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Human Wildlife Conflict and Impacts on Livelihood: A Study in Community Forestry System in Mid-Hills of Nepal

Author

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  • Kedar Baral

    (Division Forest Office, Kaski, Ministry of Forest and Environment, Government of Nepal, Kathmandu 44600, Nepal
    School of Natural and Computational Science, Massey University, Auckland 0745, New Zealand)

  • Hari Prasad Sharma

    (Central Department of Zoology, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu 44618, Nepal)

  • Ripu Kunwar

    (Cultural and Spatial Ecology, Department of Geosciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA)

  • Craig Morley

    (Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, Rotorua 3046, New Zealand)

  • Achyut Aryal

    (School of Natural and Computational Science, Massey University, Auckland 0745, New Zealand
    CC Training Academy, Auckland 0622, New Zealand
    Charles Perkins Centre, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia)

  • Bhagawat Rimal

    (College of Applied Sciences (CAS)-Nepal, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu 44613, Nepal)

  • Weihong Ji

    (School of Natural and Computational Science, Massey University, Auckland 0745, New Zealand)

Abstract

Human wildlife conflict (HWC) impacts the livelihood of many rural communities worldwide. This study investigated the impact of HWC on people living near community forests (CF) in Nepal. Using databases provided by the Division of Forest Offices and data obtained from surveys between October 2019–March 2020, we quantified the financial loss of HWC to the local people. Between 2015 and 2019, 3315, or 27%, of the livestock owned by the survey respondents were killed by wild predators in the Kaski and Tanahun Districts. Chicken (Gallus spp.) was the most common prey taken (80%), followed by sheep ( Ovis spp.) and goats ( Capra spp.) (15%), cows ( Bos spp.) (2%), pigs ( Sus spp.) (2%), and buffalo ( Bubalus spp.) (1%). Leopards ( Panthera pardus ) were the primary predators, followed by golden jackals (Canis aureus ) , jungle cats ( Felis chaus ) , yellow-throated martens ( Martes flavigula ), and Himalayan black bears ( Ursus thibetanus ). The financial loss of livestock during this period was USD $115,656.00, equivalent to USD $142.61 per household. Crops were also damaged and eaten by wildlife, and 2165 crop-raiding events were recorded between 2015 and 2019. Rice ( Oryza sativa ) , followed by maize ( Zea mays ) , millet ( Panicum miliaceum ), and potatoes ( Solanum tuberosum ) were the main crops lost. Rhesus monkeys ( Macaca mulatta ) were the most common crop raiders, causing 74% of the damage, followed by Indian field mice ( Mus booduga ) (12%). From 2015 to 2019, crop losses equated to USD $83,424.00. Forest regeneration on abandoned agricultural land expanded wildlife habitats, enabling wild animals to come within reach of human settlements, which increased the likelihood of HWC events. Although the success of the community forest restoration program resulted in increased forest-cover, marginally increasing biodiversity, the reduced distance between human settlements and wildlife habitat, compounded by a lack of natural prey, may have unwittingly exacerbated HWC in this region. We recommend surveying predator and prey populations in the forest habitat, and implementing a habitat management program to improve prey populations within the community forests. Meantime, we propose establishing a financial relief and insurance program for crop and livestock losses at the local community level to alleviate any financial difficulties to the local communities caused by HWC.

Suggested Citation

  • Kedar Baral & Hari Prasad Sharma & Ripu Kunwar & Craig Morley & Achyut Aryal & Bhagawat Rimal & Weihong Ji, 2021. "Human Wildlife Conflict and Impacts on Livelihood: A Study in Community Forestry System in Mid-Hills of Nepal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-14, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:23:p:13170-:d:689931
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Uttam Khanal & Khorshed Alam & Ramesh C. Khanal & Punya P. Regmi, 2015. "Implications of out-migration in rural agriculture: a case study of Manapang village, Tanahun, Nepal," Journal of Developing Areas, Tennessee State University, College of Business, vol. 49(1), pages 331-352, January-M.
    2. Stéphanie Jaquet & Thomas Kohler & Gudrun Schwilch, 2019. "Labour Migration in the Middle Hills of Nepal: Consequences on Land Management Strategies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-19, March.
    3. Achyut Aryal, 2015. "Factor people into tiger conservation," Nature, Nature, vol. 522(7556), pages 287-287, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Sangay Wangchuk & Jennifer Bond & Rik Thwaites & Max Finlayson, 2023. "Exploring Human–Wildlife Conflict and Implications for Food Self-Sufficiency in Bhutan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-16, February.
    2. François Libois & Jean-Marie Baland & Nicolas Delbart & Subhrendu Pattanayak, 2021. "Community Forest Management: The story behind a success story in Nepal," DeFiPP Working Papers 2106, University of Namur, Development Finance and Public Policies.
    3. Aryal, Kishor & Maraseni, Tek & Apan, Armando, 2023. "Examining policy−institution−program (PIP) responses against the drivers of ecosystem dynamics. A chronological review (1960–2020) from Nepal," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    4. Sandhya Dhakal & Simant Rimal & Prashant Paudel & Anil Shrestha, 2023. "Spatio-Temporal Patterns of Livestock Predation by Leopards in Bardia National Park, Nepal," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-15, May.
    5. Poudyal, Bishnu Hari & Khatri, Dil Bahadur & Paudel, Dinesh & Marquardt, Kristina & Khatri, Sanjaya, 2023. "Examining forest transition and collective action in Nepal’s community forestry," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).

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