Building a bridge
At the symposium, Nepal's multipronged approach was introduced as a zero-poaching framework that other countries could adopt. The Zero Poaching Toolkit—developed by WWF, the Nepali government and other partners—sets out best practices organized around a simple metaphor: effective antipoaching work is a bridge between the present poaching crisis and a poaching-free future.
Six key types of enforcement make up the pillars supporting the bridge: assessments of on-the-ground monitoring efforts; use of the best available technologies; adequate training and welfare for rangers; engagement with local communities; sound judiciary processes for prosecution; and information sharing between regional and transnational partners.
The metaphor reflects what Nepal's government has learned through experience: no one pillar is a higher priority than the others. Community-based antipoaching squads in rural regions have proven to be just as crucial to protecting the country's wildlife as have dedicated government support and well-established investigation practices. Neglecting any one pillar weakens the whole bridge.
The breadth of presentations at the symposium reflected that reality. Officials from Nepal's army shared that their troops had patrolled more than 100,000 square miles in 2014. TRAFFIC's James Compton explained how poaching was just one link in the chain of wildlife crime—and how the trade and demand links had to be addressed in conjunction with enforcement in parks. Technology experts outlined new SMART software for monitoring patrols in the field, along with new surveillance technologies that could be deployed to support antipoaching operations. Representatives from ranger groups such as the Southern Africa Wildlife College talked about the vulnerabilities and training needs of rangers.
And as delegates discussed the importance of transnational cooperation, it was happening in real time as well: the Nepal Police announced the arrest of Rajkumar Praja, the country's most-wanted rhino poacher. The arrest, made in Malaysia, was the rewarding result of cooperation among Nepal's police, Malaysian authorities and INTERPOL.
With zero, some gain
At the meeting’s close, representatives from all 13 participating countries announced their adoption of the Zero Poaching Toolkit—and resolutions to immediately begin elevating the importance of antipoaching efforts, expanding transnational collaboration, and strengthening support and training for rangers, frontline staff and prosecutors. Zero poaching, initially celebrated as just one country's success, is now an aspiration shared continent-wide.
"WWF is proud to have helped lay the foundation for Asia to achieve zero poaching, both at the symposium and over the many years of our work to protect wildlife across the region," said Barney Long, director of species conservation at WWF-US. "We are now working towards one common mission—the end of poaching in Asia—and I am confident that if we work together, Asia will succeed."