Andy and Louise from Hong Kong, departed together before Christmas (December 23, 2025) and successfully arrived in Khotang, Nepal, to join the Nepal Conservation and Study Centre (NCSC) team for a series of conservation and environmental education activities related to pangolins.
Our main task these past few days has been participating in seven camera trapping surveys, going up the mountain with local forest conservation organizations and volunteers to replace camera memory cards and review animal tracks captured over the past few weeks. Because human activity affects wildlife tracking, we have to venture into relatively remote and inaccessible areas.
To more easily capture the moment an animal walks across the camera, we first observe along animal tracks and paths. Then, we choose a spot near their frequently used paths, mount the camera at about knee height, tilted slightly downwards, and maintain a distance of about three to five meters from their expected activity range, ensuring the sensor area precisely covers their movement. We also avoid facing the animal passage directly, instead shooting from a slight side angle. This way, when the animal crosses the frame laterally, it will linger longer within the sensor range, increasing the chances of successfully triggering the camera and capturing its entire body.
Although the journey is challenging, seeing the camera capture images of different species, such as pangolins, clouded leopards, red muntjacs, martens, Indian porcupines, and spotted civets, makes it all worthwhile!
Hiking in Nepal is truly a great test of both body and will. We often hiked at altitudes of over 2,000 meters, carrying backpacks weighing over ten kilograms, climbing the slopes step by step. The temperature dropped lower and lower with each step, and our fingers and faces ached from the cold wind. Sometimes, we were so out of breath that we doubted whether we could keep going, but when we looked up and saw a sea of clouds ahead and magnificent snow-capped mountains in the distance, the awe and emotion would give us a renewed sense of strength, turning all the hardship into a driving force.
Besides this, we also visited a local school, interacting with the students’ environmental protection group to learn about their experiences in promoting environmental activities and community ecological education on campus. Around the school, we saw many information boards about pangolin conservation, introducing their habits, habitats, and the threats they face.
We also searched the nearby forests for pangolin tracks and successfully found two burrows where pangolins had once lived. Nepal’s abundant natural resources are a testament to civic education and community participation in their protection.
What touched me most was the warm hospitality of the locals—they constantly reminded us to keep warm and prepared many thoughtful snacks. Even though it was only a few nights, it truly felt like being back home.
We ended up in Nepal with excitement and passionate in conservation.
