Project update: December 2017

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1 Project update: December 2017 Objectives: The main objective of this project during this field visit was to raise awareness on conservation of globally threatened snake species, the king cobra. Methods: Organise awareness raising programmes in local communities, schools and colleges. Distribute king cobra conservation brochures, posters and t-shirts. Install king cobra conservation signage and posters at strategic locations. Broadcast/telecast king cobra conservation related interviews through local media. Form small volunteer groups 'The King Cobra Rescue and Conservation Group' and train them on rescue and conservation of king cobra. Activities: Obtaining permission: Before the onset of field activities, essential permission from related government authorities was obtained. Project approval was obtained from Social Welfare Council and research permission was obtained from Department of Forest. A copy of letter of project approval from Social Welfare Council along with a copy of proposal was submitted to District Coordination Committee Palpa and a copy of research approval from Department of Forest was submitted to District Forest Office Palpa. Production of awareness raising materials Various awareness raising materials like posters, brochures, T-shirts, visiting cards and signage were produced. Details of awareness raising materials produced are as follows: King Cobra conservation brochure which embraces as much information as possible in an A4 size brochure.

2 1. Poster: 1,500 (Target 1,000). 2. Brochure: 3,000 (Target 1,000). 3. T-shirts: 50 (Target 50). 4. Poster mount: 10 (Target 10) 5. Visiting card: 1, Signage: 5 (Target 5). King Cobra conservation poster including some important features of the snake and indicating three dimensional benefits of King Cobra conservation i.e., Ecological, Cultural and religious, and medicinal benefit.

3 King Cobra conservation appealing visiting cards. These visiting cards were produced and distributed among local people where detail contact number

4 and address of principal researcher have been given and were requested to contact him for more information on King Cobra and also to share information related to King Cobra if they find any around their village in future. King Cobra conservation message printed T-shirts

5 Signage requesting people not to harm the King Cobra prepared by fixing the printed flex on 2*3 ft. steel frame to be hanged at different strategically important locations where people gather frequently and notice easily.

6 King Cobra conservation poster mounted on frame to be placed at different important places of public concern.

7 King Cobra record sheet prepared and distributed among members of the King Cobra Rescue and Conservation Groups

8 Awareness raising programmmes Awareness raising programmes were organised in 20 schools/colleges, five communities and one army barracks. Presentations on various aspects of king cobra including identification, status, distribution, human-king c obra conflict, its mitigation, threats, conservation importance, legal provision and ways of conservation were made through multimedia projector. More than 30 informal interactions were made during the field work. In access of 2,500 local people including students, teachers, government authorities, journalists, conservationists, army personnel and general public were reached directly through these various means. However, indirect reach through distribution of brochures, posters and radio/television news and interviews are expected for thousands more. Additionally, awareness raising materials were distributed in 25 more schools/colleges, and various local youth clubs, organisations and communities of the study area. Posters and signage were installed in various strategic locations where regular public gathering are expected.

9 Glimpse of some awareness raising programmes organised at different schools, colleges, communities and an army barrack and informal interactions with local people.

10 Formation of and training to King Cobra Rescue and Conservation Groups Three 'King Cobra Rescue and Conservation Group's involving self-motivated and snake lover youths from different parts of the study area were formed. The members of the groups were gathered in district's headquarters and a 1-day training on king cobra identification, its behaviour, threats, conservation importance, conservation methods, rescue, legal status and procedure, data keeping, related stake holders etc. was held at Hotel Crown, Tansen. It is expected that the members of the groups will actively contribute in conserving k ing c obra as well as pass the information to the principal researcher on regular basis not only during this project but also after the project concludes. Glimpse of the training programme and participants during group photo session after training concluded.

11 Interview and Media coverage King cobra conservation awareness campaign in Palpa district was covered by various local as well as national media including FM stations, television, newspapers and online media. Our interviews on raising awareness on k ing c obra conservation were broadcasted by a local television and a FM station. They helped us to reach up to thousands of more audiences. Some of the media who covered our campaign have been listed as below: Radio Madanpokhara MHz Navajanachetana National Daily Shreenagar FM 93.2 MHz (Interview Shittalpati.com and news) Shreenagarfm.com Ruru FM 94.8 MHz Parewa bimonthly newspaper Suryodaya Television (Interview and news) Senior herpetologist Prof. Karan Bahadur Shah and I during an interview at Suryodaya television (left) and the interview being broadcasted on TV (right). Senior herpetologist Prof. Karan Bahadur Shah and I during an interview at Shreenagar FM 93.2, Tansen. District Forest Officer (DFO) being handed over the frame mounted King Cobra poster, brochure and T- shirt by the researcher at District Forest Office, Palpa.

12 Senior journalist of the most popularnational newspaper, Kantipur being handed over a k ing c obra conservation message printed t-shirt. Similarly, t-shirts were distributed among other media personnel, conservationists, government authorities, teachers and students.

13 Some glimpse of coverage by print media. Acknowledgement I would like to acknowledge The Rufford Foundation for the grant, Prof. Dr. Tej Bahadur Thapa, Prof. Dr. Notker Helfenberger and Dr. Hem Sagar Baral for recommendation, Prof. Karan Bahadur Shah for mentoring during planning and execution of the field works, Mr. Sharad Singh, director and all staff at Himalayan Nature for every support, Social Welfare Council for approving the project, Department of Forest for research permission, District Coordination Committee and District Forest Office for coordination during field works, all schools, colleges, communities, youth clubs, organisations, Gorakh Dal Battalion, media personnel, Research Assistant Shree Ram Poudel, Field Assistant Sagar Pandey, all members of King Cobra Rescue and Conservation Group, and all who supported during this field work.