Yonjan, a resident of Sitapaila, was cycling when he was hit by a truck (Na 3 Kha 7718) in front of the Office of the Controller of Examinations in Balkhu at four in the afternoon. [break]
Gravely injured, Yonjan breathed his last at Kathmandu Hospital, Teku, at 5:45 pm, according to Metropolitan Police Circle, Kalimati. His body has been taken to TUTH for postmortem. Police have taken the truck and its driver into custody.
A dedicated conservationist
One of South Asia´s top-most field biologists, Dr Yonjan used to spend much of his time in field researches. He broke a myth that tigers exist only in hot and plain areas by spotting a Royal Bengal Tiger 3,000 meters above the sea level some five years ago.
The proof Dr Yonjan showcased to break the myth about tigers´ existence was simply unquestionable: a photo of a royal Bengal tiger with a flower belonging to primula species, which are found only at high altitude. “All tiger experts were taken aback when he spotted a royal Bengal tiger at such a high place,” says Dr Dinesh Bhuju, science faculty chief at Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), who regards Dr Yonjan as his mentor.
Conservationist Yonjan carried out a study on red panda at Langtang National Park in 1986 as part of his doctorate thesis. It was the first ever study on red panda in Nepal. Apart from red panda, Dr Yonjan has also conducted several researches on elephants, monkeys, birds and snow leopards.
He was the most prolific yet low-profile conservationist of our time,” says Dr Bhuju.
Recently, Dr Yonjan discovered a new species of deer which is still in the process to be recognized by International Society of Zoologists. A gold medalist at Tribhuvan University, Dr Yonjan earned his Ph.D from the University of Maine in the U.S. He was a visiting professor at the TU for the last five years.
Dr Pitambar Sharma, chairperson of Resources Himalayan Foundation, an NGO dedicated to conservation of eco-system, remembers Dr Yonjan as one of the few people who dedicated his entire life to conservation biology. “He was a simple and dedicated person,” Dr Sharma says.
Dr Yonjan´s friends remember him as a giver. “He always wished to give something to others,” says Dr Sharma.
According to Dr Bhuju, Dr Yonjan donated a whopping amount of prize-money, $350,000, for building the office of Resources Himalayan Foundation, of which he was a founding member. He has won several prizes including Young Scientist Award from NAST.
“We had asked him why he wanted to spend his entire prize money for this foundation, he said he wanted to develop this NGO as a platform for all future conservationists,” Dr Bhuju says. “His dream came true. The foundation is today known as conservation chautari.”
Dr Yonjan was careful even in his personal life not to harm the environment. For instance, he always preferred to ride a bicycle. “He used to ride bicycle for commuting most of the time,” Dr Bhuju said. “Sadly, he was killed while riding one.”
Yonjan is survived by a wife, son and a daughter.
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