scholarly journals Human-Rhino Conflict: Local People’s Adaptation to Impacts of Rhino

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-66
Author(s):  
Jyoti Sedhain ◽  
Anukram Adhikary

The greater one-horned rhinoceros, a protected species, significant to growing eco-tourism industry and conservation efforts in Nepal poses a number of challenges to the local people residing in the vicinity of the Chitwan National Park (CNP). The article is based on a study of local people’s perceptions on impacts of rhino and various coping and adaptation measures being adopted by them. The study also aims to explore ways to enhance adaptation by securing local people’s participation in rhino conservation. Review of secondary literature, surveys, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), and Likert scale analysis were carried out for the purpose of the study. Five per cent of the households (50) in Bachauli Village Development Committee that hosts Bagmara Buffer Zone Community Forest User Group of the CNP were randomly selected. The study found that despite 80 per cent of the respondents incurred damage in some form from rhinos, 40 per cent of them exhibited a positive perception towards rhino conservation. Among several coping and adaptive measures to damages, a combination of electric/solar fencing and trench is found to be most effective. Applied research through collaborations between social scientists and ecologists can help to address the gaps in the understanding of different elements of human-wildlife conflict.

Oryx ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajendra Dhungana ◽  
Tommaso Savini ◽  
Jhamak Bahadur Karki ◽  
Maheshwar Dhakal ◽  
Babu Ram Lamichhane ◽  
...  

AbstractHuman–tiger conflict arises when tigers Panthera tigris attack people or their livestock, and poses a significant threat to both tigers and people. To gain a greater understanding of such conflict we examined spatio-temporal patterns, correlates, causes and contexts of conflict in Chitwan National Park, Nepal, and its buffer zone, during 2007–2014. Data, mostly from compensation applications, were collected from the Park office. Fifty-four human casualties (32 fatalities, 22 injuries) and 351 incidents of livestock depredation were recorded, clustered in defined areas, with 75.9% of human casualties occurring in the buffer zone and 66.7% within 1 km of the Park boundary. A linear model indicated there was a significant increase in human casualties during 2007–2014. Livestock were killed in proportion to their relative availability, with goats suffering the highest depredation (55%). There was a positive correlation between livestock depredation and National Park frontage (the length of Village Development Committee/municipality boundary abutting the National Park), but not human population, livestock population, forest area in the buffer zone, rainfall or temperature. There was no relationship between tiger attacks on people and any of the correlates examined. Wild prey density was not correlated with conflict. Of the tigers removed because of conflict, 73.3% were male. The majority of attacks on people occurred during accidental meetings (77.8%), mostly while people were collecting fodder or fuelwood (53.7%), and almost half (48.2%) occurred in the buffer zone forests. We recommend the use of the conflict map developed here in the prioritization of preventive measures, and that strategies to reduce conflict should include zoning enforcement, improvement of livestock husbandry, participatory tiger monitoring, an insurance scheme, and community awareness.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-43
Author(s):  
Deepa Dangol ◽  
Anuj Ghimire ◽  
Salina Banskota Bhattarai

The interaction between human and wildlife sharing same resources often result negative outcomes and are referred as the human wildlife conflict which affects not only humans but also the wild species. Such conflicts, especially from the mega-herbivores such as elephants has become one of the major management challenges for the Chitwan National Park (CNP), Nepal. Spatial and temporal patterns of human elephant conflict (HEC) in the buffer zone of CNP were analyzed using park data and questionnaire survey conducted among three hundred and ninety residents of thirteen buffer zone user committees (BZUC) within Chitwan district from October 2016 to May 2017. Five hundred and forty-three HEC incidents including three human deaths and two human injuries were reported in BZUC from January 2013 to April 2017. Crop damage was found to be the most common type of damage caused by elephants and were higher during post-monsoon. Property damage incidents were higher during the winter season. There was a negative association between the number of HEC incidents and distance from the forest edge of the national park. However, no significant relation of HEC incidents was observed with average monthly temperature and rainfall. Despite of increasing HEC incidents, majority of people (77%) had positive attitude towards elephant conservation and considered elephants as nation’s treasure.


2017 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 167-180
Author(s):  
Narayan Prasad Paudyal

This paper deals with the concept of theoretical and conceptual framework in a research with park-people interaction of Bardiya National Park (BNP) with specific reference to Shivapur Village Development Committee (VDC) of Bardiya district. The local people enter the park illegally and exploit the park resources like fodder, firewood, thatch, etc. They also try to kill wildlife either for food as traditional profession or for money. They frequently encounter with wildlife and get injured; sometimes they are killed. Similarly, wildlife cross the park boundary and destroy the crops and kill the livestock. Villagers also get their shelters and sheds damaged by them. BNP, therefore, has introduced various programmes to keep the conservation intact without disturbing the livelihood of Buffer Zone people. Several efforts, such as construction of Trench, Machan etc. have been made to address the issues associated with park people conflicts. In addition, endowment funds, such as Rahat Kosh, Apatkalin Kosh and Chetipurti Kosh have been established to provide and compensate to the human casualty and property (mainly building) damage.The Park-People interaction is the reality and the need is felt from both sides. Despite ups (harmony) and downs (conflicts) and despite differential use of resources by localities, the interface continues and is likely to continue so long as both these entities exist there. The need is to realize each-others limitations and strengthen their mutual understanding and the benefits.The Geographical Journal of Nepal Vol. 10: 167-180, 2017


