As locals residing inside the park area have repeatedly complained that wild boar are ravaging their crops and have urged that the population of the animals be reduced, the park is holding talks with DNPWC to allow locals to hunt the boar, informed Bed Kumar Dhakal, chief of the park.
“We are holding discussions with the department. Once the department gives us permission, the park will allow locals living inside the park area to hunt the boar for a certain interval and charge them a certain amount as revenue,” he said.
Prior to approaching DNPWC to allow boar hunting, LNP conducted a study to find out the number of wild boar in the park and learnt more about their natural habitat. A four-member team led by an assistant conservation officer at the national park carried out the study.
According to the report submitted by the team, there are around 2,156 wild boar in the national park. Likewise, it has also been found that wild boar numbers in the Langtang region are high, while they are fewer in the Yara area of the district.
Some two decades ago, a government team used to visit LNP and hunt wild boar once a year. But later, LNP stopped the hunting out of conservation concerns.
“But now we are preparing to open up the boar hunting again,” said Dhakal.
According to the study report, boars caused losses of Rs. 38,000 per household in the Langtang area. Likewise, locals faced a loss of Rs. 17,200 in Dhunche.
The locals said that wild boar have been destroying their potato, maize and wheat crops. “As locals cannot kill any wildlife at LNP, our ordeal has persisted,” said a local.
He opined that unless the boar numbers are reduced, the animals will continue to ravage the crops.
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