Ashish Bashyal
- Project name: Assessment of conservation status of critically endangered gharials (Gavialis gangeticus) in Bardia National Park, Nepal
- Project site: Babai River, Bardia National Park, Nepal
- EDGE species: Gharial Gavialis gangeticus
- Active: 2019 - 2022
Biography
Ashish is a Conservation Scientist at the Biodiversity Conservancy Nepal where he oversees a number of active research and conservation projects, including Nepal Gharial Conservation Initiative – a long-term project aimed at establishing healthy and protected populations of gharials (Gavialis gangeticus) in Nepal
Ashish has always been fascinated by gharials and wants to contribute to their long-term conservation in Nepal. The EDGE Fellowship will provide him with the funding, training and mentorship which he needs to help him achieve his long-aspired goal of contributing to gharial conservation.
EDGE Project
Ashish’s project aims to collect previously non-existent scientific information on population, habitat and breeding ecology of gharials to assess their conservation status in the Bardia National Park (BNP), Nepal. His specific objectives are to:
- Determine status of gharial population and habitat in BNP.
- Investigate breeding status of gharial population in the Babai River of BNP.
- Design and implement citizen science program for gharials in the Babai river basin.
- Build in-country capacity for gharial monitoring and survey.
