International Day for Biological Diversity 2025: Nepal’s Extraordinary Wildlife Is One of Earth’s Greatest Gifts — And It Is Under Threat

Picture a country about the size of the state of Arkansas in the USA.

Now fill it — from steaming tropical jungles to frozen glacial peaks — with one-horned rhinoceroses, Bengal tigers, snow leopards, red pandas, over 870 species of birds, and one-third of all the world’s rhododendron species.

Add eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 20 national parks and conservation areas, and more ecological zones per square kilometre than almost anywhere else on Earth.

That country is Nepal.

And on May 22 — International Day for Biological Diversity — the world is reminded that this extraordinary web of life is not just Nepal’s treasure. It belongs to all of humanity.

And it is disappearing faster than we can count.

What Is International Day for Biological Diversity?

International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) is an annual United Nations observance celebrated every year on May 22, designed to raise awareness about biodiversity — the extraordinary variety of life on Earth — and the urgent need to protect it.

Biological diversity is often understood in terms of the wide variety of plants, animals, and microorganisms, but it also includes genetic differences within each species — for example, between varieties of crops and breeds of livestock — and the variety of ecosystems (lakes, forests, deserts, agricultural landscapes) that host multiple kinds of interactions among their members.

This is not just about saving tigers and rhinos — though that too. Biodiversity is the living infrastructure of human civilisation itself:

• 🐟 Fish provide 20% of animal protein to about 3 billion people worldwide
• 🌾 Over 80% of the human diet is provided by plants
• 💊 As many as 80% of people in rural developing countries rely on traditional plant-based medicines for basic healthcare
• 🌊 Forests, wetlands, and coral reefs regulate our climate, purify our water, and prevent floods

When biodiversity collapses — humanity’s life support system collapses with it.

The Full History — How International Day for Biological Diversity Was Born

H3: The Convention on Biological Diversity — 1992, Rio de Janeiro

The story begins at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June 1992 — one of the most significant environmental gatherings in history.

On May 22, 1992, the text of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was adopted — a landmark international treaty committing signatory nations to:

• Conserving biological diversity
• Using biological resources sustainably
• Sharing benefits from genetic resources fairly and equitably

The CBD currently has 196 parties — making it one of the most widely ratified international environmental treaties in history. Nepal is a signatory.

The First International Day — December 29, 1993

The UN General Assembly first designated December 29 as International Day for Biological Diversity in 1993, marking the date the CBD entered into force.

The International Day for Biological Diversity was originally celebrated in late December, but the UN General Assembly later decided to move the date to May 22 — which commemorates the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity text in 1992. The change was made in 2001 to avoid conflicts with other year-end holidays and to enable more outdoor, community-based celebrations.

The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework — 2022

In December 2022, at COP15 in Kunming and Montreal, nations adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) — a landmark agreement to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030.

Often called the “30×30 agreement”, it commits nations to protecting 30% of the world’s land and oceans by 2030. This is the most ambitious biodiversity agreement in history.

International Day for Biological Diversity 2025 — Theme

The theme for IDB 2025 is:

“Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development”

The IDB 2025 campaign seeks to focus the world’s attention on the linkages between the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Goals and Targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework — two universal agendas that must be pursued together.

The message is powerful and urgent: economic development and nature conservation are not opposites — they are partners. A world that destroys its biodiversity to fuel short-term economic growth is not developing. It is borrowing against a debt it can never repay.

As UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in his message for the day: “Let us champion those acting locally for global impact — and work together to halt and reverse biodiversity loss, so people and nature flourish together.”

Annual Themes — A Decade of Biodiversity Day

Nepal — One of the Most Biodiverse Nations on Earth

Nepal covers just 0.1% of the global land area.

Yet it harbours over 3% of the world’s known flora and 1% of its fauna.

This extraordinary statistic — a country tiny in size but enormous in biodiversity — makes Nepal one of the most ecologically important nations on the planet.

