Tag: nepal

This Road In Nepal Will Have You Paralyzed With Fear

Do you ever encounter an Uber driver that doesn’t necessarily have the most patience behind the wheel? What about your last taxi ride? Did you hit a few bumps on the way to your destination?

When we think of a nightmare drive, we probably imagine miles upon miles of dead-stop traffic in the middle of a hot summer. If you’re from the northern United States, you might even be visualizing an avalanche dropped right in the middle of the busiest intersection.

Keep scrolling for the REAL waterfall road…

For a few brave souls in Nepal, this “waterfall road” creates a commute to work that most of us could not even fathom- or stomach.

Potholes Are An Understatement

In America, we’re extremely used to the occasional pothole in the middle of our favorite highway. Individuals who live in the south are never surprised when a family of deer prance across the road. All of these hazards can make for a relatively rough drive if encountered. But high up in the Himalayan Mountains is a very different story.

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It’s almost impossible to see the imprint of a road on the mountainside from Manang to Besisahar in the Annapurna region of Nepal. But it’s there, running parallel with an older mule track. Jagged rocks stand upright and gleam in the hot sun, daring drivers to cross their treacherous path.

Winding Through Waterfalls

The rocks are just the beginning. The roar of approaching water hits the driver’s ears before their eyes. This water isn’t happily flowing next to the road. No, it’s crashing down onto the road, around the road, and over the side of the mountain, down into the valleys thousands of feet below.

Flickr

So you’re sitting in your 4X4 (because that is the only vehicle that can even come close to taking on this treck), and what seems like millions of gallons of water are rushing at your windshield. To your right is the jagged mountainside. To the left is the very steep edge of the cliff. This scenario seems like something out of an absolute nightmare.

But to some Nepal natives, it’s just another Monday commute.

What’s Your Commute Like?

Experienced drivers that have traveled this road continuously struggle with it. Tourists should not even begin to think about attempting this trek. Adrenaline junkies beware! This is not a risk worth taking!

Safety barriers had previously lined the treacherous road, but residents say that they have washed away long ago. Even something as simple as a rail bar wouldn’t bring the terror factor down for most reasonable drivers.

The entire video of the drive can illicit pretty high-anxiety responses in most viewers. It’s clear that the drivers in the video are fearless and have completed this trip hundreds of times before. Regardless, it’s still one of the bumpiest and craziest things we’ve ever seen!

Let’s all take a moment to be thankful that the most frustrating part of our daily commute is most likely the elderly neighbor trying to change lanes without a turn signal.

Endangered Animal Lovers Rejoice! Nepal’s Tiger Population Doubles After 9 Years

There may be hope yet for the endangered Bengal tiger.

These majestic creatures, which once roamed the Earth in numbers topping 50,000, have seen their population quickly decline over the last century due to habitat loss and poaching. In 2008, the Bengal tiger was listed as an endangered species as more and more began dwindling away. Only about 4,000 Bengal tigers are alive today.

While all of these tiger statistics are grim, conservation efforts in Nepal have shown great progress.

In a survey carried out earlier this year, 235 Bengal tigers were accounted for in Nepal, which is nearly a two-fold increase from the 121 tigers recorded in 2009. Thanks to political involvement and innovative conservation strategies, the Bengal tiger population in Nepal may sustain itself longer than previously thought.

Tiger Numbers On The Rise

By utilizing more than 4,000 cameras and 600 elephants, wildlife experts were able to track tigers residing along Nepal’s southern planes. After traveling the 1,700-mile route, they amazingly found the tiger population doubled in size after 9 years.

Its important to point out that the population’s growth isn’t due to luck.

“This is a result of concentrated unified efforts by the government along with the local community and other stakeholders to protect the tiger’s habitat and fight against poaching,” said Man Bahadur Khadka, director general of Nepal’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation.

The 2010 Conservation Plan

After severe deforestation and habitat loss ravaged big cat populations all across Asia, several countries decided to make a difference.

In 2010, Nepal and 13 other countries pledged to double their tiger populations by 2022 by signing the 2010 Tiger Conservation Plan. This plan has been backed by officials across the world, including high-profile celebrities like actor Leonardo DiCaprio.

“This significant increase in Nepal’s tiger population is proof that when we work together, we can save the planet’s wildlife – even species facing extinction,” DiCaprio said. “Nepal has been a leader in efforts to double tigers within its own borders and serves as a model for conservation for all of Asia and the world. I am proud of my foundation’s partnership with WWF to support Nepal and local communities in doubling the population of wild tigers.”

DiCaprio founded the Leonardo Dicaprio Foundation in 1998 in an effort to protect the world’s wildlife.

The foundation has been actively working with the World Wildlife Fund, an international wilderness preservation organization, to increase tiger populations in Nepal and around the world.

Every Tiger Counts

Ghana Gurung, a representative of World Wildlife Fund, said the progress in Nepal is an example tiger conservationists around the globe should follow and take note of. Although, Gurung also notes the work to protect the world’s tigers is far from over.

“The challenge now is to continue these efforts to protect their habitats and numbers for the long-term survival of the tigers,” Gurung said.

“Every tiger counts, for Nepal and for the world,” said Gurung. “While Nepal is but a few tigers away from our goal to double tiger numbers by 2022, it also underscores the continued need to ensure protection, and improved and contiguous habitats for the long-term survival of the species.”