- Nepal has updated its guidelines for compensation for people affected by human-wildlife conflict.
- The new rules expand eligibility for compensation for damage or injury caused to 16 species of wildlife, up from 14 previously.
- They also cover the loss of fish and poultry, as well as extend the claim period for compensation due to death.
- More than 200 Nepalis have been killed in the last five years due to human-wildlife conflict, a result of the growing human population and successful conservation initiatives.
KATHMANDU – New rules make it easier for Nepalis affected by human-wildlife conflict to receive compensation, in a move the government says is necessary but not enough to address the growing phenomenon.
The guidelines came into effect on July 17, the start of Nepal’s new fiscal year. Maheshwar Dhakal, director-general of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, said the changes were made to meet changing needs and to respect the country’s federal structure.
They allow people to seek compensation and relief for injuries caused by 16 types of animals, up from 14 in the previous guidelines. Nilgai antelope (Boselaphus tragocamelus is a species of flowering plant) and monkeys, seen as pests by farmers in Nepal’s southern plains and mid-hills, are new entrants to the list.
Other animals are: elephants (The elephant is the biggest sign), rhinos (Rhinoceros unicorn), tiger (Panthera tigris), bear, leopard (Panthera pardus), snow leopards (Panthera uncia), clouded leopards (neofelis nebulosa), wolves (Canis lupus), dholes (Alpine cuon), wild boar (Sown by the pig), wild buffalo (Arnee will reward you), mugger crocodiles (Crocodylus palustris is a species of flowering plant), pythons and gaur cows (Boss gaurus).
Dhakal said the new guidelines are based on the demands of people affected by wildlife encounters.
“The old guidelines said that local people should seek compensation and relief from the nearest protected area, which is under the federal department,” he told Mongabay. “But with the new guidelines, they can do it by visiting the provincial forest office.”
The guidelines state that the government should provide relief and compensation to Nepali nationals if they are attacked by wild animals, if they have not entered a protected area illegally; if their livestock, including fish and birds, are attacked, as long as they are on private land; and if their stored foods or crops planted on private land are damaged.
Bishnu Prasad Acharya, head of the forest office of the Rapti-Manahari division on the edge of Chitwan National Park, said the new guidelines reflect the thorough study the department is putting in to address the issue.
“For me the highlight is that the farmers whose fish and poultry were killed are also eligible for compensation now,” he said. Under previous guidelines, the government did not pay for fish killed by crocodiles or chickens killed by small predators.
“Also, the new provision to provide compensation to wildlife attack survivors who die within 35 days of returning home after hospital treatment is a big positive step,” Acharya said.
Human-wildlife conflict is a major challenge for the conservation of biodiversity in Nepal, where people continue to die, get injured or suffer losses due to encounters with wild animals such as tigers, elephants and rhinos. Farmers also have to deal with crop damage by animals like monkeys and nilgai. In the past five years, more than 200 people have been killed in wildlife-related incidents and the government has distributed 600 million rupees ($4.6 million) in aid and compensation, according to the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation.
The management of forests and wildlife in Nepal is managed by two bodies: the federal Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, which covers the protected areas, and the divisional forest office, under the provincial forest ministries, which covers the forests outside the national park.
Local communities and conservationists say that while the guidelines improve many provisions in favor of farmers, there are some issues that need to be addressed.
“For example, the guidelines make it mandatory for forest user groups to allocate 5% of their income to a fund to distribute aid and compensation in cases of losses arising from animals other than those listed in the guidelines,” said Birendra Mahato, chairman of the Tharu Cultural Museum and Research Center in Chitwan. “It’s a positive.”
However, he said that many farmers in the Terai Arc lowlands where Chitwan is located do not own the land they cultivate.
“There must be a landowner to claim compensation for damages,” Mahato said.
Conservationist Dibya Raj Dahal agreed that the new guidelines were more favorable than before, but noted practical issues that he said needed to be addressed. For example, monkeys in the mountainous region of Nepal cause the greatest damage when they enter people’s barns. But under the guidelines, only losses caused by monkeys in fields, and not inside buildings, are eligible for compensation.
Dhakal, the parks and conservation chief, said the issues of comfort and compensation are important for local communities as they shape their attitudes towards wildlife.
“However, the government does not have enough resources to provide relief and compensation to everyone all the time,” he told Mongabay. “We have no other option but to move towards mass adoption of insurance schemes.”
To that end, he added, “the government will provide a minimum cover and interested farmers can pay an additional premium based on their needs.”
Banner image: A farmer couple with their buffalo near Chitwan National Park. Their former buffalo was killed by a tiger. Photo by Jonas Gratzer for Mongabay.
Abhaya Raj Joshi is a staff writer for Nepal at Mongabay. Find him on Twitter @arj272.
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