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Black-bellied tern (Sterna acuticauda) is a globally endangered bird species that belongs to the family Laridae and is locally known as “Utkroshi Phyalphyale” in Nepal. The species, once abundant throughout its distribution range, is vanishing silently. This calls for a heightened conservation attention from stakeholders.

Native to countries like Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Thailand, China and other Southeast Asian countries, this species is found near water bodies like rivers, ponds, lakes and marshes. Once found abundantly on the lowlands of Nepal at the elevation range of 75-730 meters, the species seems to have vanished, literally, these days.

Characterized by a distinctive black belly, deeply forked and long tail and slender orange bill, black-bellied tern is a small waterbird measuring 32-35 cm in length. Its diet includes fishes and insects. The bird is quick when diving for fish and skims over the surface of water and land to catch its prey. Nesting and breeding take place from February to April.

This bird is solitary during nesting, nests on sand and gravel islands in water bodies. It shares its habitat with other bird species, so conservation of one species helps other bird species as well. 

In the Bengali region, this bird is considered sacred and is associated with wealth and prosperity. The species is known for its unique appearance and a major ecological role, mainly as a predator to small fishes and insects. The conservation of this species is important to maintain a healthy ecosystem and biodiversity.

Globally, the population of this geographically-restricted species, like several other waterbird species, is declining, with an estimated population of less than 10,000 individuals at present, including merely 10-20 individuals in Nepal. 

Habitat loss and degradation, invasive species, overexploitation of resources and climate change are some of the threats facing the species. Anthropogenic activities such as hunting of the species for meat and foraging for eggs, and use of catapults have impacted the species directly. Invasive plant species in lakes and rivers, overfishing, sand and stone mining and extraction, dam and other water regulatory bodies, recreational activities (picnics near their habitats, boating, etc), agriculture and aquaculture have impacted the species indirectly.  

The threats to the species native to the Tarai region are multiplying, thanks to a number of factors like massive migration of people after the eradication of malaria from the region in 1950s’ and 60s’ in search of fertile farmlands and better infrastructure. Industrial development, rampant extraction of construction materials like sand, stones and boulders from riverbeds, ‘transformation’ of many wetlands turned into settlements and agricultural land, this species and several other flora and fauna are facing an increased threat. Combined, these threats can lead to local extinction of the species. 

What next?

As we have a limited understanding of the ecology of the species in Nepal, including information on its distribution, our first priority should be on addressing the knowledge void. 

What is shocking in this regard is a recent study that recorded just two individuals at the Koshi Tappu Region, considered a prime habitat for the species, pointing toward serious threats facing the species.

Deploying bird watching groups as citizen scientists can be fruitful in this matter. Conservation measures should be carried out side by side as we cannot wait till the ample evidence is collected for devising conservation measures. Raising awareness in local communities particularly those whose livelihood is directly dependent on the rivers and wetland is must.  Sensitization of other stakeholders, including local people, schoolchildren and government representatives are also essential.

Monitoring of the nesting sites to avoid egg collection, prohibition on collection of river bed materials during the breeding season and regulation of the use of heavy machinery in potential habitats are also equally necessary. Also important is the livelihood diversification of fishing communities to reduce their dependence on wetlands. Dams have drawn criticism for their negative impact on many species, but for this species, dams are a habitat. So, we might think of constructing dams in some areas as they provide a perfect habitat for this species and also protect its food habitat.

Conclusion

Black-bellied terns, whose population has suffered a drastic decline in Nepal, need serious conservation intervention. As we lack information on the ecology of the species, there’s a need to carry out research and conservation works side by side. Working together, we can create a better future for black-bellied terns and other waterbirds.

The author is a conservation associate at Environment Protection and Study Center (ENPROSC)

Diclofenac, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug commonly used in veterinary medicine, has been linked to vulture population declines in South Asia. When a vulture ingests this drug, it causes renal failure and results in the scavenger’s death. As the population of the natural cleansers of the carcasses declines, carcasses are left in the environment to rot, spreading various infectious pathogens to humans and animals in their close periphery population, posing a big threat to public health. 

Nepal is home to nine species of vultures, eight of which are either threatened or near threatened. 

The country was home to almost a million vultures until the 1980s. But due to a massive use of diclofenac sodium in livestock since the 1990s and its residual effect on carcasses of the dead animals, which is the feed source for vultures, the population of vulture had been declining massively, with almost 91 percent of the vulture population lost by the year 2001. 

Out of the nine species found in Nepal, four species, namely slender-billed vulture (G tenuirostris), white-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis), Indian vulture (G indicus), and red-headed vulture (Sarcogyps calvus) are now critically endangered.

This dwindling population of vultures has raised concern among conservationists and several initiatives are in progress to arrest this decline. This includes the government’s decision to ban the production, import, sale and use of diclofenac in animals since 2006. 

Despite this ban, it took 17 years to declare Nepal diclofenac-free, which, nonetheless, is a commendable step in the field of vulture conservation and protection of ecological crises resulting from declining vulture populations.

