Leopard attacks farmer in Nepal, fueling calls to eliminate the animal

A farmer on the outskirts of Kathmandu narrowly escaped a leopard attack, an incident that has intensified local calls to eliminate the animals. Bulal Maharjan, 67, recounted the terrifying encounter on February 22, where a leopard lunged at him, causing deep lacerations to his forehead and hands. Neighbors eventually trapped the animal, but not before two more people were injured in the chaos.

"For three days straight, I couldn’t even sleep. Every time I began to doze, the scene of this attack would jolt me up!" Maharjan said. "I think we should just get rid of this animal. Period."

Sentiments like Maharjan's are increasingly common in Nepal. Between 2000 and 2020, conflicts with four large mammals, elephants, rhinos, tigers, and common leopards, resulted in 887 human deaths and the killing of 1,139 animals. Common leopards were responsible for the highest number of human fatalities and were also the most frequently killed species.

Nepal's conservation efforts focus on charismatic predators in protected lowland and mountain areas. However, the mid-hills, dominated by common leopards, are largely managed as community forests. This celebrated program, initiated in the early 1990s to combat deforestation, has empowered local communities with forest management rights. While successful in increasing forest cover, it has also unintentionally restored habitats, allowing top carnivores like leopards to thrive, leading to escalating human-wildlife conflicts.

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For three days straight, I couldn’t even sleep. Every time I began to doze, the scene of this attack would jolt me up! I think we should just get rid of this animal. Period.