Kumar Paudel

Kumar Paudel is a conservationist from Nepal who dedicates his work to one of the world’s most trafficked yet often overlooked species—the pangolin.

Background

Growing up in a remote Nepalese village near the Chinese border, Kumar Paudel witnessed firsthand how pangolins were hunted for meat and how their scales were sold on the Chinese market. When he moved to Kathmandu to study Environmental Science at Tribhuvan University, he became even more aware of wildlife conservation challenges and was inspired to continue his career in this field. His academic journey equipped him with the knowledge and skills to tackle wildlife crime and implement conservation strategies.

In 2012, Kumar founded Greenhood Nepal, an organization dedicated to protecting threatened but neglected species, such as turtles, yew trees, rhinos, orchis, with pangolins at the forefront of its efforts. His work has gained global recognition, and he now collaborates with government agencies, INTERPOL, and international conservation groups to curb illegal wildlife trade.

Kumar’s research has played an important role in uncovering the illegal wildlife trade in Nepal. He conducted interviews with over 100 imprisoned wildlife criminals, in order to understand their motivations. This helped him to develop effective strategies to reduce poaching. In 2015, he launched the Nepal Pangolin Roundtable, an annual platform that has brought over 400 decision-makers together, to strategize conservation efforts.

His team also initiated the first pangolin survey in Chitwan National Park, using camera traps and engaging local citizen scientists. They were able to find 100 new pangolin sightings, including the first recorded sighting of a Chinese pangolin in Chitwan. His community-based conservation programs have educated over 600 indigenous community members to reduce pangolin poaching and trafficking.

Vision and approach

Nepal is home to two globally threatened Asian pangolin species, which are threatened by  ongoing habitat degradation and rampant poaching. Kumar’s vision is to safeguard their habitat  and maintain a viable wild population in Nepal’s forests. His strategy entails:

• Expanding pangolin conservation programs in Nepal’s key national parks.
• Training anti-poaching units and law enforcement to detect pangolin trafficking.
• Engaging local communities through awareness campaigns and behavior-change initiatives.
• Helping strengthen government policies to include pangolins in national conservation strategies.

By combining scientific research, policy advocacy, and grassroots action, Kumar is building a conservation model that can be replicated across South Asia and beyond.