Here is the full picture of Nepal’s biodiversity wealth:

Nepal’s Wildlife Numbers — Staggering for a Small Country

Nepal’s biodiversity profile records:

• 🐘 208 mammal species — including Bengal tigers, Asian elephants, one-horned rhinoceroses, snow leopards, and red pandas
• 🦜 867–871 bird species — representing 8.9% of all bird species on Earth in a country that covers 0.1% of its surface
• 🦎 123–137 reptile species
• 🐸 53–55 amphibian species
• 🐟 228–230 freshwater fish species
• 🦋 651 butterfly species — representing 3.72% of the world’s total
• 🌸 6,973+ plant species — Nepal holds the 27th position globally and 10th in Asia for richness of flowering plants
• 🍄 Over 22,000 total species recorded from Nepal — 1.3% of global biodiversity, in 0.1% of the world’s area

Nepal also has remarkable endemism — 284 flowering plants, 160 animal species including one mammal, one bird, and 24 herpetofauna species found nowhere else on Earth.

The country harbours 35 forest types, 118 ecosystems, and six biomes — spanning from tropical lowlands at 60 metres elevation to the world’s highest peaks above 8,000 metres.

Nepal’s Conservation Success Stories

Nepal’s conservation record includes some of the most inspiring wildlife recovery stories in the world:

🦏 One-Horned Rhinoceros Recovery — In the 1960s, Nepal’s one-horned rhino population had fallen to fewer than 100 individuals due to poaching and habitat loss. Through intensive conservation, the population has recovered to over 700 animals today — one of the great wildlife comeback stories in Asia.

🐯 Tiger Doubling — Nepal more than doubled its tiger population from 121 tigers in 2009 to 355 in 2022, years ahead of its international commitment. Nepal became the first country in the world to meet the TX2 goal of doubling wild tiger numbers.

🐘 Elephant Conservation — Chitwan National Park maintains one of South Asia’s most important Asian elephant populations and has pioneered human-elephant coexistence programmes that are now models for other nations.

🦁 Anti-Poaching Success — Nepal achieved zero poaching years for rhinos and tigers — a remarkable feat for a developing nation with limited resources.

Nepal’s Protected Areas — A Network of Natural Treasures

Nepal has established an impressive network of protected areas covering approximately 23% of its total land area:

The Threats — Why Nepal’s Biodiversity Is Under Serious Pressure

Nepal’s conservation successes are real — but so are the threats.

Climate Change — The Biggest Long-Term Threat

Nepal’s Himalayas are warming at twice the global average rate. Glaciers are retreating. Alpine habitats are shifting upward. Species that evolved for specific temperature ranges have nowhere to go when those ranges disappear.

The snow leopard — Nepal’s most iconic high-altitude predator — faces a potential habitat reduction of up to 30% by 2050 due to rising temperatures.

Habitat Loss and Fragmentation

Despite protected areas, Nepal’s forests face pressure from:

• Agricultural expansion, especially in the Terai
• Unplanned infrastructure development — roads, hydropower projects, and urbanisation
• Invasive plant species spreading into native habitats
• Human-wildlife conflict as communities and wildlife compete for space

Poaching and Illegal Wildlife Trade

Despite significant progress, illegal wildlife trade remains a threat. Tiger parts, rhino horns, red panda skins, and rare medicinal plants are still targeted by criminal networks operating across Nepal’s borders.

The Global Extinction Crisis

The global context is sobering. Human activities have changed three-quarters of the Earth’s land and altered most of its oceans. According to IPBES, one million of the world’s estimated 8 million species are threatened with extinction — many within decades.

10 Extraordinary Facts About Nepal’s Biodiversity

Facts that will make every Nepali deeply proud — and deeply committed to conservation:

1. 🦜 Nepal holds 9.3% of the world’s bird species despite covering just 0.1% of Earth’s land — an absolutely extraordinary ratio that makes it one of the world’s premier birdwatching destinations
2. 🌸 Nepal is home to over 30 species of rhododendron — more than a third of all rhododendron species on Earth. The Himalayan ridges in spring, when rhododendrons bloom, are among the most spectacular natural displays anywhere in the world
3. 🐆 The snow leopard — one of the most elusive big cats on Earth — finds critical habitat in Nepal’s high Himalayan ranges. Nepal is estimated to have 300–500 snow leopards, representing a significant portion of the global population
4. 🦅 The Spiny Babbler (Turdoides nipalensis) is Nepal’s only truly endemic bird species — found nowhere else on Earth. It is one of the rarest distinctions in global ornithology
5. 🌿 Nepal’s Dolpa district in the remote Karnali region contains some of the highest-altitude medicinal plant ecosystems in the world — including Yarsagumba (Ophiocordyceps sinensis), the world’s most expensive fungus by weight, which plays a crucial economic role for mountain communities
6. 🐬 The Gangetic river dolphin (Platanista gangetica) — one of the world’s rarest freshwater dolphins, classified as Endangered — survives in Nepal’s Karnali and Narayani river systems
7. 🦬 Nepal is one of the last refuges of the wild water buffalo (Bubalus arnee) — the ancestor of domestic buffalo — with the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve protecting one of South Asia’s last wild populations
8. 🏔️ The Annapurna Conservation Area — at 7,629 square kilometres — is one of the world’s most successful examples of community-based conservation, where local communities are central partners in wildlife protection
9. 🌱 Nepal’s forests sequester significant amounts of carbon — making Nepal’s biodiversity conservation a direct contribution to global climate change mitigation
10. 🎯 Nepal has committed to protecting 30% of its land under the Kunming-Montreal Framework — a commitment already exceeded by the country’s existing protected area network

