that.

If trophy hunting in Zambia has been banned then there is a chance these  killers have broken the law. I'm still seeking information in regards to the timing and location of the kills. I have several people helping me on this. 

Regardless of the law, in my mind, they committed an atrocity.  I posted the image on Facebook and Twitter along with the message:

"I'm sorry but there's no other way to put this...it's a fucking disgrace.  Trophy hunting in Zambia."

I stand by that and there was a lot of outrage expressed.  No one came to the defense of the killers.  Yes, there were some comments that bordered on nation bashing but there was zero tolerance and plenty of suggestions for type of punishment for the killers.

The great cats of our minds stir many emotions, feelings.  For many of us the great cats are a powerful symbol of nature and unfortunately a symbol for much that has gone wrong in humanity's disconnect with the planet.  There is a fight to save the great cats, it is being fought by most for the right reasons.  There has to be a balanced approach.  A tiger, lion or a leopard that has caused fear and loss in a poor rural community is not looked upon the same way as someone looking at nice little idyllic images of big cats on Facebook does. Clicking on the like button as against being too terrified to leave the house.   The reality of living alongside these predators is misunderstood by many in the "save this save that" brigade.

But regardless of the realities or otherwise, the great cats of our minds are powerful forces.  Fear is one of those forces.  I'm wondering if those who shoot big cats on a trophy hunt possibly are the most fearful of all.  A retaliation killing can be understood.  There is incredible tolerance among many indigenous communities when it comes to livestock or human losses to big cats.  Sometimes enough is enough but a huge amount of work is being done to understand and mitigate these conflicts.

 These instances of human/wildlife conflict are the result of a series of events, dynamics.  A trophy hunt isn't.  It is the result of a desire to unnecessarily kill an animal.  It is not nature.  It is stupidity.  It is a disgrace. The great cats of a trophy hunter's mind conjure up fears and feelings that are different to the rest of us, these people act accordingly.  So do rapists and murderers.

There is trophy hunting in Nepal.  It is restricted to the Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve.  Big cats are not targeted but their prey Himalayan Thar and Blue Sheep are.  Is this any better?  The can of worms that contains everything from trophy hunting to fishing to vegetarianism is being kept away from my Swiss army knife right now, it has to be one step at a time.

For all that, what is shown in that image is a fucking disgrace.  It's perhaps a shame I had to use that sort of language to attract attention to the image but that is the world we live in now.

 To my mind this type of behaviour is as disgraceful as poaching for the big cat body part trade, the rhino horn trade, the ivory trade and whaling.  I am hoping the findings behind this image lead to the fact that these three killers did break the law.  I want them to pay for their crime.

The great cats of our minds manifest our thoughts and actions, it comes down to a personal choice in the end.  Protector or killer.  Real man or not.