A second friendly football match aimed at promoting the conservation of snow leopards and yaks will be held in Mustang from Ashwin 3 to 7. The event, organized to boost sustainable tourism and raise awareness about wildlife conservation, was announced during a press conference today.
The match is a joint initiative of the Biological Diversity Conservation Society (BIOCOS) Nepal and the Ant Foundation, with support from Chame Rural Municipality and Manang Ngisyang Rural Municipality. Other key partners include the National Nature Conservation Fund, the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), the Conservation Area Management Committee, the Sports Development Committee, the District Football Association of Manang, and Namaste Manang.
Dr. Paras Vikram Singh, founder of BIOCOS Nepal and a conservation expert, highlighted the importance of snow leopards as indicators of the impact of climate change on their habitat. He stressed that this event will play a crucial role in raising public awareness about the need to protect the species and its environment. Last year, the organization held a similar football match in various regions of Manang.
The friendly match will be held between the teams Himalayan Snow Leopard and Kanjisara Yak, featuring local players from the Manang Ngisyang Yak team. The games will take place at Timang Football Ground, situated at an altitude of 2,600 meters, and at Munji Football Ground, located at 3,200 meters above sea level, as shared by Prashant Tamrakar, founder of Ant Foundation.
Former Nepal national football team striker Anil Gurung expressed his belief that Manang has the potential to be developed as a hub for high-altitude training centers, given its unique geographical and climatic conditions.
This friendly football match is not only an effort to protect endangered species but also to promote sustainable tourism and raise awareness of the unique biodiversity of the region.
