Supreme Court urges government to ban use of wildlife parts.

Kathmandu, June 20 – The Supreme Court has ordered the government to ban the use of animal parts such as bones, horns, and trophies (locally known as akhetopahar), and to issue a public notice urging people to hand over any such items they possess.

This decision was made on May 30 by a division bench of Justices Sapana Pradhan Malla and Til Prasad Shrestha in response to a petition filed by Kumar Paudel of Sindhupalchok. The full text of the order was released today.

The court stated that the government must inform the public that anyone holding wildlife parts without proper documentation—like permits or ownership certificates—must submit them to the authorities within a given deadline. If these items are turned in voluntarily within the time limit, no legal action will be taken. The process should make it easy for people to surrender these items willingly.

For those who possess wildlife parts from before the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act of 1973, the court said they can apply for a permit if the items were inherited or are of religious or cultural value. However, those who obtained such items after the Act came into effect must turn them over to the government. If not submitted voluntarily, the government must seize them and take legal action.

The court emphasized the need for a new public notice, as the previous ones issued in 1976 and 1979 are outdated and no longer sufficient.

The ruling also requires the government to label and document all submitted wildlife parts, and either destroy or preserve them depending on their value—such as using them for DNA studies in line with international standards. Destruction must be done in a way that minimizes harm to the environment.

Additionally, the court directed the government to run awareness campaigns, especially in communities near national parks, to educate people that collecting and using animal parts is illegal. It also stressed the need to take legal action against those who use these items for luxury.

The ruling noted that controlling, regulating, or destroying wildlife parts will reduce demand, discourage hunting and trafficking, and reinforce Nepal’s commitment to conservation and international efforts to protect endangered species. Destroying confiscated animal parts, the court said, also helps prevent them from re-entering the illegal market and sends a strong message that these items should have no commercial value. The beauty of wildlife, the court concluded, lies in their living state.