Indra Bahadur Tharu and Baburam Kunwar, former soldiers of Nepal, dedicated two decades to national security. After retiring, they joined the forest armed guards in Kapilvastu, where they turned their focus to conservation. When our fishing cat conservation project began in 2020, they occasionally participated, but now, they are vital team members.
Indra, a local resident and member of the indigenous Tharu community, recalls his childhood encounters with fishing cats: “In my childhood, I encountered fishing cats so many times but I didn’t care. It was easy to spot them fishing in our lakes and rivers, but now they are rarely seen, and fish have greatly reduced due to overfishing.” Today, Indra passionately advocates for fishing cat conservation. He educates the community about the importance of these cats, empowers children, and works directly with his community. Both Indra and Baburam happily and actively engage in our conservation initiatives, such as the Fish Bank and Handicraft Women Group. They regularly monitor fishing cat habitats with camera traps. Baburam reflects, “Earlier, we had guns in our hands; now we have a more powerful weapon: camera traps.”
Their dedication to conservation is unwavering. Indra and Baburam are committed to ensuring fishing cats face no more threats in their area, turning their past roles as protectors of the nation into protectors of nature.