What You Can Do — Simple Actions for Every Nepali

International Day for Biological Diversity is not just for scientists and policymakers. Every Nepali can contribute:

1. 🌳 Plant a native tree — choose species native to your region, not ornamental non-natives
2. 🚯 Clean up a river, trail, or forest — organise or join a biodiversity area cleanup
3. 🦋 Create a butterfly garden — plant local flowering species that support pollinators
4. 🚫 Never buy wildlife products — refuse any product made from wildlife (tiger claws, rhino horn, bear bile, exotic birds)
5. 🌿 Buy sustainable wood and paper — support FSC-certified or community forest products
6. 📸 Document local species — photograph plants, birds, and insects around you and upload to iNaturalist — every observation contributes to biodiversity science
7. 🏫 Teach children — take a child to a national park or forest. Love for nature is planted early
8. 📢 Support conservation organisations — NTNC, Bird Conservation Nepal, WWF Nepal, and Red Panda Network all work to protect Nepal’s biodiversity

Conclusion — Nepal’s Biodiversity Is Not Just a Natural Wonder. It Is a Responsibility.

In a world where one million species face extinction, Nepal stands as something rare and precious — a country small in area but extraordinary in ecological wealth. A living laboratory of evolution. A sanctuary for species that have nowhere else to go.

Nepal’s conservation successes — the recovered rhinoceroses, the doubled tiger populations, the zero-poaching years — prove that with commitment and community effort, the tide of extinction can be turned.

But the work is far from done.

International Day for Biological Diversity is our annual reminder that protecting nature is not someone else’s job. It is everyone’s job — from the government official signing conservation agreements to the school student who chooses not to litter in a forest.

In harmony with nature and sustainable development — this year’s theme — lies Nepal’s path to a future where people and wildlife can both thrive.

Share this post with every nature lover, every proud Nepali, and every person who has ever stood in wonder before the mountains, the jungles, or the rivers of this extraordinary country. 🌿🦁🏔️

Have you ever visited a national park in Nepal? What wildlife have you spotted? Share your experience in the comments — inspire someone else to discover Nepal’s natural treasures!

FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions About International Day for Biological Diversity

Q1: When is International Day for Biological Diversity and why May 22? International Day for Biological Diversity is celebrated every year on May 22. The date commemorates the adoption of the text of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) on May 22, 1992, during the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. The observance was originally held on December 29 (when the CBD entered into force in 1993) but was moved to May 22 in 2001 to enable more public participation and outdoor events.

Q2: What is the theme for International Day for Biological Diversity 2025? The theme for International Day for Biological Diversity 2025 is “Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development.” The IDB 2025 campaign focuses on the connections between the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework — arguing that economic development and biodiversity conservation must be pursued together, not in opposition.

Q3: Why is Nepal considered one of the most biodiverse countries in the world? Despite covering only 0.1% of the global land area, Nepal harbours over 3% of the world’s known flora and 1% of its fauna — including 867+ bird species (9.3% of global total), 208 mammals, 651 butterfly species, and over 22,000 total recorded species. This extraordinary biodiversity is the result of Nepal’s unique geography — spanning from tropical lowlands at 60 metres to the world’s highest peaks above 8,000 metres — creating an unparalleled range of ecosystems and microclimates in a remarkably small area.

Sources: UN Convention on Biological Diversity — cbd.int | UNEP — IDB 2025 | NTNC Nepal Biodiversity Profile | Nepal Biodiversity Research & Conservation Centre