Spy cameras installed inside Parsa National Park (PNP) have proved vital in checking wildlife poaching and timber smuggling. 

Eight months since the cameras were installed with the support of Zoological Society London, park authorities say, they have succeeded in capturing six timber smugglers along with a tractor-load of logs, some bicycles and wood chopping tools. 

Chief Conservation Officer Haribhadra Acharya said the spy cameras have been fixed at 11 locations.  

“The footage are remotely accessed using satellite relay by our Rapid Response Command Centre. Whenever a suspicious activity is detected, the centre can immediately mobilise security personnel,” he said.

The PNP covers 637.37sq km and straddles the districts of Parsa, Makwanpur and Bara. While the park rangers and the Nepal Army soldiers do conduct regular patrols 

to secure the protected area, their efforts alone cannot keep poachers and loggers at bay.

“The spy cameras have definitely bolstered our firewall. As it is impossible to track the goings-on inside the park with our patrol teams alone, these cameras are helping us keep an eye on the locations that are sensitive security wise,” said Acharya.   

The PNP has also installed three CCTV cameras along the Pathalaiya-Amalekh section of the Tribhuvan Highway to monitor the wildlife movement and catch hit-and-run incidents.