Against this backdrop, a complete phase-out of diclofenac became possible through collaborative efforts of stakeholders like government agencies, veterinary professionals, pharmaceuticals and vulture conservation groups including Bird Conservation Nepal. 

The use of vulture safe anti-inflammatory drugs such as the Meloxicam Sodium and Tolfenamic Acid, public awareness campaigns and regulatory measures of the government have played a significant role in making Nepal diclofenac-free. 

Summing up, other nations dealing with similar problems, especially South Asian countries, can learn a lot from Nepal’s experience on how to work collaboratively on the protection of endangered species and ecological well-being. The involvement of various stakeholders with a collaborative approach and use of safe drugs should be the top priority of any nation as they seek to mitigate the impact of diclofenac on vulture population and maintain a healthy ecosystem and biodiversity.

The author is a veterinary officer at the Department of Livestock Services

In human civilization, human beings are always in search of an alternative, which can work at least like them. In this quest, humans seem to be getting more than what they bargained for, thanks to recent advancements in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI). When it comes to mastering languages and playing chess, for example, AI has already surpassed humans, indicating that AI can display its boundless capacity across diverse sectors. According to the famous author and historian Yuval Noah Harari, AI is associated with the future of humanity. In his words, there are at least two milestones in the development of AI. First is the capacity of the machine to identify and respond to the feelings and emotions of human beings. Another is the ability to navigate and operate safely in a real-world scenario.

According to John McCarthy, AI is the science and engineering of making intelligent machines that can perform tasks that are characteristics of human intelligence. The intelligent systems could be in the form of software, hardware or a combination of both. We notice some overlap between AI and information technology basically in terms of the use of computer technology. Actually, AI is more focused on creating intelligent systems that can be operated autonomously and make decisions, while IT is concerned with the infrastructure and systems used to manage and process data. 

Recent trends in AI

The key elements of AI include Natural Language Processing (NLP), expert systems, robotics, intelligent agents, computational intelligence and artificial general intelligence, etc. In recent years, many advancements have been made in each of these elements. Areas of AI application range from features in social media and smartphones to image and speech recognition, use of robotics in customer service, recommendation engines for effective strategies, stock trading and useful products like generative AI. ChatGpt, chatBot, Google Gemini are few widely-used generative AI tools, which have already evolved into new generations with multiple capabilities. 

Paradigm shift is seen in AI quantum computing. AI humans like robots are interesting aspects as they can read human expressions and emotions, a capability that can be used to perform repetitive chores, especially in customer care and factories. The right tracking of use of AI is the accountability of humans. If AI goes out of human control, there is a risk of developing a supposed friend into an alien.

Talking about recent advancements in AI, we should at least recall web development and its commercial use since the 2000s. Another remarkable event is of late 2017 when an AI program named Alpha zero developed by Google defeated the most powerful chess program, indicating that AI is surpassing human capability. Simulation of intelligence in machines is another development in AI. Virtual reality and augmented reality creating simulated environments are also crucial achievements in the sector. 

Emotionally-intelligent AI are able to detect micro expressions in face and support customer care. Autonomous AI systems are known for multitasking such as driverless vehicle operation along crowded roads. Microsoft’s Open AI is known for speech and image recognition. ChatGpt introduced in Nov 2022 is regarded as a turning point in AI use.  According to Geoffrey Hinton, ‘godfather’ of AI, machines may walk over the humans who make them in the near future.

Quality education

Inequality vis-a-vis access to modern information and communication technology is best described as the digital divide. Once we make countrywide coverage of internet services, there will be easy availability of access to AI tools through apps, most of which are free of cost. Personalized AI education systems are supposed to be adaptive and effective in addressing learning gaps followed by performance analysis. Hopefully, the quality of education will go up with the introduction of AI tools in the near future.

AI-enhanced healthcare

The time taken for x-ray reports has diminished from more than a week to just one minute, thanks to AI. Diagnostics of critical diseases has been made easier using AI supported programs. For example, cure.AI is an Indian company providing its service to more than 700 hospitals. In Nepal, telemedicine is already in use and there is a possibility of using AI-enhanced healthcare through well-equipped focal hospitals. AI-enhanced tools are useful not only for disease detection but also for personalized medication. But provisions for data security and privacy protection are absolutely necessary as the use of this technology becomes widespread.  

AI and economy

We can recall the use of Sophia, a humanoid female robot at a Sustainable Development Goals-related program that UNDP had organized in Kathmandu in March, 2018. It is increasingly believed that AI will transform the global economy in the coming years. But we have to start making preparations by anticipating this transformation. Recently, the International Monetary Fund warned that AI may hit almost 40 percent of jobs and cause a new kind of inequality in the world. Historically, machines and computers ate up a large number of jobs in their massive use stage and there’s every possibility that a massive use of AI tools will yield more severe results. 

Also, AI is supposed to be useful in mitigating impacts of climate change, waste management and efficient use of energy. Generative AI, for example, has the potential to automate many tasks and eventually boost global economic growth. Goldman Sachs Research forecasts that AI will start having a remarkable impact on US GDP from 2027 and begin affecting growth in other economies around the world in the years that follow.

