Living With Tigers:Poverty Reduction For Human Wildlife Coexistence

Within the small spatial extent of 147,181 sq. KM, Nepal host significant amount of global flora and fauna which are attributed by its geography, dramatic changes in elevation and unique climatic variation within north south... [ view full abstract ]

Within the small spatial extent of 147,181 sq. KM, Nepal host significant amount of global flora and fauna which are attributed by its geography, dramatic changes in elevation and unique climatic variation within north south span of 193 km. Nepal has successfully conserved the biodiversity inherited to it by nature. Almost 40% of the total land area of the country is covered by forest and about 17% of the forest area is under protected areas. As the result of effective conservation efforts, like community managed buffer zone; successful anti-poaching initiatives, the wildlife population have flourished in the protected areas. For example: wild tiger population increased to 198 breeding individuals in 2013 from 121 breeding adults in 2008. With increasing number of wildlife population, Human Wildlife Conflict (HWC) has also increased. Elephants, rhino, tiger and leopards are major wildlife involved in conflict. Both community living around protected areas and wildlife have been affected by HWC. Living with Tigers (LWT) project is working in Chitwan National Park and Bardia National Parks aims to promote human tiger co-existence by reducing both human and tiger casualties by implementation of preventive measure and alternative livelihoods programs in project communities and increasing community tolerance level towards tigers through behavioral change. LWT project activities are centered at two buffer zone communities in each national park. One of the project activities focuses on to reduce risk of tiger attack by promoting safe natural resource collection practices, safe livestock husbandry and alternative energy sources for cooking. Second sets of project activities are directed towards improving livestock protection by promoting improved livestock sheds, establishing safe communal grazing land. The project also works on developing alternative livelihoods for forest dependent communities. Awareness and behavioral change through conducting campaigns like street drama, radio programs and community interaction is other set of activities that project is implementing in the field. Along with the implementation activities, project is also conducting social and ecological research to reinforce project interventions and benefit community. While project is focusing in the tiger and leopard associated conflict, people have challenge of dealing with other wildlife animals like elephant, rhino, wild boar, etc. Local communities’ have high expectancy from project while project have limited budgets for field interventions. However, there is great opportunity to expand the work to rest of Buffer Zone user Committees.

Keywords: Biodiversity, Conservation, Human Wildlife Conflict, Tiger, Community, Alternative livelihood.