Nepal’s Women Face Rising Wildlife Conflict

Why this is here: The Khata Corridor, a forest connection between Nepal’s Bardiya National Park and India’s Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, has seen many recent deaths due to peak wildlife movement coinciding with when women gather resources.

In Nepal, rural women are experiencing increased danger from human-wildlife conflict, particularly in areas bordering Bardiya National Park. A shift in demographics, with men migrating for work, has left women responsible for collecting resources like firewood and fodder. Recent data from 2024 indicates roughly 84% of attacks in Bardiya district happen within one kilometer of forest edges.

Binita Pariyar, age 17, was killed by a tiger in December 2025 while gathering grass, a tragedy followed by five more deaths in the same area within a month. Roughly one-third of fatal attacks occur while herding cattle and another third while cutting grass, with women comprising the majority of those attacked during grass-cutting activities from 2021 to 2025.

Nepal’s tiger population has tripled since 2009, reaching an estimated 355 individuals, but measuring conservation success overlooks the human cost. Women are underrepresented in conservation policy, holding less than 15% of national park jobs, and long-term solutions like compensation reform and early-warning systems remain underdeveloped.