Nepal's conservation successes: What are the costs for the local communities?
Summary
Local communities in Nepal's protected areas bear disproportionate costs of wildlife conservation, facing crop and livestock losses, delayed relief, and restricted forest access.
Key Points
- Nepal has seen significant successes in recovering flagship species like tigers and elephants but at high costs to local communities.
- Human-wildlife conflict incidents in buffer zones of protected areas reached nearly 15,000 between 2013 and 2022, with elephants causing the highest number of incidents.
- Relief and compensation for losses due to wildlife damage are often delayed and inadequate, disproportionately affecting poorer, landless, or informally settled families.
- Immediate shifts needed include faster relief timelines, simplified compensation processes without heavy paperwork, and locally adaptable conflict mitigation measures.
