Manaslu Conservation Area

Manaslu Conservation Area (MCA) with an area of 1,663 km 2, covers seven Village Development Committees (VDC) of Gorkha District. They are Samagaun, Lho, Prok, Bihi, Chumchet, Chhekampar and Sirdibas. MCA with a population of over 9,000 people, is actively managed by the King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation . The araea harbors some 11 forest types, well over 29 species of mammals and 200 species of birds. As cultural perspective is pivotal in the motivation of the resident people in the Manaslu region, lamas from monasteries like Shringi Gompa in Bihi, Mu and Rachen Gompa have prohibited the locals to hunt wildlife. This has helped the wildlife and their habitat including the snow leopard, Tibetan wolf, musk deer, blue sheep and Himalayan Tahr.

Most of the villages do not have safe drinking water supply or electricity. Education and health services are almost non-existent. Marginal agriculture, and animal husbandry are the main stay. Dependency on natural resources is on the rise. The management has opened several kerosene depots, trained villagers as certified medical assistants and lodge managers and has brought several development-related activities.