The Escalating Human-Elephant Conflict: A Crisis of Habitat Fragmentation in Nepal
Summary
The Asian wild elephant in Nepal faces habitat fragmentation and increasing human-elephant conflict as forest areas shrink and biological corridors narrow between 1984 and 2024, threatening their survival.
Key Points
- The Asian wild elephant's geographical distribution has significantly shrunk over decades due to habitat loss and fragmentation.
- Between 1984 and 2024, Nepal's Terai region's forest cover has fragmented heavily due to agricultural, urban, and infrastructure expansion.
- Biological corridors essential for elephant migration have been obstructed, increasing human-elephant conflict in Nepal's Terai.
- Only about 200-250 wild elephants remain in Nepal, with a serious risk of becoming critically endangered if current threats continue.