Impact on society

With a fast-changing capacity of AI and its widespread use, human beings are gradually being AI-enhanced. At the initial stage, skepticism prevails everywhere. We need a set of policies to safely leverage the vast potential of AI for the benefit of humanity. The features and provisions in the AI tools should honor the basic tenets of democracy like freedom of expression, transparency, accountability, rule of law, human rights and concerns of marginalized sections of the society. Novel threats demand novel approaches to deal with and AI is no exception. One study conducted by analyzing the views of 2800 authors throughout the globe revealed that the evolution of AI tools and techniques has been remarkably faster than projected.

AI and governance

It’s clear that AI governance and governance through AI have different scopes. The trend has shifted to the latter these days. In this context, the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Nepal recently prepared a preliminary conceptual note on the use of AI in the country. It is working with experts to give this document a final shape. Now is the right time for the National Planning Commission to pay attention to policy and programs related to governance through AI for inclusion in the upcoming periodic plan as well as the annual budget. AI should be a priority agenda for our government also, at least for learning and adaptation. 

Grave concern

Global initiatives are important to create a forum for discussions on AI issues. For example, there may be a need for a treaty to ban the use of military robot, check the random use of data algorithms, especially during general elections. We need to use AI more for increasing production and simplifying public service delivery. 

With its rapid increase in application, AI regulation is the area every government needs to give attention to. Since the public sector of the third world has every chance to lack AI experts, there should be a policy guiding capacity development of government officials vis-a-vis AI, followed by general regulation for the best use of AI in Nepal and encouragement for tech companies working in the field of AI. 

Let me wrap up this piece with a note of caution: AI in the hands of bad actors will be a matter of great concern. 

The author is a joint secretary at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology

Beginning 1956, Nepal has had 15 periodic plans, or five-year plans. The 16th plan (Fiscal Year 2024/25-2028/29) is set to commence, with the slogan of good governance, social justice and prosperity. It has set a priority of achieving prosperity for the great majority of people.

Nepal has neither had good governance nor social justice for decades. In the absence of good governance, corruption, bribery and smuggling are rife from the center to the local level. Social, political and economic inequality is rising. Prosperity has become a hollow buzzword, a slogan to impress a layman.

The 16th five-year plan has given utmost priority to develop hydropower. Nepal possesses hydropower potential of about 45,000 megawatts, which surpasses the domestic need. In other words, Nepal stands at a good position to export electricity. Export market of electricity is large, viable and positive. Considering the wider scope of export to neighboring countries, the upcoming periodic plan has set a target of producing electricity to the extent of 11,769 megawatts in five years. Half of this will be exported to India, Bangladesh and China. However, there are no ready-made transmission lines for export electricity to China or India or Bangladesh. Nepal aims to conduct a bilateral trade treaty with India, China and Bangladesh to export electricity on a large scale. Subsequently, it also sets a plan to construct and expand in-country and inter-country transmission lines. Currently Nepal has an electricity output of  2,855 megawatts, of which only a tiny part is exported to India seasonally. There is a larger possibility to export electricity to Bangladesh, provided India grants the permission to use its transmission line.

In the previous fiscal year, 98 percent of the total population had access to electricity. The 16th five-year plan aims to cover the rest of the population with electricity. Similarly, the plan has set a target of reducing electricity loss from 13.46 percent to 10.80 percent. Within the plan period the per capita electricity consumption will increase from a mere 380 KWh to 700 KWh. This sector aims to create job opportunities for 0.4m people. Currently it provides employment to less than 0.1m people. 

In order to realize its hydropower ambitions, Nepal requires a huge amount of money. For this, the government plans to mobilize internal and external capital, both from the public and the private sector. Private sector producers can construct hydropower projects in partnership with foreign investors. They can also export electricity to India and elsewhere on their own initiative. Similarly, the government will grant permits for particular projects to develop for foreign investors under the model of build, own, operate and transfer (BOOT) system.

This shows that internal as well as external capital would be poured to develop this sector to meet the target of generating electricity in the plan period of five years. It definitely helps to create jobs for those who are unemployed, and provides opportunity for both unskilled and skilled manpower. Electricity is essential to increase production capacity of other economic and social sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, tourism, health, education and the rest of the sectors of the Nepali economy. Along with this, investment in equal footing for all of these sectors to develop side by side is essential. However, hydropower is a capital intensive sector. It requires a huge amount of money to develop. This sector would attract more internal and foreign investment to meet the growing demand of electricity in both the domestic and foreign markets. Resources in hand could be diverted for the development of the hydropower sector. But if this approach is continued over a long period of time, there is a risk of the economy losing its balance. Overemphasis given to allocating resources to develop this sector could harm the overall economy. The rest of the sectors of the economy will suffer and paralyze badly in the absence of due attention and adequate investment. Production and productivity will diminish. Supply chain will be broken. Supply of essential goods will depend on the import and in turn import depends on the income generated through electricity export. It would create the gravest effect that the Nepalese economy has never seen. So it is crucial to aim for a uniform growth of all key sectors, rather than pouring all the resources and capital into one sector.