A bird census focusing on pheasant species, including the Himalayan monal (Danfe), has been conducted in the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) area within Machhapuchhre Rural Municipality of Kaski.
The census was jointly organized by the Biodiversity Conservation Society Nepal (BIOCOS Nepal) and the World Pheasant Association, in collaboration with the ACAP. It covered regions such as Pilicho, Pipar, Khumai, Korchon, Lubrachhu and Chichimle in the Machhapuchhre Himal area. Researchers recorded 146 Danfe (Himalayan monals, 148 Satyr tragopans (Munal), 170 Hill partridges (Pyura) and 19 Kolass pheasants (Fokras) during the census.
In total, over 200 bird species were identified, according to Paras Bikram Singh, Director of BIOCOS Nepal.
Nineteen researchers and assistants conducted the census in teams across various locations. Previous surveys, carried out intermittently since 1976, have documented 314 bird species in this region. Nepal is home to 899 bird species, representing about eight percent of the world’s total. Despite its small size, the country’s ecological diversity—from the Himalayas to the Tarai—makes it rich in global biodiversity. Annapurna Conservation Area alone is home to 518 bird species.
The Machhapuchhre area is one of the few places globally where six pheasant species coexist, making it an exceptional site for birdwatching. However, experts say tourism infrastructure in the area remains underdeveloped. The region is particularly known for the Pipar Sanctuary, which has drawn ornithologists and researchers—especially from Britain—long before the ACAP was established, said Laxman Paudel, Chairperson of BIOCOS Nepal.
Dr Hum Gurung, Senior Asia Partnership Manager at BirdLife International, said Nepal has the potential to become a top bird watching destination in the world. "Nepal has 42 important bird areas. The Annapurna Conservation Area is one of them," Dr Gurung said. "Bird tourism can generate significant economic benefits for the local people if birds are protected, rather than hunted."
Traps threaten birds
Poaching, however, has emerged as a significant threat to bird conservation in Annapurna Conservation Area.
During the recent census, researchers discovered traps set to kill pheasants. “We found birds dead in some traps, while others were rescued and released,” said researcher Pawan Rai.
To combat poaching, BIOCOS Nepal and ACAP have implemented a mobile app-based patrol system known as SMART. Likewise, cameras have been installed on different trails to strengthen surveillance. Plans are also underway to install real-time spy cameras in high-risk poaching zones, said Dr Rabin Kadariya, chief of ACAP. “This will help us identify poachers and bring them to book,” he said. “Local communities will continue to play a key role in anti-poaching patrols.”
Killing a Danfe, the national bird, carries a prison sentence of up to three years, while killing other birds can result in fines of up to Rs 30,000.
ACAP has strengthened conservation efforts in partnerships with Machhapuchhre Rural Municipality, Great Machhapuchhre Trail Committee and other community groups to protect and increase the population of native pheasants, and help establish the Machhapuchhre region as a premier destination for bird tourism.
