Nepal, a small mountainous country, struggles to strategically develop its diplomatic strength to enhance its international relations. Nepal needs to depend on non-traditional mechanisms to develop its international presence.
Nepal with its diverse ecological belts, serves as home to diverse fauna. In addition, these species have traditionally been used by various kingdoms within Nepal to improve their diplomatic position through tributary systems.
Historically, various rulers from different parts of Nepal went to India and China and took precious gifts to gain their support and trust.
The kings of Karnali and Gandaki regions of Nepal went to Delhi (the present-day capital of India) to pay tribute such as musk of deers, eagles, lophophorus, peacocks, and the hide of leopards.
The tradition of Nepal’s diplomatic gift culture resurfaced in 2024 as Nepal planned to gift a pair of elephants to Qatar during the state visit of the Emir of Qatar.
Interestingly, Nepal’s rhino diplomacy dates back to 1985 when Nepal gifted a pair of rhinos to India and then started gifting rhinos to the US, UK, Germany, Austria, Pakistan Bangladesh, Burma, Thailand, and Japan. Alongside rhinos, Nepal has also gifted 120 crocodiles and crocodile eggs.
The National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Rules-1974 (Fifth Amendment) have the provision to gift wild animals to foreign countries.
The diplomatic gift tradition also suffers from controversies. Foreign countries are generally gifted rare species. Therefore, conservationists argue that such endangered animals suffer greatly while being trapped, transported, and resettled in a foreign land that is different than their natural habitat.
Exchanging gifts is an ancient diplomatic culture that continues to the very day and Nepal is no exception.
The gifts could be associated with smart power as they connect the value of the item, as countries such as Nepal could not afford expensive gifts. Gifting rare species would allow lesser-known countries to gain prominence and even encourage global cooperation in the conservation of such exotic animals.
Animal Diplomacy is a multi-dimensional instrument as it is not just limited to a gift.
Before 1947, Nepal only maintained a single bilateral relationship with the United Kingdom while it intended to increase its international presence.
Chitwan, one of the two UNESCO natural heritage sites started its history as a hunting destination between 1846-1940 and hunting became a celebrated sport in Nepal for powerful international actors.
These hunting reserves were a powerful tool to help connect with high-ranking foreign leaders such as Archduke Ferdinand of the Austrio-Hungarian Empire who came to Nepal to hunt tigers.
The tiger population rapidly declined after 95% of tiger habitat was destroyed after widespread malarial eradication making the plains of Nepal suitable for human settlements.
Nepal no longer could depend on hunting as a tool for making diplomatic communication and rather flipped the other way to become a champion of wildlife conservation.
In 2010, world leaders agreed to double the tiger population and Nepal became the first to exceed the goals and nearly tripled its tiger population receiving the prestigious TX2 award.
Similarly, Chitwan National Park is home to the second-largest one-horned rhinoceros population. Bardiya National Park received the award for the best Sustainable Destination in the Asia Pacific category of the Sustainable Top 100 Destination Award 2019.
Nepal is also reputed to increase its forest coverage from 26% in 1992 to 45% in 2016.
Nepal with its successes can further bolster its image by conducting the Cabinet meeting at the highest altitude near the Everest Base Camp- to send a message to the world leaders about the impact of climate change that has threatened the extinction of species.
Nepal conducted the Mountain Advocacy Summit and utilized various incidents and events to improve its diplomatic position in the world.
Many of these activities done by the Government of Nepal are motivated by an effort to be seen as relevant in international politics while generating a positive image of the country.
Nepal’s success in wildlife conservation from the plains to the mountains has helped Nepal be seen as a responsible power. These successes also allow international donations to further flow in Nepal- as Nepal can verify the money that gets has helped Nepal regrow the endangered species.
However, there is another dark picture that the conservationist avoids discussing. As the wildlife population multiplies- the human-wildlife conflict has also increased. This has also caused local leading to revenge killing of such animals.
Generally, the money that comes from conservation goes into the hands of experts who live in major cities while the local communities struggle with the rising population of wild animals.
Therefore, voters slowly are shifting against animal conservation and a new political narrative is needed to continue Nepal’s conservation effort.
Environment Minister made an outrageous statement about letting tigers be hunted every four to five years in Nepal since the country is suffering from tiger overpopulation.
Nepalese historically used animal parts for religious purposes which is discouraged if not prohibited due to international laws and practices.
Many laws created when wildlife was critically endangered may be slowly getting outdated and the time to review them is becoming a necessity. Nepal could develop sustainable use of its forest resources to improve its economic position.
These funds can help compensate communities that have been directly harmed by the animal population and may need to be displaced to safer locations to create new grounds to grow the animal population.
Generally, older tigers who can’t hunt their natural prey are likely to hunt humans, therefore, it may be wiser to get rid before they damage human life.
Nepal’s success in reviving its forest resources is linked to the creation of community forests where the communities are allowed to cut trees after they reach a certain age, as a result, they are motivated to conserve the forest.
Similarly, if the locals have access to usage of sustainable usage of fauna- they would be interested in conserving the wildlife from poachers.
It becomes questionable why animal hides aren’t harvested after the animal dies! If these animal skins which wouldn’t harm wildlife were available sustainably- these could help generate funds for conservation while illegal trade wouldn’t become obsolete- as they have to be smuggled illegally and also compete with the price of legally obtained hide.
Therefore, Nepal needs to build its strategy to start a new set of diplomatic dialogue with the international community and lobby for new international laws that will serve Nepal’s National Interest by utilizing Animal Diplomacy in its favor.
