Problem in Bardiya due to lack of cages to house rescued leopards
What you should know
Four people have died in Bardiya from Shrawan to Poush 20 of this current fiscal year. Dinesh Tharu of Dafaiya, Barbardiya Municipality-10, died in a leopard attack on Wednesday afternoon.
Similarly, Gopi Tharuni died in a leopard attack while cutting grass in Barbardiya-11 Kalavelbhar Community Forest on Mangsir 12. Similarly, Jagat Rani Tharu died in a leopard attack in Gulariya-12 Bhaisahi on Shrawan 30.
Senior Forest Officer of Division Forest Office, Bardiya, Gopal Chaudhary said that Kavita Muktan also died in a leopard attack in Gulariya-12 Taduwa on Bhadra 29. He said that during the same period, seven leopards and one black tiger were injured in the attack.
Locals are now terrified of leopards in the vicinity of Barbardiya Forest Office. Radheshyam Tharu of Barbardiya-4 says that he is scared to go to the forest to cut grass and fields because of leopards. The Forest Office has captured 2 leopards this year.
Last year, a leopard was captured. Even though the leopard was taken under control, it was released in Banke and Bardiya National Parks due to lack of cages. Bardiya National Park Senior Conservation Officer Sarojmani Poudel said that there is no cage for leopards in Bardiya.
He said that the leopards that were taken under control had to be released back into Bardiya National Park. Locals say that the risk is increasing as the problematic leopards released in the forest are re-entering the settlements.
Although the work of taking control of the leopard is being done, the Division Forest Office has a challenge in managing it.
District Forest Chief Bijay Raj Subedi said that the park finds it difficult to take the leopards that have been taken under control. Forest employees say that the Division Forest Office lacks cages and budget to keep the leopards. Bardiya National Park Senior Conservation Officer Poudel said that the leopards that are taken under control are sent to the park's forests.
Since there is a cage and budget for the endangered tiger, the government should also make arrangements for the leopard, says the forest official. Ajit Tumpha Hamphe, head of the National Nature Conservation Fund, Bardiya, said that leopards can be avoided by spreading public awareness in community forests.
‘In the past, tiger attacks in the buffer zone around Bardiya National Park have decreased,’ he said, ‘The decrease is due to public awareness. The forest and park do not have data on the number of leopards in Bardiya.’
