Human Wildlife Conflict

Safeguarding against attacks by wildlife in Nepal’s Chitwan National ParkAttacks on people by wildlife in the vicinity of protected areas where resource use by people and wildlife overlaps is a major conservation challenge not least in Chitwan national Park in Nepal. Study between 2003 and 2013 period 329 attacks by wildlife on people were reported with an increasing trend since 2008. Among the major attackers were rhinos tigers sloth bears elephants wild boars leopards gaur bison sambar deer and marsh crocodiles and the majority of attacks occurred outside the park within 1 km of the park boundary and when victims were outside their homes collecting forest resources or working on croplands.Chitwan National Park generates a significant amount of annual revenue so it was suggested that at least 25% of the revenue should be spent on human wildlife conflict management. Similarly educating local people about animal behaviour;regulating and limiting movement and activities by people in the buffer zone forests; and establishing well-equipped participatory emergency rescue teams to provide early warnings of imminent danger.