For years, communities around Birja Lake lived alongside fishing cats, but fish and poultry losses sometimes created conflict. We began with a simple idea: conservation must work for both wildlife and the people who share their home with it.
Through Fish Banks, community conservation funds, women-led livelihoods, guardian groups, camera-trap monitoring, and practical compensation, local people became active partners in protecting fishing cats. What began as conflict gradually grew into coexistence, ownership, and pride.
In May 2026, Birja Lake became Nepal’s first Fishing Cat Friendly Village—a community commitment to protect fishing cats while strengthening local livelihoods. More than a declaration, it shows that when conservation belongs to local people, people and wildlife can thrive together.