Conservationists Perish in Himalayan Helicopter Crash
Kanchenjunga, Nepal

On September 23, Nepal’s foremost conservationists and government officials for the environment died in a 24-passenger helicopter crash in Kanchenjunga, a Himalayan conservation area. Those lost were dedicated to the protection of this alpine region in concert with local communities. For the World Wildlife Fund’s list of the 24 deceased, click here.

Kanchenjunga’s rugged, forested terrain is home to the world’s third-highest peak. The helicopter was transporting the conservation delegates from a ceremony in the area’s southwest corner when the vehicle crashed into a steep slope. At the ceremony, Kanchenjunga residents assumed conservation responsibilities of the reserve, including wildlife monitoring and poaching enforcement.

Although some of the work is now in the hands of residents, the tragic loss is a blow to conservation in Nepal.

Image Credits 
Himalayas, October 2004 (Blue Marble: Next Generation, satellite: NASA Terra/Aqua, sensor: MODIS)
Kanchenjunga, December 26, 2000 (Global Land Cover Facility, satellite: NASA Landsat 7, sensor: ETM+)
Snow leopard (© WWF-Canon/Martin HARVEY)
Red panda (Peter Meenen)
Kanchenjunga massif (© WWF-Canon/NEYRET & BENASTAR)
Ceremony and memorial service (© WWF)

Related Science Bulletins
New Biodiversity Hotspots: Himalaya (February 21, 2005)