Mapping and analyzing human–wildlife conflicts communication network to promote conservation success in protected areas: evidence from Nepal

Protected areas (PAs) play a vital role in biodiversity conservation. Their role and importance in promoting sustainable livelihoods through community-based programs and ecotourism ventures in surrounding communities of PAs are unequivocally supported. However, human–wildlife conflicts (HWCs) are a common problem in PAs that threaten long-term conservation goals. Often these HWCs are exacerbated due to a lack of effective communication among community members, or their ability to report those HWCs via networking with relevant authorities. This study aims to evaluate the communication networks of buffer zone residents of Bardiya National Park, Nepal. In addition, the factors affecting their network ties and their perceived level of support for their respective ties are examined. The findings show that residents maintain a high density of ties with parents and neighbors to discuss HWCs; these ties were also perceived to be the most supportive ties. Surprisingly, the Department of National Park and Wildlife Conservation is one of the least used and least supportive ties, while user committee are the least used but the most supportive ties. Our study contributes to a notably debated body of literature, but an underexplored field of social network analysis on HWCs in PAs.