Nepal is ready to start commercial wildlife farming, including maybe someday of tigers and rhinos

Despite the misgivings of conservationists and non-governmental organisations, Nepal is about to embark upon the commercial farming of wild animals, including a number of endangered species.

Decades after Nepal’s National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act banned the buying or selling of wild animals in the country, an amendment to the Act was passed by parliament in 2017 to allow the farming of wild animals for commercial purposes. Then in 2019, the Ministry of Forests and Environment published a list of wild animals that could be farmed under the new policy, which included several endangered deer species; 12 birds; all reptiles except pythons; and frogs and toads.

The new policy was met with controversy, with conservationists and even officials in Nepal’s wildlife department questioning how it could be adequately monitored to prevent illegal trade – a petition to repeal the policy gained almost 10,000 signatures. Meanwhile, some conservationists suggested that if done properly, wildlife farming could reduce pressure on wild animal populations affected by poaching.

In early 2020, Nepal was finalising criteria for issuing wildlife farming permits, including around obtaining animals from the wild to start captive populations, when the Covid-19 pandemic delayed the process. Now, three years later, the government is again ramping up its efforts to launch wildlife...

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