2009 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. 58-71
Author(s):  
Rita Ale ◽  
Bhakta Bahadur Raskoti ◽  
Keshav Shrestha

Ethnobotanical knowledge, associated with plant resources was studied in Siluwa village development committee, Palpa district. Rapid rural appraisal tool was used to obtain information of indigenous people. This study revealed that Magar community has a vast knowledge of using plant resources. Local people are using plants for medicinal, wild fruit, food, religious and other various domestic purposes. The ethnobotanical knowledge is gradually decreasing in the younger generations.  Key words: Indigenous knowledge; use of plants; Magar community. Journal of Natural History Museum Vol. 24, 2009 Page: 58-71


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 12451-12458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rama Mishra ◽  
Khadga Basnet ◽  
Rajan Amin ◽  
Babu Ram Lamichhane

The Fishing Cat is a highly specialized and threatened felid, and its status is poorly known in the Terai region of Nepal.  Systematic camera-trap surveys, comprising 868 camera-trap days in four survey blocks of 40km2 in Rapti, Reu and Narayani river floodplains of Chitwan National Park, were used to determine the distribution and habitat characteristics of this species.  A total of 19 photographs of five individual cats were recorded at three locations in six independent events.  Eleven camera-trap records obtained during surveys in 2010, 2012 and 2013 were used to map the species distribution inside Chitwan National Park and its buffer zone.  Habitat characteristics were described at six locations where cats were photographed.  The majority of records were obtained in tall grassland surrounding oxbow lakes and riverbanks.  Wetland shrinkage, prey (fish) depletion in natural wetlands and persecution threaten species persistence.  Wetland restoration, reducing human pressure and increasing fish densities in the wetlands, provision of compensation for loss from Fishing Cats and awareness programs should be conducted to ensure their survival.  We also recommend studying genetic diversity of sub-populations, as well as habitat use by radio-tagging. 


2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 98-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghanashyam Bhandari ◽  
Bhuddhi Bahadur Achhami ◽  
Tika Bahadur Karki ◽  
Balram Bhandari ◽  
Gopal Bhandari

A survey was conducted in order to assess the losses of maize under farmers’ storage conditions in the Western hills of Nepal in 2014. The survey area included Thanapati Village Development Committee (VDC) of Gulmi, Aalamdebi VDC of Syangja, Khasauli VDC of Palpa and Baglung municipality-12, Baglung district. Primary information was collected through semi-structured questionnaires among the heterogenous groups of the farming communities. Survey revealed that about 61% respondents reported the storage pest as the major pests and about 12% respondents reported that field pests as the major pests in the western hills. Maize weevil (Sitophylus zeamais Mostsch.) and Angoumois grain moth (Sitotroga cerealella Oliv.) were found to be major storage insect pests in surveyed areas. Majority of respondents (39%) presumed on 10-20% losses during storage. Among the other biotic factors, farmers ranked insect (42%), weeds (32%) and diseases (17%) respectively. Maize storage methods had distinct among the surveyed areas compared with Baglung district to other surveyed areas. In Baglung, about (73%) farmers had stored maize in the form of grain whereas in Palpa, Gulmi and Syangja, about (77%) farmers had practice of storing maize with husk for 5-7 months. Approximately, 40% respondents were using open floor in upper stair “Aanti”as a major maize storage place in Palpa, Gulmi and Syangja whereas almost (79%) of respondents were using sacks to store shelled grains in Baglung. Hence, there is ample opportunity to reduce the storage losses of maize depending upon the existing situation.Journal of Maize Research and Development (2015) 1(1):98-105DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.34288


2010 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 39-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kamal Humagain ◽  
Krishna K Shrestha

The present paper deals with the study conducted during 2006-2008 to assess trade pattern of important medicinal plants in Chilime Village Development Committee (VDC) of Rasuwa district, Nepal. Chilime VDC is one of the important trade centres of medicinal plants in the district. We documented 60 species of important medicinal plants, including 26 species involved in trade. Among them, 12 most potentially traded species, which have been given high priority by the collectors and traders, were selected for the study of their market potential and their contribution to the local livelihood. About 40% of the households of Chilime VDC were found to be involved in the collection and trade of medicinal plants. Most of the collection (90%) was for trade, which has supported up to 40% of family income contributing average household net profit of NRs 9,000 per year. The local traders were also making a good profit from medicinal plants with annual net contribution of about NRs 0.25 million per trader. But only 50% of actual traded quantity was registered at DFO resulting low revenue collection (only 43% of the expected). This shows that illegal trade is a common practice in the area by which the local traders increase their profit because they do not have to pay revenue. Thus strong mechanisms should be developed to stop illegal trade of medicinal plants and to promote revenue generation. Key-words: Langtang National Park; NTFPs; revenue; Tamang; trade channel.DOI: 10.3126/botor.v6i0.2909 Botanica Orientalis - Journal of Plant Science (2009) 6: 39-46


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