Background
Nepal is home to 13 species of wild cats, ranging from the iconic big cats to the elusive and lesser-known small felids. These species play a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance within forests, grasslands, wetlands, and agricultural landscapes. However, many wild cat species face increasing threats from habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, prey depletion, and lack of scientific attention.
Addressing this situation requires building a new generation of conservationists who are informed, skilled, and motivated to contribute to wildlife research and conservation in Nepal. Recognizing this, Wild Care Nepal launched the Wild Cats Series, a youth-focused capacity-building initiative designed to introduce students and early-career conservationists to the ecology, conservation challenges, and research approaches related to wild cats.
Since its inception, the program has successfully engaged enthusiastic participants (n=50) from across Nepal and has helped foster interest in felid conservation through interactive learning, skill development and hands-on experience.
Building on the success of previous sessions, we are excited to announce the 4th Edition of the Wild Cats Series in 2026.
Objectives of the program
The program generally aims to:
1. Increase knowledge about Nepal’s wild cats and their conservation challenges.
2. Develop research and communication skills among students.
3. Promote knowledge exchange among local conservation leaders (citizen scientists), students & subject experts
4. Create conservation ambassadors to conduct education outreach in their communities.
5. Encourage youth to pursue careers in wildlife research and conservation.
Eligibility
The applicant should:
· Be a Nepali citizen
· Be a university student (Zoology, Environmental Science, Forestry, and/or degree related to wildlife studies)
· Have genuine interest in wildlife conservation (no prior experience needed)
Commitment
Applicant must:
· Comply to pre-training requirements after selection
· Attend the full duration of the training program
· Conduct outreach activities in their respective home-town
· Complete all other assigned activities and submit a report within the given deadline
Important Notes:
Application deadline:1 April, 2026
Training date:5-7 May, 2026
Location:Surkhet district, Karnali Province (exact venue will be shared with the participants later)
Registration fee:Nrs. 1000 (applies only to the selected applicants)
Accommodation and round-trip transportation for the training will be provided by Wild Care Nepal. There are no pay assigned in any form during or after the program.