Characterizing damages caused by wildlife: Learning from Bardia National Park, Nepal

Shahi, Kabindra; Khanal, Gopal; Jha, Rohit Raj; Joshi, Aashish Kumar; Bhusal, Prabin; Silwal, Thakur

doi:10.1080/10871209.2021.1890862

Cited by 9 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 89%

“…This difference may be attributable to only two distance categories in our study, which were relatively close to the park boundary (<5 km). It is also likely because a similar number of incidents of wildlife damage were observed in far and near settlements from the park boundary (Shahi et al, 2021). Increase in the awareness of conservation and Improvement in basic infrastructure were the main perceived benefits, whereas the increase in human-wildlife conflict and limited access to forest resources were the main perceived costs by the respondents.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 89%

“…The Bardia National Park (BNP) is the largest national park in the plains (Terai), characterized by high human population density (GoN, 2022). The population of mega‐species, including tigers and one‐horned rhinoceros, has increased (DNPWC & DFSC, 2018; Heinen et al, 2019), resulting in increased human‐wildlife conflict incidences (Heinen et al, 2019; Prins et al, 2022; Shahi et al, 2021). Although there are few studies undertaken in BNP focusing on attitudes (Allendorf et al, 2007; Baral & Heinen, 2007), conservation benefits (Thapa Karki, 2013), and resource dependency on the park (Thapa & Hubacek, 2011), little is known what socio‐demographic factors explain their attitudes toward the PA.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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What drives local communities' attitudes toward the protected area? Insights from Bardia National Park, Nepal

Shahi

Khanal

Jha

et al. 2023

Conservat Sci and Prac

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Understanding the local communities' attitudes toward protected areas (PAs) is critical to PA management planning. However, what socio‐economic and demographic factors drive their attitude remains poorly studied. We interviewed 135 residents in three villages in the buffer zone of Bardia National Park, Nepal, to assess their perceived benefits and costs of the PA. We found that perceived benefits are skewed toward wealthy and influential people, whereas costs associated with wildlife‐caused damage (i.e., crop raiding) are borne disproportionately by poor people. The Tobit regression model showed that wealthy and educated residents who obtained direct tourism benefits from the park were significantly more likely to hold positive attitudes toward the PA. On the flip side, residents who had experienced conflict with park administration (park staff and military guards) and incurred a higher amount of crop loss in the recent past were likely to have negative attitudes. Our results showed that negative attitudes largely stemmed from park staff and military guards' behavior and inefficient service delivery from the national park office. In light of these findings, we suggest the park administration develop mechanisms to ensure efficient service delivery and pragmatic handling of community grievances concerning law enforcement and wildlife damage compensation. We also recommend directing park benefits to less educated and poor households and those suffering property losses from wildlife to improve park‐people relationships.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 89%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 89%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

What drives local communities' attitudes toward the protected area? Insights from Bardia National Park, Nepal

Shahi

Khanal

Jha

et al. 2023

Conservat Sci and Prac

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“…Although these two initiatives are similar, there are some important geographical, legal, and managerial differences between them (Straede & Treue, 2006). For example, buffer zones 1 in Nepal were established to provide adequate substitutes for forest resources that had not been plundered from national parks/wildlife reserves (Aryal et al, 2021; GON, 1996; Ruda et al, 2018; Ruda et al, 2020; Shahi et al, 2022; Sharma, 1991; Silwal, 2003). After political changes and reestablishment of multi-party democracy that occurred during the 1990s, the Nepalese government revised the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1973 (fourth amendment in 1993) to create buffer zones adjacent to parks and reserves for integrated conservation and development purposes (GON, 1973).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Numerous studies (e.g. Agrawal & Gupta, 2005; Bhattarai & Fischer, 2014; Lamichhane et al, 2019; Pant et al, 2015; Shahi et al, 2022; Sharma, 1991; Silwal, 2003; Silwal et al, 2016; Silwal et al, 2017) have been conducted on human-wildlife conflicts and buffer zone programs of lowland PAs in Nepal. Yet, research that measures the impact of buffer zone programs on local livelihoods, biodiversity conservation and human-wildlife conflict management in mountain parks is lacking.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do Buffer Zone Programs Improve Local Livelihoods and Support Biodiversity Conservation? The Case of Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal

Silwal

Devkota

Poudel

et al. 2022

Tropical Conservation Science

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Background and Research Aims: Buffer zone programs aim to reduce park-people conflicts by improving local livelihoods through integrated conservation and development activities. A case study was conducted at Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal from 2002–2016 to examine some buffer zone initiatives. Methods: Focus group discussions ( n = 7), key informant interviews ( n = 14), and field observations were performed in accordance with the IUCN Framework for Assessing Management Effectiveness of Protected Areas 2006 and WWF´s Rapid Assessment and Prioritization of Protected Area Management 2006. Results: A total of 99 buffer zone activities were identified, including a variety of construction activities such as hydroelectric projects, trails, schools, and monasteries. Park funds were allocated mainly for community development and social welfare (42%), and less on conservation and conflict management (22%). For example, traditional “ Nawa” animal rearing practices, feral dog control, and mitigation of wildlife damages to crops and livestock were overlooked. Conclusion: Support gained from the buffer zone program to address livelihoods of needy households who suffer from wildlife damages was lacking, despite legal provisions for compensation (e.g. crop damages caused by jharal). This should not occur at the expense of wildlife conservation and if it does, it will diminish the original intent of buffer zones. Implications for Conservation: Although most of the local communities were positive about buffer zone programs and activities, there was a dire need to incorporate “ Nawa” practices, wildlife damage compensation schemes, and feral dog controls. This study suggests to update policies that focus on conflict management.

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A systematic literature review: Trends and current state of research on Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris), 2010–2022

Maharjan,

Maraseni,

Allen

et al. 2024

Biodivers Conserv

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Tigers are one of the most recognized and charismatic predator on earth, yet their habitats have declined, their numbers are low, and substantial threats to their survival persist. Although, tiger conservation is high priority globally and tigers are generally considered well studied, there has been no comprehensive global assessment of tiger-related publications aimed at identifying trends, assessing their status and pinpointing research gaps. Utilizing PRISMA framework, we conducted an extensive search across multiple databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect, to gather research related to Bengal tigers. Following thorough screening, we selected and evaluated 491 articles published between 2010 and 2022 to address these issues. The results show that publications on Bengal tigers have steadily on rise, with an average of 40 papers/year within this period. We found that most research was focused on the theme of tiger biology. Information on leopards and dholes was also frequently associated with tiger research. The highest number of lead authors originated from India (n = 192), where most research was also conducted. Authors from USA (n = 111) and UK (n = 38) were the next most productive, even though tigers are not found in or anywhere near these countries. We demonstrate that there is only limited amount of transboundary research, and that relatively little tiger research is conducted in the forests beyond protected areas. Similarly, very important but the least studied themes ─Poaching, Population and Socio-culture dimension should be the priority of future research efforts. Additionally, research on tourism, economic aspects and technological inputs are essential for the sustainable conservation of Bengal tigers.

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Characterizing damages caused by wildlife: Learning from Bardia National Park, Nepal

Cited by 9 publications

References 30 publications

What drives local communities' attitudes toward the protected area? Insights from Bardia National Park, Nepal

What drives local communities' attitudes toward the protected area? Insights from Bardia National Park, Nepal

Do Buffer Zone Programs Improve Local Livelihoods and Support Biodiversity Conservation? The Case of Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal

A systematic literature review: Trends and current state of research on Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris), 2010–2022

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