In Nepal, rhinos, tigers and elephants can sleep soundly. While their African and Asian counterparts continue to fall at the hands of poachers, the small mountain state nestled between China and India has achieved the incredible milestone of "zero poaching".

So far the goal has been reached twice: in 2011 for rhinos, and in 2014 for rhinos, tigers and elephants. "This is a great achievement and stopping wildlife crime remains a priority for Nepal," said Megh Bahadur Pandey, director general of Nepal's Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation.

"Nepal has shown the world that achieving 'zero poaching' is possible," said Dr Barney Long of WWF United States. "This was made possible by the efforts of everyone, from the highest levels of government to the conservation heroes on the front line, such as rangers and anti-poaching patrols made up of local communities."

Nepal's example can serve as an inspiration and represents a beacon of hope for the whole of Asia in building a safer future for its precious biodiversity. Nepal has just hosted the symposium "Towards Zero Poaching in Asia", established with the aim of broadening cooperation between countries and sharing best anti-poaching practices.

Nepal can boast ten national parks, three nature reserves and six protected areas covering approximately 23 per cent of the country — collectively an area larger than the US state of Maryland — which are home to extraordinary creatures such as tigers, bears, rhinos, Ganges dolphins and elephants.

The decline in wildlife crime is also attributable to institutions such as the National Tiger Conservation Committee and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau. Local communities also play an important role: roughly one third of the country's forests have been placed under their management, helping to reduce poverty and preserve biodiversity.

Community anti-poaching patrols have also been involved in monitoring the trafficking of animals and plants, and represent a vital source of information on illegal activities. The country places strong emphasis on education and aims to foster informed citizens by engaging young Nepalis in conservation activities.