Arghakhanchi, a hilly district of Province number 5, is endowed with cultural and natural diversity. As there are hills of the Mahabharat and Siwalik ranges, this district is covered with forests. But these forests have acted both as a curse and a boon for Arghakhanchi.

When it comes to human-wildlife conflict, Arghakhanchi is one of the hardest hit, due to the frequent rampage by the leopards. In the last five years (2070-2075), 14 people, including 12 children, have been killed in Arghakhanchi by leopards. In addition, there have been six bear attacks.

According to the local people, majority of the attacks take place in the evening and sometimes even in broad daylight when they are returning home from the market or while herding their livestock.

The leopards might have started entering human settlements in search of prey, as food in the forest is fast dwindling due to increased habitat loss, forest encroachment, farming and other human activities.

Once a leopard finds easy prey in the settlements, it becomes a regular visitor.

As a result, people are now afraid to walk around their villages, and even children are not willing to go to school. This incidence has instilled deep fear among the villagers. Even though the people are directly or indirectly dependent on the forest for their livelihood, they are afraid to go inside the forest alone.

Leopard attacks apart, other human-wildlife conflicts have worsened the scenario. Apart from human casualties, there is damage to crops, livestock and property. Following the local demand for security, wildlife experts installed camera trappings in some leopard attack prone areas, and gave orders to kill the leopard. But this is not sufficient for the security of the people. Wildlife needs to be continuously monitored using camera traps and other scientific methods. Information about such wild animal should be communicated through an early warning system.

Though biodiversity-rich Nepal is doing well in conservation, human-wildlife conflict has become a challenge in recent years. Human wildlife conflict outside the protected areas is increasing in Nepal, however, the government and its conservation partners are mainly focussed on conflicts within and around the protected areas only. Hence, mass awareness about camera trappings and compensation schemes should be started to tackle such cases.