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TERMS OF REFERENCE
FOR
THE CASE STUDY ON HUMAN WILDLIFE CONFLICT IN NEPAL
Overview of Human Wildlife Conflict in Nepal
Human Wildlife Conflicts are escalating and have become a significant issue in conservation and
land management in Nepal. Agriculture represents 80% of the livelihood of Nepal, also accounting
for 41% of the country‟s GDP. Containing the majority of the cultivable land, the Terai region
(lowlands) provides an agricultural surplus that is critical to Nepal‟s economy and food security. The
Terai region is also the country‟s most densely populated region. The income of Terai is augmented
by wildlife tourism in protected areas. The Terai contains five of Nepal‟s most important protected
areas, namely, Chitwan National Park (CNP), Parsa Wildlife Reserve (PWR), Koshi Tappu Wildlife
Reserve (KTWR), Bardia National Park (BNR) and Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve (SWR). The
protected areas are surrounded by a belt of villages known as the “buffer zones” which are
contiguous with the community forest areas, agricultural lands and human settlements. The whole
Terai region houses significant population of iconic and flagship species such as tigers, elephants and
rhinoceros. All these species are listed as endangered. The wildlife population moves from protected
areas in Nepal through agricultural, forested and human settlement areas to transboundary protected
areas and landscape in India.
In the Terai, human population growth coupled with agricultural intensification has led to an
expansion of human activity, the fragmentation of natural habitats and as a consequence, restricted
the distribution and movement of large mobile wild animal species such as Tigers and Elephants. In
and around agricultural areas adjoining the buffer zones, there has been huge growth of non-
endangered small animals such as wild boars and porcupines, primarily due to conservation
initiatives undertaken there. Both the destruction and conservation activities in turn has led to direct
conflicts between wildlife and humans, intensifying negative attitudes towards wildlife and
undermining conservation initiatives. Without question the causes of this biological interaction and
the social response of humans is a critical issue facing wildlife conservation in Nepal.
Human Wildlife Conflict in Eastern and Western Terai Arc Landscape of Nepal
Nepal‟s Terai Arc Landscape (TAL) was designed based on tiger habitat connectivity and contains
significant biological corridors which provide mobility to metapopulations of tigers, elephants and
rhinos in Nepal and India. In TAL, with intensified and planned conservation initiatives wildlife
movement across biological corridors has increased over the years. However, TAL is also
experiencing increased incidences of HWC in and around Buffer Zones. From the communities
living around park and corridors in TAL, more than 50% of households are found to be vulnerable
to crop depredation by wildlife. Of these more than 60% households own less than 1 hectare of land
and 71% of population do not grow food to last through the year.
Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) in TAL-Nepal1:
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Data reference: WWF Nepal TAL Program field reports
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o HEC is increasing in TAL-Nepal corridors, having been reported from most of the 4 elephant
range Buffer Zones of SWR, BNP, CNP and PWR; and corridors such as Laljhadi, Basanta, Khata
and Lamahi bottleneck.
o Elephants make forays into areas of human settlement and destroy crops, raid food stores, damage
water sources and infrastructures, injuring and killing people in the process. The BNP/BZ area
alone recorded 1271 cases of elephant-caused damage in a period of 6 years. During this period,
damage to houses and injury to people were the highest of all elephant-caused damage.
o Because elephants usually cause large-scale damages to crops, infrastructure and injure people,
people usually view elephants as being far more hostile than other wildlife species such as tiger.
o In BNP/BZ area, crop damage accounts for nearly 56% of all incidents by elephants.
o In economic terms, elephant related crop depredation, as recorded for year 2004 accounted to
nearly US$13000 and property damage equivalent to US$9000.
With special reference to HEC, there is difference in the intensity of the conflict in Eastern and
Western TAL. While Eastern TAL has high HEC intensity, Western TAL has low HEC intensity. So
far no clear analysis has been undertaken to determine the factors related to these differential
intensities of HEC. However, it has been assumed that the landuse changes could be one key driver
of such differentials in the conflict. It could be that due to better landuse practices and planned
conservation initiatives in Western TAL, the HEC conflict is of low intensity compared to that of
Eastern TAL. In Eastern TAL, there are no forest areas big enough for elephants to live inside thus
forcing huge conflict. In contrast, Western Nepal has quite a few large forest blocks and in some
cases due to WWF‟s restoration work is extending the human-elephant interface which may / may
not increase conflict.
Objectives:
The main objective of this project is to illustrate the various dimensions of human wildlife conflict in
Nepal‟s Terai Arc Landscape through a case study approach. The analysis of human-wildlife
conflict2 can give a major direction to effect conservation initiatives and landuse planning in
biologically significant areas of TAL. The case study should cover the following:
1. The differences in the intensity of human-wildlife conflict in Eastern and Western TAL
(with special reference to human-elephant conflict)
2. Forest cover and historical landuse/landcover change analysis in correlation with
conservation initiatives undertaken in Eastern and Western TAL : to be done by WWF,
however, requires significant contribution from consultant/researcher as well.
3. Key causative factors associated with the conflict
4. Nature and intensity of damages (socio-economic) due to conflict (include baseline
information on local community population sizes, incomes, and the significance of HWC
damages to those incomes.)
