Moving to the next location

So to catch the research group I wanted to follow next (in Bangladesh) I have to leave Nepal early. Original plan was to follow Gopal in the field where we are now, and then travel to the town where his University is located (Pokhara) and film there also. Additionally I needed to travel back to Kathmandu to film Shambu. I decided I would just travel back to Nepal after my work in Bangladesh. This became necessary also because travel in Nepal was not possible outside of air travel due to the strike. 

I decided to share this with you because it plays a role in the story of these researchers and their ability to carry out conservation. As I mentioned before there is now a strike going on, which prevents automobile transport on the roads. This is “enforced” by placing hidden bombs on the roads to deter people from attempting to use their cars, or from buses or transport vehicles from also going out. It is highly effective.

Nepali army in Kathmandu. (Reuters)

For both myself and Gopal, to move safely we had to exit at night, and we both travelled less trafficked roads which were less likely to be targeted. Strikes like this occur regularly across Asia, and obviously can delay research and outreach. In fact, Gopal had arranged an important stakeholders meeting which originally was to occur during my visit. This meeting was going to include one of the first gatherings of both Nepali and Indian managers to discuss how to coordinate efforts to document the dolphins along the Karnali on both sides of the Nepal/Indian border. This meeting was cancelled as a result of the strike.