CHITWAN, March 5: Wildlife attacks have claimed the lives of ten people during the current fiscal year. Since the month of Shrawan (mid-July to mid-August), rhinos, elephants, and tigers have attacked people in and around Chitwan National Park, resulting in these fatalities.
Avinash Thapa Magar, the park's information officer, reported that rhino attacks caused eight deaths, while elephant and tiger attacks each caused one. This fiscal year, wildlife encounters have also injured 14 people, with 12 injured by rhinos and two by elephants.
Dangerous confession
The park provides Rs 1 million in financial aid to the families of the deceased and covers treatment costs up to Rs 0.2 million for the injured at government hospitals. So far, the park has provided Rs 94,61,931 in relief, which has also been used for repairing homes and crops.
The ongoing human-wildlife conflict causes untimely deaths every year, with wildlife attacks remaining a persistent problem. Thapamagar emphasized that reducing such conflicts requires managing and improving wildlife habitats within the park. The park is currently working on managing grasslands and water sources, including ponds, pools, and lakes.
Unauthorized entry into the park and surrounding areas contributes to these incidents. People who cut grass, fish, or collect firewood and medicinal plants in these areas often face animal attacks.
To address the issue, the park has been implementing measures such as filling gaps in fences, erecting wire barriers, installing electric fences, building solid walls, and rescuing and managing wildlife settlements.