5. Impacts of conflict on wildlife populations (including idea of population declines /
increases)
6. Overview and quick analysis of the occurrence and intensity of other human-wildlife
conflicts (with reference to tigers and non-endangered species such as wild boars and
porcupines)
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For the purpose of this case study, Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) will be the major focus for analyzing Human-
Wildlife Conflict (HWC). Other HWC involving tigers and non-endangered species will be analyzed only briefly.
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7. Economic benefits received by communities from living with wildlife (and options for this
to be increased)
8. Current human-wildlife mitigation measures and their effectiveness in TAL
9. To project various landuse/landcover scenarios in Western Terai and model possible
conflict intensities under those landuse scenarios (based on data from Eastern Terai) and to
adopt the landuse model that projects the lowest intensity of conflict for lobbying purposes.
10. Estimate the economic implications of the landuse/landcover scenarios defined in point 9
above in order to provide the economic argument the landuse model that projects the lowest
intensity of conflict.
Methodology:
1. Review and analysis of secondary data: There are a number of studies conducted on human
wildlife conflict in Nepal. However, many of these are scattered and some do not provide
authentic data. This case study will bring together available data, information and studies on
human-wildlife conflict. Different data and information need to be compiled and analyzed to
meet the stated objectives of this study.
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2. GIS analysis of forest cover and Landuse/Landcover change using available (LANDSAT)
satellite Imagery in TAL: The secondary data, after compilation, needs to be overlaid with GIS
outputs maps of forest cover change and classification. At the same time, forest fragmentation
of the eastern and western TAL (including two geographical research sites) will be extracted
from the analysis of primary and secondary data. Similarly, GIS analyses will be done
physiography region-wise to see the dominant forest block size in both eastern and western
TAL. GIS analysis of the intensity and extent of HWC combined with the GIS analysis of
landuse/landcover should give a clear picture of the drivers of HWC in Eastern and Western
TAL. Additional topography featured and informative GIS maps also need to be prepared which
should explain about nature and associated factors of HWC in TAL.
3. Ethnographic data collection from one site each in Eastern and Western TAL: Rapid Rural
Appraisal (RRA) techniques, such as focus group interviews and map-making using participatory
GIS methodology, will be used to collect primary HWC data from one site each in Eastern and
Western TAL (PWR and SWR). Information obtained in these assessments will be used to
develop general information about each site and communities living there, such as the economic
status and the types of landuse. It will also be used to identify issues of HWC currently faced in
each site such as the number of incidences, extent of damage to wildlife and humans, economic
implications of that damage, attitude and behaviour of humans in relation to HWC, mitigation
measures and type, intensity and success of community based conservation initiatives
undertaken, including efforts to mitigate conflict, and initiatives designed to allow communities
to benefit from wildlife.
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4. GIS based landuse scenario projection: The secondary data from eastern and western sectors
will be used to model the intensity of HEC in TAL in different landuse change scenarios. This
will be a GIS based model which will make use of secondary data.
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To be carried out by WWF, however, requires a significant contribution from researcher/ consultants
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Requires a contribution from both WWF GIS unit and Consultants
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5. By combining the GIS landuse scenarios with the data collected/summarized through 1. and 3.,
an estimate of the economic implications of various landuse scenarios will be generated, in terms
of the intensity of HEC that will be associated with each scenario. (Requires a contribution
from both consultant and WWF GIS unit).
Output:
1. A Report giving a complete account of Human-Wildlife Conflict in Nepal‟s Terai Arc
Landscape (TAL-Nepal). The report will be written in a manner that assumes no prior
knowledge of the situation in TAL, and thus will be able to be distributed as a learning tool
to other countries/regions.
The report should give an in-depth analysis of:
o Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) in Nepal‟s TAL in relation to various socio-economic
and landuse factors.
o A comparison of the intensity of HEC in Eastern and Western TAL (including
economic components) and the differences in landuse/landcover between Eastern and
Western TAL.
o Projections of the intensity of HEC under various landuse change scenarios, including
the economic implications of the varying levels of HEC.
o The economic rationale for future appropriate land-use planning.
o GIS analyzed maps of HEC
The report should give a brief account of:
o Conflict involving other animals such as tigers and non-endangered problematic species
including wild boars and porcupines.
The report should also include:
o Quotes from community members and/or other key stakeholders that can be used to
bring a personalised „voice‟ to the issue in the final report
o Photographs of community members, HWC damage, HWC mitigation strategies shall be
included where possible.
Deliverables:
1. A Report as mentioned in the Output Section
2. GIS maps and extracted information5 in relation to this study
Timeline of the Project:
S.N Activities August September October November
1 Hiring of Consultant/s
2 Secondary Data Collection
3 Field Case Studies
Compilation and Analysis of
4 data
5 GIS support / analysis
6 Presentation of Results
6 Report Preparation
Submission of the study
7 report by consultant
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GIS maps will be shared as per WWF Nepal’s policy of sharing information in the form of JPEG files.
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Consultancy Requirements:
- Academic degree: At least Masters‟ Level education (preferably in Biology,
Environmental Science, Socio-Economics)
- Prior experience in human-wildlife conflict analysis or study
- Familiarity with GIS would be an added advantage
WWF Nepal invites the submission of proposal by individual or group of consultants or consulting
firm based on TOR mentioned above no later than 15th August 2007.
Further Assistance/ Information
Kanchan Thapa
Senior Research Officer
kanchan.thapa@wwfnepal.org
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