Human-Carnivore Conflict and Herder’s Ethical Dilemmas for Conservation in Annapurna, Nepal
Research Location: Implemented: Annapurna, Nepal
Conservation Partner: Ukali
Past Student Researchers
Katherine Marston '25, Major: Geology; Major: Environment & Sustainability (science-track)
Liam McLinda '25, Major: International Relations; Major: Integrative Conservation
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Sapana LohaniProject Description
The Nepalese Highlands are a biodiversity hotspot and play a crucial role in supporting the livestock-based economy of Nepali herder communities. These communities raise a variety of animals, including yaks, goats, sheep, cattle, dzo (a cattle-yak hybrid), horses, and mules, for multiple purposes such as subsistence farming, which relies on livestock for manure as fertilizer. These livestock share the landscape with wildlife, including both ungulates and carnivores, often leading to human-carnivore conflict over livestock depredation, which places a significant financial burden on rural households.
The Annapurna Conservation Area (ACA), Nepal's largest protected area, serves as a unique model of governance that balances the livelihoods of herder communities with conservation objectives. However, in the face of rapid environmental changes, climate change, declining profits from the conservation area, and shifts in local livelihoods, herders in the ACA continue to experience conflicts with carnivores. To balance carnivore conservation with the needs of local herders, it is essential to document herders’ attitudes and perceptions regarding conflict mitigation and carnivore protection.
In collaboration with Ukali, a conservation NGO supporting community-led conservation in Nepal, William & 玛丽 and Nepali students conducted research to document the perspectives of herder communities on livestock-carnivore conflict, the effects of the ACA, and the broader impacts of global environmental changes on their ecosystems and livelihoods. The findings highlight the connections between carnivore conflict, global environmental changes, and politics in the ACA, emphasizing the importance of engaging herders in conservation management and policy decisions.
