Championing Change: Living in Harmony with Wildlife in Lowland Nepal

Lowland Nepal—the Terai Arc—hosts some of South Asia’s most remarkable wildlife: Bengal tigers, greater one-horned rhinos, Asian elephants, and gharials. It’s also home to dense human settlements, rich farmlands, and vital infrastructure. Coexistence here isn’t optional; it’s the only path forward. This piece gathers recent facts, policies, and field insights to show what’s working, what isn’t, and how communities can champion change.

Why the Terai matters

• Tigers rebounded to 355 individuals (2022)—nearly triple the 121 counted in 2010—making Nepal the first country to more than double its tiger population since 2010. (dnpwc.gov.np, IUCN, WildCats Conservation Alliance)
• Rhinos reached 752 (2021) across Chitwan, Bardia, Shuklaphanta, and Parsa—an encouraging 16% rise from 2015. (ntnc.org.np, Mongabay)

“Nepal’s conservation focus is shifting from just increasing numbers to sustaining the milestone achievements.” (Mongabay)

The coexistence challenge (and human costs)

As wildlife recovers, interactions have intensified—especially in buffer zones and community forests. In one recent fiscal year, 36 deaths from animal attacks were recorded (14 elephant, 12 tiger, 4 rhino, 3 leopard, 2 wild boar, 1 bear), and over NPR 100 million was paid in relief. (Rising Nepal)

In Bardiya’s buffer zone municipalities (Thakurbaba, Madhuban), fresh research documents rising human–tiger conflict, mapping socio-economic risk factors and community responses. (Frontiers)

What the law and policies say

• Relief & Compensation: Nepal revised its human-wildlife conflict guidelines in 2023, clarifying eligibility for injuries, crop and livestock loss (on private land), and more. Updates in 2024 flagged operational bottlenecks. (Mongabay)
• Relief amounts: Public summaries report revised ceilings (e.g., minor vs. serious injury tiers). Always check your local warden office for current rates. (Online Khabar)
• Buffer Zones: Since 1996, Nepal’s buffer-zone system channels 30–50% of protected-area revenues back to local communities to reduce park-people conflict and fund development. (FAOLEX, NepJOL, NFWF)

“Park revenue sharing (30–50%) in buffer zones became an important incentive to reduce conflict.” (NepJOL)

Proven coexistence strategies in the Terai

1) Corridors that work (people included)

The Khata Corridor linking Bardiya (Nepal) and Katarniaghat (India) shows how restored community forests, local stewardship, and cross-border cooperation enable safe passage for tigers while supporting livelihoods. (Natural Habitat Adventures)

“Restoring Khata secured safe passage for wildlife and engaged the local community.” (Natural Habitat Adventures)

New social-science studies in Khata add detail: people’s attitudes to tigers vary by exposure, benefits, and perceived risk—pointing to tailored outreach and benefit-sharing as keys to durable tolerance. (ScienceDirect, Cambridge University Press & Assessment)

2) Prevention beats compensation

• Early-warning & night patrols in hot-spot villages reduce surprise encounters.
• Predator-proof livestock sheds and community fencing (where appropriate) cut losses dramatically.
• Crop-protection (watchtowers, torch rotations, chili/bee fences in some contexts) helps limit elephant and wild-boar raids.
  These interventions are repeatedly highlighted across Nepal’s research and policy landscape. (NepJOL, MDPI)

3) Make benefits visible, local, and fair

Buffer-zone funds, community-forest enterprises, and nature-based tourism must visibly improve households’ lives (e.g., water, health posts, alternative energy, micro-grants). When people see returns, tolerance rises. (ScienceDirect, NepJOL)

Practical tips for Terai communities

1. Report incidents fast
   File reports with your Buffer Zone User Committee or the park warden promptly—this is essential for relief processing under current guidelines. Keep photos, receipts, and witnesses. (Mongabay)
2. Herd and harvest smart

• Avoid grazing or collecting fodder at dawn/dusk near dense cover.
• Use groups, whistles, and lights in known wildlife trails.
• Store grain securely; keep livestock corrals reinforced at night. (Tiger/leopard proofing features are often subsidized through buffer-zone funds.) (FAOLEX, NepJOL)

3. Leverage buffer-zone funding
   Propose community projects—solar lights, fencing, watchtowers, insurance schemes, or rapid-response teams—via your user committee. These align directly with the 30–50% revenue-sharing mandate. (FAOLEX, FAOHome)
4. Champion corridors & community forests
   Support land-use plans that maintain riverine forest strips, culverts, and underpasses along roads and canals. These mitigate accidents and reduce animals entering fields. Use Khata’s model to advocate locally. (Natural Habitat Adventures)

For policymakers & partners

• Sustain success, not just numbers. With tigers at 355 and rhinos at 752, the priority is minimizing conflict while safeguarding genetic connectivity across the Terai Arc. (dnpwc.gov.np, ntnc.org.np)
• Streamline relief. Field reporting shows administrative bottlenecks. Digitize claims, publish timelines, and ensure timely payouts to maintain community trust. (Mongabay)
• Invest in prevention. Budget buffer-zone revenues and donor funds toward conflict-hotspot mapping, fortified sheds, and community early-warning systems before peak crop seasons. (ScienceDirect)
• Back science + local voice. Scale social-science insights from Bardiya/Khata to tailor messages and benefits for different groups (e.g., farmers vs. herders). (ScienceDirect, Frontiers)

A shared vision

Coexistence isn’t a slogan; it’s a daily practice shaped by equitable benefits, quick relief, and smart prevention. Nepal’s Terai has already shown the world what’s possible—doubling tigers, growing rhinos, and empowering buffer-zone communities. The next chapter is about living well with wildlife, not despite it.

“When people feel safer and see benefits, coexistence becomes common sense.” (Synthesizing findings from buffer-zone research and policy across Nepal.) (FAOLEX, NepJOL, ScienceDirect)

Sources & further reading

• Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC). Status of Tigers and Prey in Nepal 2022. (355 tigers; doubling milestone). (dnpwc.gov.np)
• NTNC. National Rhino Count 2021 (752 rhinos in Nepal). (ntnc.org.np)
• Mongabay reporting on revised conflict-relief guidelines and implementation challenges (2023–2024). (Mongabay)
• Buffer Zone Management Regulation 1996 and analyses—30–50% revenue sharing with communities. (FAOLEX, NepJOL, NFWF)
• Research from Khata/Bardiya on conflict drivers and coexistence solutions. (ScienceDirect, Cambridge University Press & Assessment, Frontiers)